International Education Guide

Transcription

1 FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA International Education Guide for the Assessment of Education from the Federal Republic of Nigeria International Education Guide

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3 International Education Guide FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

4 .ii INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria

5 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria.iii Welcome to the Alberta Government s International Education Guides The International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) developed the International Education Guides for educational institutions, employers and professional licensing bodies to help facilitate and streamline their decisions regarding the recognition of international credentials. These guides compare educational systems from around the world to educational standards in Canada. The assessment recommendations contained in the guides are based on extensive research and well documented standards and criteria. This research project, a first in Canada, is based on a broad range of international resources and considerable expertise within the IQAS program. Organizations can use these guides to make accurate and efficient decisions regarding the recognition of international credentials. The International Education Guides serve as a resource comparing Alberta standards with those of other countries, and will assist all those who need to make informed decisions, including: employers who need to know whether an applicant with international credentials meets the educational requirements for a job, and how to obtain information comparing the applicant s credentials to educational standards in Alberta and Canada educational institutions that need to make a decision about whether a prospective student meets the education requirements for admission, and that need to find accurate and reliable information about the educational system of another country professional licensing bodies that need to know whether an applicant meets the educational standards for licensing bodies The guides include a country overview, a historical educational overview, and descriptions of school education; higher education; professional, technical, vocational education; teacher education, grading scales, documentation for educational credentials and a bibliography. The guides also include placement recommendations for comparison and application in Alberta, Canada. Prepared by International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) Government of Alberta 9th Floor, 108 Street Building, Street NW Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 2J5 Phone: Fax: the Crown in right of the Province of Alberta, Government of Alberta International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) ISBN:

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7 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria.v Contents Country Overview 1 Land 1 People and Languages 1 Population 1 Religion 2 Languages 2 History 2 Early history 2 Colonial rule 2 After independence 3 Administration 4 Historical Education Overview 6 Outline of Education System 6 Administration 6 Language of instruction 7 School year 7 Indigenous Education 7 Islamic Education 7 Western-Style Education 8 British period ( ) 8 After independence (1960 ) 8 School Education 12 Overview 12 Early Childhood Education (Ages 3 to 5) 14 Primary Education (Grades 1 to 6) 14 Junior Secondary Education (Grades 7 to 9) 15 Senior Secondary Education (Grades 10 to 12) 16 West African Senior School Certificate (WASSC) 16 Senior School Certificate, National Examinations Council 17 Higher Education 18 Overview 18 Administration 18 Funding 18 Quality assurance and accreditation 19 Program structure 20 Academic year 21 Language of instruction 22 Grading scales 22 Institutions 22 Admissions 22 Programs and Credentials: General Education 23 Certificates and diplomas 23 Bachelor s degrees 24 Postgraduate diplomas 24 Master s degrees 25 Master of Philosophy degrees 25 Doctoral degrees 25 Programs and Credentials: Specialized and Professional Education 25 Agriculture 25 Architecture 26

8 .vi INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria Education 26 Engineering 26 Law 27 Medicine and dentistry 27 Medical laboratory science 28 Nursing 28 Pharmacy 28 Technical and Vocational Education 30 Overview 30 Administration 32 Institutions 32 Admission 32 Grading scale 33 Federal Trade Test Certificate 33 National Vocational Certificate and National Innovation Diploma 33 National Technical and Business Certificates 34 National Diploma and Higher National Diploma 35 Nursing and Allied Health Services 36 Nursing 36 Pharmacy 37 Dental therapy and dental technology 37 Teacher Education 38 Overview 38 Administration 38 Types of institutions 38 Teacher certification 38 Pre-Primary Education (Children Ages 3 to 5) 39 Primary Education (Grades 1 to 6) 39 Secondary Education (Grades 7 to 12) 40 Technical and Vocational Education 40 Grading Scales 42 Senior Secondary Education 42 Higher Education 42 Technical and Vocational Education 43 Documentation 44 Secondary Education 44 Document format 45 Higher Education and Technical and Vocational Education 45 Administrative and issuing bodies 46 Document format 46 References 47 Print Resources 47 Internet Resources 48 International websites 48 Nigerian university websites 48 Nigerian websites 49

9 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria.vii Appendices 50 Appendix A Placement Recommendations 50 Appendix B Nigerian Universities 51 Federal Universities 51 State Universities 51 Private Universities 52 Appendix C Sample Program Structures 54 Appendix C1. Bachelor of Science 54 Appendix C2. Master of Science and Master of Technology 56 Appendix C3. Master of Philosophy 58 Appendix C4. Bachelor of Agriculture 59 Appendix C5. Bachelor of Science (Architecture) 62 Appendix C6. Postgraduate Diploma 65 Appendix C7. Bachelor of Engineering 66 Appendix C8. Bachelor of Laws (LLB) 69 Appendix C9. Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery 71 Appendix C10. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine 72 Appendix C11. Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science 76 Appendix C12. Bachelor of Nursing Science 79 Appendix C13. Bachelor of Pharmacy 82 Appendix C14. National Technical Certificate and Advanced National Technical Certificate 85 Appendix C15. National Diploma and Higher National Diploma 87 Appendix C16. Bachelor of Education 90 Appendix D Sample Documents 93 Appendix D1. West African School Certificate 93 Appendix D2. West African GCE O and A Levels 94 Appendix D3. West African Senior School Certificate 96 Appendix D4. NECO Senior School Certificate 97 Appendix D5. Nursing Registration and Transcript 98 Appendix D6. Midwifery Certificate and Transcript 100 Appendix D7. National Diploma and Higher National Diploma and Transcripts 102 Appendix D8. Bachelor of Science Degree Certificate and Transcript 108 Appendix D9. Postgraduate Diploma, Examination Result and Transcript 111 Appendix D10. Master of Science Degree Certificate and Transcript 114

10 .viii INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria List of Figures Figure 1. Map of Nigeria 1 Figure 2. National Flag and Coat of Arms of Nigeria 4 Figure 3. Outline of Older School System 12 Figure 4. Outline of Current School System 13 Figure 5. Outline of Higher Education System 20 Figure 6. Outline of Technical and Vocational Education System 31

11 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria.ix List of Tables Table 1. Nigeria s Three Major Ethnic Groups 2 Table States of Nigeria 4 Table 3. Three Educational Subsectors 6 Table 4. WAEC and NECO Grading Scale and IQAS Equivalency 16 Table 5. WASSC Examination Results for November and December Table 6. Student Enrolment in Nigerian Universities, Table 7. NUC Program Accreditation Criteria 19 Table 8. NUC Accreditation Results 19 Table 9. Academic Calendar ( ), University of Lagos 21 Table 10. Academic Calendar (2009), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 21 Table 11. Undergraduate Academic Calendar ( ), Babcock University 21 Table 12. Undergraduate Academic Calendar ( ), University of Ilorin 21 Table 13. Generic Grading Scale, Higher Education 22 Table 14. General Admission Guidelines, University of Lagos 23 Table 15. Technical and Vocational Institutions 32 Table 16. Technical and Vocational Grading Scale 33 Table 17. WAEC and NECO Grading Scale and IQAS Equivalency 42 Table 18. Generic Grading Scale, Higher Education 42 Table 19. Grading Scale and Degree Classifications, Babcock University 42 Table 20. Grading Scale and Degree Classifications, Bowen University 42 Table 21. Grading Scale and Degree Classifications, University of Ibadan 43 Table 22. Classifications in Technical and Vocational Education 43 Table 23. Major Types of Secondary Credentials 44 Table 24. Major Types of Technical and Vocational Credentials 45 Table 25. Major Types of Higher Education Credentials 46 Table 26. Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry), Obafemi Awolowo University 54 Table 27. Master of Science (Biochemistry), Obafemi Awolowo University 56 Table 28. Master of Technology (Biochemistry), Federal University of Technology, Yola 57 Table 29. Master of Philosophy in Crop Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University 58 Table 30. Bachelor of Agriculture in Animal Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 59 Table 31. Bachelor of Science (Honours) Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University 62 Table 32. Postgraduate Diploma in Architectural Conservation, Obafemi Awolowo University 65 Table 33. Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), University of Benin 66 Table 34. Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of Nigeria, Nsukka 69 Table 35. Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, University of Lagos 71 Table 36. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Ahmadu Bello University 72 Table 37. Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLS), Babcock University 76 Table 38. Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc), Babcock University 79 Table 39. Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 82 Table 40. National Technical Certificate (NTC) in Electrical Installation and Maintenance Work 85 Table 41. Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC) in Electrical Installation and Maintenance Work 86 Table 42. National Diploma in Civil Engineering Technology, National Board for Technical Education 87 Table 43. Higher National Diploma in Civil Engineering Technology, National Board for Technical Education 88 Table 44. Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education), Tai Solarin University of Education 90 Table 45. Postgraduate Diploma in Education, Obafemi Awolowo University 92

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13 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria.1 Country Overview Land Located in West Africa, the Federal Republic of Nigeria borders Cameroon to the east, Chad to the northeast, Niger to the north, Benin to the west, and the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It has a surface area of 923,768 square kilometres, including about 13,000 square kilometres of water. Alberta s 661,190 square kilometres equate to just over two-thirds of the total area of Nigeria. Abuja, a city planned and built in the 1970s and 1980s in the interior, has been the national capital since December Previously, the capital was based in the country s largest city, Lagos, on the southwest coast. Figure 1. Map of Nigeria Niger continues south and empties into the Atlantic at the Niger Delta. The expansive valleys of the Niger and Benue rivers form Nigeria s largest topographical region. High plains and hills rise to the north of the valleys. Southwest of the Niger stand the rugged Yoruba highlands. A mountainous zone stretches along the eastern border and includes the country s highest point, Chappal Waddi (2,419 metres). In the south, the coastal zone along the Gulf of Guinea consists of low-lying plains. Nigeria has a tropical climate with wide regional variations. Temperatures are generally high, averaging from 25 to 28 C. In the Niger and Benue river valleys, there are two seasons: the wet season from April to October and the dry season from November to March, sometimes called Harmattan after the dry, dusty wind that blows from the Sahara toward the Atlantic during this time. The seasons are less defined in the south, which has high humidity all year due to the warm moist air from the Atlantic. Annual rainfall decreases northward, ranging from 4,000 millimetres in the Niger Delta to less than 1,000 millimetres in the north. Nigeria boasts rich natural resources, with the world s tenth largest reserve of oil at 36.2 billion barrels and the seventh largest reserve of natural gas at 184 trillion cubic feet (2009 estimate). Oil and natural gas constitute the main source of Nigeria s export earnings. Source: United Nations Cartographic Section. Nigeria has a single time zone, Nigeria Standard Time, which is one hour ahead of Universal Coordinated Time. Alberta is seven hours behind UTC and thus eight hours behind Nigeria. Nigeria takes its name from its chief river, the Niger, which enters the country from the northwest. The Benue River enters the country from the northeast and joins the Niger at the city of Lokoja in the central south, from where the People and Languages Population Nigeria is by far the most populous country in Africa. Its population of 140 million (2006 census) has an annual growth rate of over two per cent. Over 40 per cent of the people are younger than 15 years. Population density is high, with about 150 people per square kilometre. Much of the population is concentrated along the coast and in the north. Slightly less than half of the population lives in cities. The most populous cities in Nigeria are Lagos (8 million), Kano (3.8 million), Ibadan (2.6 million), Kaduna (1.7 million), Port Harcourt (1.3 million) and Benin City (1.1 million). Life expectancy is 47 years. The adult literacy rate for the whole population is estimated at 72 per cent (UN Statistics Division, 2007). Nigeria is a country with great ethnic and cultural diversity. The more than 250 ethnic groups are distinguished by

14 .2 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria their geographical location, language, clothing style, family organization and traditional beliefs. The three largest groups Hausa Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo account for about 70 per cent of the population. Table 1. Nigeria s Three Major Ethnic Groups Name Population (%) Region Hausa Fulani 29 north Yoruba 21 southwest Igbo or Ibo 18 southeast Religion Religious affiliation is split among Islam (45 per cent), Christianity (53 per cent) and indigenous beliefs (2 per cent). Islam dominates in the north and Christianity in the south. Languages The official language is English. There are about 350 native languages, with Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo spoken by more than 50 per cent of the population and designated as national languages. History The area of present-day Nigeria has known human settlement for at least 10,000 years. It was home to various ethnically based kingdoms and tribes when the Europeans arrived in the late 15th century. The ensuing slave trade in the 16th to the 19th centuries and formal colonization by Britain in the late 19th century drastically reshaped the area. After achieving independence in 1960, Nigeria went through frequent coups and long periods of military rule until 1999, when a civilian government was elected and a new constitution adopted. Early history The Nok people, who lived in north Nigeria between the fourth century BC and the second century AD, created the earliest identifiable culture in Nigeria. They were skilled artisans and ironworkers, famous for their finely crafted figurines. For centuries thereafter, kingdoms, city-states and tribal communities controlled different regions of present-day Nigeria. The major ethnic groups of the country can trace their origins to those earlier states. Kanem-Bornu. The kingdom of Kanem emerged east of Lake Chad in the ninth century AD and moved across the lake into Bornu in what is now northeast Nigeria between the 12th and 14th centuries. It lasted for a thousand years until it was absorbed into the Wadai sultanate to the east. Hausa-Fulani. The Hausa city-states were established to the west of Bornu, in what is now north and northwest Nigeria, around the same time as the emergence of the Kanem kingdom. Among the competing Hausa states, none became powerful enough to gain complete control of the region. In the jihad (Islamic holy war) of , the Fulanis conquered the Hausa states and set up the Sokoto caliphate, a loose federation of 30 emirates. The Sokoto caliphate dominated the region throughout the 19th century before falling to British conquerors in Yoruba and Benin. Ife was established around the 11th century as the first of the Yoruba city-states in what is now southwest Nigeria. According to Yoruba mythology, Ife was the centre of the universe. Its cultural influence spread far beyond the borders of the small city-state. Another Yoruba city-state, Oyo, rose to supremacy in the 16th and 17th centuries and replaced Ife as the political centre of the region. The Fulani expansion to the south caused the collapse of Oyo in the early 19th century. Benin emerged to the east shortly after the rise of Ife. When Oyo was becoming dominant to the west, Benin developed into a major kingdom with trade both within the region and later with Europe. According to Benin legends, its first rulers were descended from an Ife prince. There was much trade and cultural exchange between Benin and the Yoruba states. Igbo and the delta states. The Igbo people in southeast Nigeria did not develop kingdoms, but lived in villages or tribal communities. The same was true in much of the Niger Delta. After the arrival of the Europeans, more centralized forms of government emerged. Aro rose to dominance in the 17th and 18th centuries and was a major partner in the slave trade. Colonial rule The Portuguese first reconnoitred the West African coast in the late 15th century and initiated the transatlantic slave trade. They were followed by the Dutch, the French and the British. By the 18th century Britain had become the

15 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria.3 dominant colonizing power. The slave trade flourished in southern areas near the coast. In 1807 Britain abolished the slave trade, which went underground and was gradually replaced by the trade of commodities, especially palm oil. At the Berlin West Africa Conference in 1885, the European powers carved Africa into spheres of influence. To secure its claim to Nigeria, Britain moved to consolidate its occupation, crushing indigenous resistance. In 1890 it created the two protectorates of northern and southern Nigeria. In 1914 it joined the two protectorates into a single state called the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, with Lagos as its capital. Thus a new country was created in a land that had diverse ethnicities, cultures and languages, and little sense of a national identity. The two former protectorates retained their own distinctive systems of administration, and the dichotomy of north and south has continued to this day. The British attempted to govern the colony by indirect rule, employing local leaders to administer their traditional lands and collect taxes. The practice worked more effectively in the north than in the south. The subjugation of the indigenous people to serve British colonial needs caused growing discontent and opposition in the form of both passive resistance and occasional violent conflicts. By the end of the Second World War, several influential political parties had emerged. The conflicting interests of those regionally based parties have become an enduring feature of Nigerian politics. In 1947 Britain introduced a new constitution (amended in 1951 and 1954) that divided the colony into three ethnically based regions, each with its own appointed legislative assembly, overseen by a federal government: northern region Hausa Fulani (Muslim) eastern region Igbo (Catholic) western region Yoruba (Muslim and Anglican) The Northern People s Congress, thanks to the large population of the northern region, won the general elections in The head of the NPC, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, entered a coalition with the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, a major party from the eastern region, and became prime minister of Nigeria in January 1960, on the eve of independence. After independence By an act of the British Parliament, Nigeria became an independent country within the Commonwealth of Nations on 1 October It became a republic in For almost four decades after independence, regional and ethnic tensions often led to heated disputes and violent conflicts, and military coups rather than elections determined the country s leadership. Balewa, the first prime minister, was killed in a military coup in He was succeeded by Army General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, an Igbo, who was assassinated in a countercoup a few months later and replaced by Yakubu Gowon. The massacre of thousands of Igbo in northern Nigeria ensued. In May 1967 Gowon announced the division of the country into 12 states. (The number of states has since increased to 36.) The Igbo-dominated eastern region declared independence as the Republic of Biafra, and civil war broke out. Millions of Nigerians died from hostilities and starvation during the 30-month war. Federal forces overcame the rebels in January The end of the civil war coincided with the oil boom, with Nigeria soon becoming one of the world s largest oil producers. The rapid growth in national wealth aided in the restoration of peace and the repair of war damage, but did not lead to political stability. Beset with widespread corruption and inefficiencies, the Gowon government faced increasing opposition. A military officer, Murtala Ramat Muhammad, took over the government in a bloodless coup in July He introduced many popular reforms to fight corruption and planned to hand over power to an elected government by After his assassination in an unsuccessful coup in February 1976, his successor, Olusegun Obasanjo, continued the reforms. He also initiated plans to move the national capital from Lagos to Abuja. In 1979 Nigeria adopted an American-style constitution and held national elections. The National Party of Nigeria led by Alhaji Shehu Shagari won the election and formed a minority government, ushering in what is known as the second republic ( ), as opposed to the first republic ( ). Amid high expectations, it launched ambitious programs for national development, some of which proved costly and unproductive. The economy worsened with the end of the oil boom in 1981, and the government was overthrown in a military coup at the end of The nation s leadership

16 .4 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria changed hands in two subsequent coups, in 1985 and 1993, when Army General Sani Abacha assumed power. This was a period of political uncertainty, economic recession and rising religious strife between Christians and Muslims. Religious riots broke out in several states in the early 1990s. Abacha s government was characterized by rampant corruption and ruthless suppression of dissidents. In 1995 Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth due to its human rights violations. Upon Abacha s death in 1998, Army General Abdulsalami Abubakar assumed control and proceeded to return Nigeria to civilian rule. In 1999 former leader Obasanjo was elected president, and his party, the People s Democratic Party, won a parliamentary majority. Obasanjo won a second term in In 2007 Umaru Musa Yar Adua of the PDP won the presidential election. The civilian rule that began in 1999 is sometimes referred to as the third republic. Readmitted to the Commonwealth in 1999, Nigeria has maintained its multiparty democracy, though there have been criticisms of electoral irregularities and fraud. The rise of oil revenue has boosted the economy, but the government still faces serious challenges, as longstanding religious, regional and ethnic tensions lead to disruption, violence and lack of cooperation, hindering national development. Administration According to the 1999 constitution, Nigeria is a federal republic with a democratically elected government made of separate executive, legislative and judicial branches. The president, elected to a four-year term, is both the chief of state and head of government. The president heads the Federal Executive Council, which wields executive power at the national level and has 19 federal ministries, including the Federal Ministry of Education. The bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper chamber (Senate) and a lower chamber (House of Representatives). The Senate has 109 seats: three for each of the 36 states and one for the Federal Capital Territory. The House of Representatives has 360 seats, allocated to the states by population. Members of the National Assembly may serve a maximum of two four-year terms. Nigeria s legal system features a combination of statutory law, English common law, customary law and sharia (Islamic law). The judiciary comprises the Supreme Court and the Federal Court of Appeal at the national level and high courts, sharia courts (in 12 northern states) and customary courts at the state level. Nigeria is divided into the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) and 36 states in six zones (see Table 2). The administrative division has evolved from three regions in 1960 to four regions in 1963, 12 states in 1967, 19 states in 1976, 21 states in 1987, 30 states in 1991 and 36 states in Each state has an elected governor and House of Assembly. The Federal Capital Territory is headed by a minister appointed by the president. The states are further divided into more than 700 local government areas. Local government councils, as the third tier of government, administer basic health care and primary education. Table 2. Zone South West South South South East North West North Central North East 36 States of Nigeria States Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Oshun and Oyo Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe The Nigerian currency is the naira (NGN). As of mid-2010, the exchange rate was about N144 to one Canadian dollar. Figure 2. National Flag and Coat of Arms of Nigeria The Nigerian flag has three equal vertical bands of green, white and green. The green represents agriculture and the white, peace and unity. The Nigerian coat of arms features an eagle mounted on a black shield. The eagle stands for strength and the black

17 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria.5 shield represents fertile soil. The two silvery bands on the shield symbolize the Niger and Benue rivers. Two white chargers support the shield and at its base is a wreath of costus spectabilis, Nigeria s national flower. The motto Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress is inscribed on the base. Canada and Nigeria are both members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Canada has provided development assistance to Nigeria mainly in the agriculture, environment and health sectors. Nigeria is Canada s second largest trading partner in sub-saharan Africa and one of the top African countries as a source of immigrants to Canada, with 2,255 Nigerians having obtained permanent resident status in 2007 (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2007).

18 .6 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria Historical Education Overview Outline of Education System Formal education in Nigeria, based on Western-style education from the British colonial period, underwent reforms in the 1980s to resemble the American system. It follows the pattern, consisting of six years of primary school, three years of junior secondary school, three years of senior secondary school and four years of undergraduate study leading to a bachelor s degree in most fields. The first nine years of schooling, called basic education, is supposed to be compulsory and free, but the transition rate from primary to junior secondary school remains low. The majority of junior secondary graduates seek admission into general senior secondary schools; others attend technical colleges or vocational training centres, or enter apprenticeship training. Table 3. Subsector Basic education Post-basic education Tertiary education Source: Nigeria FME, Three Educational Subsectors Types of Institutions Pre-primary classes, primary schools, junior secondary schools, nomadic and adult literacy classes Senior secondary schools, technical colleges, secondary vocational schools, vocational enterprise institutions (VEIs), apprentice centres Universities, polytechnics and monotechnics, colleges of education, innovative enterprise institutions (IEIs) In addition to formal education, there are two other distinct systems of education: indigenous and Islamic. In the indigenous system, children learn the skills of farming and indigenous crafts and trades. It operates almost entirely in the private sector and has yet to be integrated into the formal system. Islamic education operates mainly in northern Nigeria, where many children learn the Quran at a young age from a local religious teacher. While some of these children move on to the formal school system, others attend Quranic schools, with a small number advancing to higher education programs in Islamic studies offered at a few universities. Administration Nigeria is divided into the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) and 36 states, which are further divided into more than 700 local government areas. According to the 1999 constitution, federal, state and local governments share responsibilities for education. The federal government is responsible for overall policy, planning and funding of education, maintaining quality within the system, and encouraging innovation. It administers the federal universities and a small number of secondary schools. State governments administer state universities and the majority of secondary schools. Primary education is under the management of local governments. A number of central agencies assist the Federal Ministry of Education in policy advice and coordination, research, examination, and certification of institutions. Prominent among them are commissions established for different subsectors of the education system and national examining bodies. National Council of Education Chaired by the Federal Minister of Education, NCE includes all the State Commissioners of Education and members of the Joint Consultative Committee of Education. It is the highest policy-making body in educational matters. Joint Consultative Committee on Education JCCE is an independent body of educational professionals who make policy recommendations to the NCE and state ministries of education. National Universities Commission Established in 1962 as an advisory agency, NUC became a statutory body in It is responsible for maintaining the quality of higher education and for approving the establishment of degree-granting institutions and academic programs. Universal Basic Education Commission Formerly the National Primary Education Commission, UBEC adopted its current name in It advises the government on funding and development of basic education and allocates resources for primary education through state educational authorities and local governments. National Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education Commission NMEC was established in 1990 as part of a national drive to eliminate illiteracy. National Commission for Colleges of Education NCCE coordinates all aspects of non-degree teacher education in the country. National Board for Technical Education Established in 1977, NBTE is responsible for

19 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria.7 curriculum standards and program accreditation in technical and vocational education and training at both secondary and post-secondary levels. National Examinations Council Established in 1999, NECO conducts exit examinations at both junior secondary and senior secondary levels. National Business and Technical Examinations Board Established in 1992, NABTEB administers technical and business examinations such as the National Technical Certificate and National Business Certificate examinations. Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Established in 1978, JAMB is the central body responsible for administering applications to higher education institutions including universities, polytechnics and colleges of education and for conducting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exam. Several other federal ministries and agencies also play important roles in education. For example, the Ministry of Women s Affairs and Social Welfare, together with the State Commission for Women, promotes the education of women and girls. Funding for education comes from various sources, but relies mainly on the government. The level of funding has remained low, accounting for less than 12 per cent of total government expenditure in recent years, much less than the 26 per cent recommended by UNESCO. Funds are distributed among primary, secondary and higher education roughly in the proportion of 30:30:40. Funding and assistance also come from international agencies such as the World Bank and UNESCO. Language of instruction Language is one of the many challenges facing education in Nigeria. While English is the official language, there are about 350 indigenous languages, of which Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo are designated as national languages and spoken by more than 50 per cent of the population. As the less common languages do not have written form, it is difficult to design instructional material in those languages. Generally speaking, the medium of instruction is the local language for the first three years of primary education and English thereafter. School year The school year lasts over ten months, running from January to December or from September to August. It is divided into three terms of 10 to 12 weeks each at the preprimary, primary, junior and senior secondary levels. The academic year at most universities runs from October or November to June or July, divided into two terms of 18 to 20 weeks each. Indigenous Education Indigenous education in Nigeria existed long before the arrival of the Europeans. Often referred to as traditional or community-based education, it provides practical training to turn individuals into productive members of the society and serves the function of preserving and transmitting cultural heritage from one generation to another. It instills culturally accepted norms and values such as integrity, hospitality, respect for elders, self-reliance and hard work. Intellectual training includes the study of local history, legends, poetry, reasoning, and riddles and proverbs. Indigenous education lacks the modern classroom setting, a uniform documented curriculum and the guidance of professional teachers. A main feature of indigenous education is the traditional apprentice mode whereby apprentices work under a master for a number of years to learn a trade before striking out on their own. Some crafts and trades are also passed down in families. Education is gender-based and varies by geographical areas. Boys are trained for male-dominated occupations such as farming, hunting, construction, blacksmithing, leather-work, truck driving, traditional medicine, and so on. Girls learn skills that assist in their future roles as wives and mothers, such as singing, dancing, cooking, poultry farming, weaving, dyeing, pottery and traditional midwifery. The indigenous system operates almost entirely in the private sector, with virtually no government regulation. Islamic Education Islamic education originated in the 11th century in the northern parts of Nigeria. The jihad of and establishment of the Sokoto caliphate helped spread and consolidate Islamic studies in various parts of the country. The medium of instruction was Arabic. In the 20th century the British introduced English to replace Arabic as the

20 .8 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria language of government administration in northern Nigeria and established schools with English as the language of instruction. Today Islamic education with Arabic used for instruction continues to play an important role in northern Nigeria, though it operates mainly outside the formal education system. Quranic schools provide education at various levels to thousands of students in the northern states. The levels are determined not strictly by age but by the competence of the students. Efforts have been made to integrate Islamic education into the formal system, for example by introducing secular subjects such as English, mathematics, economics and geography. A three-year diploma in Islamic studies entitles the holder to seek admission to bachelor s degree programs in the same field offered by a number of universities, such as the Bayero University, Kano. Western-Style Education British period ( ) Western education came to the country in the mid-19th century, with the first Christian mission school founded in Mission schools taught a curriculum focused on the four Rs (reading, writing, arithmetic and religion) and prepared students for job opportunities such as pastors, teachers, clerks and interpreters. Most of the schools were at the primary level, though a number of secondary schools were also established. The missionaries were highly successful in introducing the Christian religion and Western-style education in southern Nigeria, but met strong resistance in the predominantly Muslim north. The British policy of indirect rule recognized Islamic education in the Northern Protectorate and restricted the spread of mission schools to the region. Western-style education therefore developed much faster in the south than in the north, resulting in an educational imbalance that persists to this day. For some years Western-style education introduced by the missionaries developed in Nigeria with little government assistance or intervention. Starting in 1882 the government enacted a series of ordinances that prescribed codes, regulations and guidelines on the establishment and management of schools, the training of teachers and annual evaluation of pupils. It established education boards and appointed inspectors to supervise schools and allocate government grants. Before independence, the country had developed a threetiered system of primary, secondary and higher education based on the British model. All three regions had enacted their own education laws (the west in 1955, both the east and north in 1956). Rapid educational growth in the 1950s led to the introduction of a Universal Primary Education program (in the western region in 1955 and the eastern region in 1957). The West African Examinations Council was set up in 1952 as a corporate body charged with the responsibility of conducting public examinations in West Africa. Such examinations were to qualify candidates for certificates equivalent to those from similar examining authorities in Britain, such as the University of London Local Examinations Syndicate and the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. Higher education in Nigeria began with the establishment of Yaba Higher College in 1932 to train secondary school teachers and qualified assistants in medical, engineering and other vocations. In 1948 the University College in Ibadan was founded as a residential and tutorial college under the University of London. In 1962 it became the University of Ibadan. After independence (1960 ) School education At the time of independence in 1960, the education system in Nigeria faced many challenges. There was no uniformity in the educational system, as each of the three regions had enacted its own education law. Primary education, for example, lasted from six to eight years. Capacity for secondary education was low, with a total enrolment of only 135,434. University College in Ibadan was the only higher education institution in the whole country. As the British exited the country in large numbers, the number of trained teachers decreased even as the educational needs of the population continued to grow. Many teachers entered the profession after completing short-term training programs that could maintain only minimum standards. Education expanded rapidly in the 1960s to meet the manpower needs of the new country. The federal government, however, was only able to coordinate educational policy and standards across the country

21 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria.9 effectively after the end of the civil war ( ) and with the start of the oil boom. In 1969, a national curriculum conference was held in Lagos to review the educational system and propose changes. This eventually led to the Universal Primary Education scheme in 1976 and the National Policy on Education in The NPE of 1977 (revised in 1981, 1995 and 1998) spelled out the philosophy of Nigerian education and the goals, purposes and orientations of various levels and aspects of the education system. Other important guidelines of the NPE included the promotion of Nigerian languages and a diversified curriculum with pre-vocational and vocational technical subjects. The education system grew rapidly in the late 1970s and early 1980s amid concerns about maintaining quality and standards. The Universal Primary Education scheme launched in 1976 was abandoned a few years later due to poor planning, poor management and inadequate funding, as well as the generally low quality of teachers recruited to teach the program. With the end of the oil boom in 1981, education entered a period of instability, financial difficulty and chronic mismanagement. The education sector continued to expand, but remained poorly funded. This caused many problems, such as unpaid teachers salaries and the deterioration of facilities at all levels. There were frequent strikes in schools and universities. Cheating at major examinations that determined access to employment and the next level of education became embedded in many parts of the system, unhindered by the introduction of special tribunals for speedy trials and harsh penalties. There was a general decline in the quality of education. In 1990, when the literacy rate for the whole population stood at 51 per cent, the government established the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education as part of a national drive to eliminate illiteracy in Nigeria. Another initiative was the introduction of a free and compulsory nine-year schooling program in The main objective of the program was to ensure a smooth transition from primary education to junior secondary school and to keep learners in school long enough to acquire basic and life skills. Due to poor funding levels, junior secondary education, though nominally tuition-free, charged levies to cover the cost of running the schools. The planned automatic transition from primary to junior secondary education was not well implemented, as limited space caused many states to administer competitive examinations for admission into junior secondary schools. The most profound reform of school education took place in the 1980s, when the British-based system was gradually replaced by an American-style system. Older system ( ): Six years of primary school + five years of secondary school + two years of further education General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A Level) + three years of undergraduate education Current system ( ): Six years of primary school + three years of junior secondary school + three years of senior secondary school + four years of undergraduate education Before the reform, students graduating from primary schools took an entrance examination administered by the West African Examinations Council. Those with low scores could attend secondary modern schools; at the end of three years they received a modern-school leaving certificate, which did not give access to further education. Those with high scores entered secondary grammar schools; at the end of five years of study they took WAEC examinations to receive the West African School Certificate (multiple subjects) or GCE O Levels (single subjects). Some undertook two additional years of study, then sat WAEC examinations to receive the Higher School Certificate (multiple subjects) or GCE A Levels (single subjects). University admission was based on O Level results. Applicants with the requisite number of A Level passes were granted one year s advanced standing and could earn a bachelor s degree in most fields in three years. Since the reform, six years of primary school is followed by three years of junior secondary school and three years of senior secondary school. Students graduating from junior secondary school and senior secondary school receive the

22 .10 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION FROM THE Federal Republic of Nigeria Junior School Certificate and Senior School Certificate respectively, by passing examinations administered by WAEC and NECO (since 1992). The GCE O and A Levels have been phased out. The reform also involved curriculum changes. Junior secondary schools now offer both academic and prevocational streams. Junior secondary graduates, based on their examination results, may enter senior secondary schools or technical vocational schools. The civilian government enacted a new National Policy on Education in 1999 (revised in 2004) and launched a series of initiatives to rebuild the education system that was, according to the Federal Ministry of Education, on the verge of collapse. The FME initiated a partnership with UNESCO to address Nigeria s reform needs for the entire education system. The UNESCO report identified a number of major issues: infrastructure, human resource capacity, access and equity, quality, funding mechanisms, literacy and community education, curriculum relevance, cultism in higher education and examination malpractice. The civilian government also relaunched the Universal Basic Education program in Designed as an improvement on the Universal Primary Education initiative, the UBE aims to eventually provide free and compulsory education for nine years covering primary and junior secondary school, thus enabling all citizens to acquire appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy, and communicative, manipulative and life skills. UBE was signed into law in 2004 as the UBE Act, and a new nine-year basic education curriculum began to be implemented in first-year primary and junior secondary classes in Higher education In 1959 the Nigerian government set up the Sir Eric Ashby Commission to identify the future high-level manpower needs of the country. The Ashby Report recommended upgrading the University College in Ibadan to a university and establishing three new universities in the country. It also proposed the establishment of a university commission to maintain uniform academic standards. In the early years of independence, six federal and regional universities were established: University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1960) eastern region Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1962) northern region University of Ife, Ile-Ife (1962) (renamed Obafemi Awolowo University in 1987) western region University of Lagos, Lagos (1962) federal University of Ibadan (formerly University College in Ibadan under the University of London) (1962) federal University of Benin (1970) midwestern region In 1962 the National Universities Commission was established to coordinate the development of the Nigerian university system and to maintain academic standards. In 1978 the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board was set up to regulate university admission. As the country s four regions were reorganized into 12 states and new states continued to emerge, the federal government proceeded to take over all the regional universities and set up federal universities in the new states. Between 1975 and 1977, seven new federal universities were launched. State governments also began to establish their own universities, with the first state university founded in Rivers State in In general, federal universities are better funded than state universities. By 1980 the higher education system in Nigeria was well established, with some institutions, such as the University of Ibadan and the University of Ife, enjoying a reputation for high-quality instruction and research. The end of the oil boom in 1981, however, brought economic hardship and drastically reduced spending on higher education. In the meantime, universities continued to be established and overall enrolment increased by over 10 per cent annually in the 1980s. Rising enrolment and inadequate funding resources partially accounted for the decline in the quality of higher education, as indicated by high unemployment among university graduates, especially in the fields of engineering and technology. At the same time, overseas universities seemed reluctant to recognize Nigerian degrees. Inadequate funding caused problems such as deterioration of facilities, shortage of books and journals in the libraries and of equipment and supplies in the laboratories, and limited support for research. Overcrowding was also