A second look at 9-3-4 Education Reform By: Sina Oduntan

WHEN POLICYMAKERS and other concerned citizens debate proposed education reforms, they often focus on how these changes will affect the delivery, structure, funding or control of education. 

    Less attention is paid to how these changes will affect the fundamental purposes and principles that ought to underlie the Nigeria system of public education. 

    Fundamental purposes and principles of public education should be  the expectations and values that embody what Nigerians of today want public education to do and to be. These must be linked to national interest. 

    They must be retained no matter how the physical form of public education evolves. These purposes and principles should represent a vision of what public education should be, rather than what it is in all schools. In other words, they should embody ideals that most contemporary Nigerians want their public schools ought to be.

     This is why we must take a second look at what Nigerians should expect from the new 9-3-4 education system.

     Let's think out of the box quickly and shortlist those purposes and principles that should be fundamental to any education reform. These should include the following aspirations and values for public education, viz: (1) effectively preparing all students for a satisfying life, good job (not necessarily employment opportunity), and active citizenship; (2) promoting social cohesion and a shared culture; (3) guaranteeing universal access to a free education; (4) ensuring equity and non-discriminative education; (5) promoting public accountability and responsiveness; and (6) ensuring neutrality while respecting religious freedom.

    The question now is does the recent education reform take the above into consideration? We can ask more questions to put this reform to test. Would the reform produce an education of the quality needed to effectively prepare our children to lead fulfilling and contributing lives, to be productively employed, and to be responsible citizens in democratic Nigeria?

     Could the proposed reform promote cohesive Nigeria to the extent that all the divisive diversities would become materials for the cesspool of history and by bringing together children from diverse backgrounds and encouraging them to get along? Would it help to form a shared Nigerian culture and to transmit democratic values?

     Would the new reform guarantee a public education that is universally accessible to all children in their respective localities and is free of charge to parents and students?

Could the new reform provide the same quality of education for poor children as well as non-poor children? Would it treat all children justly and without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religious affiliation or economic status?  That is whatever is offered to students in public schools will be extended to students in private schools as  the present practices by the governments in Nigeria are discriminating.

     Would the reform ensure that education supported with public monies remains accountable to taxpayers and the public authorities that represent them? Could the reform be responsive to the needs of local communities and afford citizens a voice in the governance of their schools?

Could the new system of education provide a public education that is religiously neutral and respectful of religious freedom?

     These questions are raised to make sure that both policymakers and the citizenry are fully aware of the intrinsic implication of an education reform that is straitjacket on mere change. Answering these questions would help Nigerians to identify which aspirations and values (purposes and principles) are essential and should be maintained, which should be revisited, which are no longer necessary and could be let go of, and which new principles, if any, should be added. 

     If Nigerians could reach a broad consensus about the above then the issues of structure and delivery of public education would be solved without challenge.

     The lack of public debate has made the implementation of the new education system problematic among the stakeholders. Most stakeholders are not well informed even about the structure and delivery of the reform.