6 3 3 4 SYSTEM OF EDUCATION THE ACHIEVEMENT OF NIGERIAN EDUCATIONAL GOALS IN RIVERS STATE
Abstract
In this study, the researcher explores the 6334 system of education and to explore the achievement of Nigerian educational goals in Rivers state. It is imperative to note that education is an invaluable tool for the attainment of national development and Nigeria, as it is the world over, embraced it more than four decades ago. Method: This study reviewed some conceptual issues affecting the educational system in Nigeria from its inception, examined the different polices that have been formulated and their implementation patterns.
Introduction
Education is the process of imparting knowledge, skill and judgment. Attesting to this assertion, the Dictionary.com adds that it is, “the act or process of acquiring general knowledge, developing the power of reasoning and judgment and generally, of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life”. Fafunwa in Sowunmi (2013) defines education as, “freedom from ignorance, of ideas, of history and events of any sentiment of one's surrounding.” Formal education was introduced into Nigeria in the 1840s through trade links from Rivers, Calabar and other coastal cities. The Christian missionaries played major roles in not only setting up but operating the schools in all the southern part of Nigeria. The aim of education at that time was to enable the recipients read the Bible in the English Language. Imam, 2012. What the British Government did was to give grants to some mission schools instead of expanding the educational system entirely. As formal education was taking its root in southern Nigeria, Northern Nigeria proscribed Western education. Northern leaders rather established Islamic schools that gave attention only to Islamic education. Thus, the educational pattern in Nigeria was lopsided-Western education on one hand, and Islamic education on the other. It should also be noted that, the kind of education introduced was limited to only the primary and secondary strata. At the inception of the 20th century, Nigeria had only two tertiary educational institutions; namely, Yaba Higher College and the University of Ibadan founded in 1934 and 1948 respectively. The University of Ibadan, at its foundation, was only a college of the University of London until two years after Nigeria’s independence that it became autonomous. The belief then was that Great Britain was not interested in educating Nigerians; hence, did not promote education in Nigeria.
A critical examination of the type of formal education in Nigeria before and after independence shows that this education was inadequate and unsatisfactory to the nation’s yearnings and aspirations. In the opinion of some scholars, Nduka (1984), Fafunwa (1982) and Obayan (1982), opined that the education was parochial, elitist, regurgitate and irresponsive to the need and aspirations of the Nigerian society. In a bid to check this abnormality, therefore, the then Federal Government of Nigeria adopted education as an instrument par excellence for effecting national development. Thus it is stated: “education goals in terms of its relevance to the need of the individual as well as in terms of the kind of society desired in relation to the environment and realities of the modern world and rapid social changes should be clearly set out (National Policy on Education F.R.N. 2004)”. The then Federal Government therefore made efforts to find the type of education best suited to Nigeria’s development, hence the identification of “6-3-3-4 system of education”. According to Omovo (2006), the history of 6-3-3-4 system of education dated back to 8th September 1969 during the (International Literacy Day) when the Federal Commissioner for Education, Wenike Briggs inaugurated a conference which formulated the ideas leading to the 6-3-3-4 programme, he further stated that the programme was conceived as an instrument of national unity, it was designed to inject functionality in to the Nigerian school system. The 6-3-3-4 was fashioned to produce graduates who would be able to make use of their hands, the head and the heart (the 3Hs of education). When it was finally introduced in 1982, there had been inputs by various sectors of Nigerian professional community. Then the 6-3- 3-4 system of education was seen as a laudable programme capable of ushering in an educational revolution in Nigeria; hence step in the right direction, towards the technological development of the nation. However, the current situation on ground is far from this ideal. Adaralegbe in Adeyinka (1991) stated that the 6-3-3-4 system of education is an educational system which administers a six year primary school course followed by six years of secondary schooling, divided into three year of junior secondary and a three year senior secondary education and lastly a four -year university programme. Anieto (2011) commenting on the ineffectiveness of the 6-3-3-4 system of education stated that; there is a general worry about the poor quality of education output in Nigeria. Researchers have pointed to the declining performance of graduates from the education system relative to what obtained in the past education system.–(Ugochukwu, 2009, Duze, 2011, Aladejana, 2013). Abati (2010) stated that it is a common knowledge that the 6—3-3-4 system of education is the major reform in Nigeria’s education system and is generally regarded as fafunwa’s baby. Also, the 6-3-3-4 did not produce the expected technician class because of the emergent culture of automatic promotion, and the situation that almost every family’s insistence on university education. The 9-3-4 system of education was introduced to replace the 6-3-3-4 system. The system merged the six years of primary education and the first three years of the secondary education also referred to as universal basic education (UBE). Concerning this, Uwaifor and Uddin (2009) stated that the new system has its first nine years of basic and compulsory education up to the JSS3 level, three years in the senior secondary school, and four years in the tertiary institution. This system seems to be suffering from poor and shoddy implementation. This work thus examines the 6 3 3 4 system of education; the achievement of Nigeria educational goals in River state. The emphasis of this studies is on empirical examination of the 6 3 3 4 system in River state.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The 6-3-3-4 system of education, which was introduced in 1982 to replace the 6-5-4 system, according to experts, was designed to inject functionality into the Nigerian school system, by producing graduates who would be able to make use of their hands, head and the heart (the 3Hs of education). education is the means through which the aims and habits of a people are transmitted from one generation to another. In its technical usage, education is the formal process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills, customs and values from one generation to another (Wikipedia, 2011) According to Collin English Dictionary (2009), education is the process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgement, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.
Over the years, Nigerian governments have been confronted with a lot of difficulties in the educational sector, especially in the aspect of funding, infrastructure, getting qualified teachers, school supervision, and staff motivation among others. Due to the importance of education in all parts of human development, government at both federal and state level had made a concerted effort in making policies and programmes for educational development. Yoloye (2004) states that, in view of the government commitment to eradicate illiteracy, ignorance and poverty as well as stimulate and accelerate national development, political consciousness and national integration, government decided to adopt the 6 3 3 4 Programme. The implementation of this programme in River state commenced in 1982 following the enactment of the enabling Law in the preceding year. Like any other government policies and programmes often experience shortcomings and at times abandoned, especially when the desired goals become difficult to attain. The Universal Basic Education programme cannot be an exception, It is often said by many scholars that implementation is the graveyard of many good policies in Nigeria, especially where the intention of the policy designers are likely undermined either by corruption, politics or lack of human and material resources among others.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to examine the 6 3 3 4 system of education and the achievement of Nigeria educational goals in River state;
The specific objective are;
- i) To examine the performance of students in 6-3-3-4 systems of education
- ii) To examine the impact of 6 3 3 4 system of education contribution to the growth of Nigeria education system
iii) To examine the relationship between 6 3 3 4 education and educational development in Rivers state.
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- i) Has 6-3-3-4 systems of education enhance student better performan in River state?
- ii) Has 6 3 3 4 system of education contribution to the achievement of Nigeria education goals in Rivers state
iii) Is there any relationship between 6 3 3 4 education and educational development in Rivers state?
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the study;
H0: 6 3 3 4 system of education has not contribute to the achievement of Nigeria education goals in Rivers state
H1: 6 3 3 4 system of education has contribute to the achievement of Nigeria education goals in Rivers state
H0: there is no relationship between 6 3 3 4 education and educational development in Rivers state
H2: there is a relationship between 6 3 3 4 education and educational development in Rivers state
