Universality of Primary Education in Nigeria: Trends and Issues
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Universality Of Primary Education In Nigeria: Trends And Issues Joshua O. Oni Dept. of Educational Management and Business Education Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye Ogun State, Nigeria Abstract Universality of primary education dates back to the 1950’s. Before independence, the different governments in southern Nigeria proclaimed primary education to be universal. After independence, during the second republic, all the state governments in the southwest geo-political zone announced that primary education, amongst other levels of education, was for all. On two different occasions, the federal government expressed its intention that primary education was (and still is) for all children Much as the different governments have tried; the story of the exercise has not been one of full success. Different unresolved issues are responsible. These are: poor projection resulting in pupil population explosion, and non-availability or inadequacy of educational resources; self-interest or overriding political interest, lateness in putting in place regulatory policies, apathy on the part of some parents, and unstable polity. In order to solve the identified problems, the different tiers of government—federal, state and local—should have genuine interest in education and display the needed political will. More importantly, good governance is necessary to guarantee political stability and, by extension, universality of primary education that will endure for as long as there is human civilization. Introduction Primary education has always been regarded as a vital stratum in the nation’s education system. For one thing, it is the first stage. While it is debatable to say which of primary, secondary, post-secondary and higher education sub-systems is the most important, nobody will disagree that primary education is the stage patronized by a lot of learners. Whereas not all beneficiaries of primary education get to other levels, all beneficiaries of other levels of education must first pass through primary schools. The fact that it is the foundation of the whole educational edifice underscores its important. Acquisition of literacy and enlightenment are major benefits of primary education system. Indisputably, these are a panacea for many problems including poverty, ignorance, squalor, religious bigotry and political servitude. An enlightened citizenry is a blessing as they make having a peaceful and prosperous society possible. Understandably, government has for long known the importance of primary education. The recognition has, among other things, motivated different governments on various occasions in a little more than half a century to make primary education free and proclaim it universal. International Journal of African & African American Studies 24 Vol. VII, No. 1, Jan 2008 Trends In The Universality Of Primary Education In Nigeria Universality of primary education in Nigeria dates back to the 1950’s. In 1951, the Department of Education engaged in serious reflection on the educational policy of the whole country. Afterwards, it reached a conclusion hereby quoted: While universal primary education is one of the essential aims of educational policy it is not the only, nor is it necessarily the most urgent aim. … The present policy while recognizing the desirability of universal primary education wisely refrains from attempting any estimate as to when it can be achieved, but equally wisely proceeds on the assumption that the first step towards its consummation is to increase, within the resources available, the provision for secondary education and teacher training so as to increase the flow of teachers. At the same time, a considerable investment in technical education has been made in the hope that it will aim towards an increase in the country’s productivity and hence in its wealth. (Nigeria, 1952, pp. 18, 19) In the same year, 1951, there emerged Macpherson Constitution. Sir John Macpherson, the Governor, was the personality that initiated it. In 1952, the nation could boast not less than three different political parties. These were National Council of Nigeria and the Camerouns (N.C.N.C.), Action Group (A.G.) and Northern People’s Congress (N.P.C.) These parties were very popular and in control of government in the Eastern Region, Western Region and Northern Region, respectively. Macpherson Constitution, among other things, made education a regional matter. Each of the three regions—Eastern Region, Northern Region and Western Region—was, henceforth, free to raise funds and enact laws on education. By July 1952, the Minister of Education, Western Region, Hon. S. O. Awokoya, presented a sessional paper on the educational policy of the region to the House of Assembly. It was to be “one of expansion and reorientation.” (Sessional Paper, 1952, p. 5) This policy for expansion was a six-year free primary education programme billed to start in 1955. From this target year, primary education in Western Region would be free and compulsory. Later on, universal replaced compulsory as no compulsion was evident. On January 17, 1955, the government of Western Nigeria launched the six-year free primary education scheme. Three hundred and ninety one, eight hundred and fifty nine (391,859) children appeared for registration in primary class I in six thousand, two hundred and seventy-four (6,274) schools. The attendance, in all the classes, altogether, was eight hundred and eleven thousand, four hundred and thirty-two (811,432). Four years after the commencement of the free primary education programme, the number of primary schools had gone up to six thousand, five hundred and eighteen (6,518) with one million, eighty thousand, three hundred and three (1,080,303) pupils attending them. The budget on education by the government was ₤2.2 million in 1954. It shot up to ₤5.4 million in 1955. (Oni, 2006, pp 52, 53) By 1957/58, the recurrent expenditure on education from the funds of the region was ₤7,884,110. The amount covered personal emoluments, other charges, special expenditure and grants-in-aid. (Taiwo, 1980, p. 117) N.C.N.C. criticized the bold attempt at universalizing primary education in the Western Region especially the tax measures planned by the government to supplement the finances for the programme. As soon as it was clear to N.C.N. C. that A.G. would not change its plan to embark on the free universal primary education (UPE) scheme, the rivalry International Journal of African & African American Studies 25 Vol. VII, No. 1, Jan 2008 between the two parties made the Eastern Regional Government to make announcement in 1953 of its intention to embark on free universal four-year junior primary education covering infant I, infant II, standard I and standard II. The Local Authorities would bear 45 per cent of the financial burden. It is not difficult to understand why the Eastern Region was humble in its proposal. For one thing, its financial resources were not as buoyant as those of the Western Region. Besides, N.C.N.C. was cautious of its earlier criticisms of the Western Region’s scheme. The government, afterwards, changed to eight-year free primary education programme.. The scheme was launched in February 1957 using fire brigade approach so to speak. Almost everything, expect the pupils, was absent. The time for good planning was not enough. The needed finances for thorough execution were grossly inadequate. Most of the teachers were of poor quality. The classrooms and necessary educational equipment were inadequate. The management of the scheme was poor outright. Owing to so many problems, the scheme had a bad beginning. The programme failed in just a year after it was started. The government had no option other than to change to free, universal primary education for the first two years. Pupil enrolment in 1956 was nine hundred and four thousand, two hundred and thirty-five (904,235). It went up to one million, two hundred and nine thousand, one hundred and sixty-seven (1,209,167) in 1957. Lagos, a federal territory, equally participated in the universality of primary education. It started free UPE in January 1957. As at the time, it had ninety-six (96) primary schools having fifty thousand, one hundred and eighty-two (50,182) pupils. The children were taught by one thousand, six hundred and forty-six (1,646) teachers. (Fafunwa, 1991, p. 174) The Lagos City Council bore full responsibility on education, among other responsibilities. The Northern Region seemed to opt out of the race in the provision of free UPE. Admittedly, about half the number of children in the country was in the region, the leaders never gave serious consideration, if at all, to the issue of UPE. It appeared the region was so comfortable with the Islamic system of education which had been prevalent for centuries. Nigeria got political independence on October 1, 1960. In the year, the country had fifteen thousand, seven hundred and three (15,703) primary schools with two million, nine hundred and twelve, six hundred (2,912,600) pupils in attendance. It is rather disturbing that a few years after independence, the numbers went down. In 1964, there were fourteen thousand, nine hundred and seventy six (14,976) with two million, eight hundred and forty-nine thousand, five hundred (2,849,500) pupils in attendance. (Adesina & Ogunsaju, 1982, P. 2) Sixteen years after independence, precisely on Monday, September 6, 1976, Lieutenant-General (later General) Olusegun Obasanjo, the Head of State and Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces, launched the free UPE scheme. The landmark event took place at Oke Suna Municipal Primary School, Lagos. With effect from this date, primary education would not only be free but in addition be universal in all the then nineteen states of the federation. Government planned that it would be compulsory from 1979. Admission into the six-year primary education programme was to be offered to six-year-olds and those who would be six years in the calendar year.