The National Policy on Education (NPE) 2013 (Revised) laid Nigeria’s philosophical foundation for basic education. This policy emphasizes the universal right to education, protected under Nigeria’s Child Rights Act 2003 and the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act of 2004.
Background
The Child Rights Act 2003, inspired by the 1999 Convention on the Rights of the Child, formally enshrined the right of Nigerian children to basic education.
However, the first version of the National Policy on Education in 1977 was a precursor to the current basic education rights framework, which set the stage for educational reforms to protect and promote children’s educational rights.
Even though policies are generally unenforceable, our education lawyers agree that specific policies can influence a Nigerian Court’s interpretation of consumer rights per the 2018 Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).
The FCCPA 2018 mandates service and product providers to deliver globally acceptable service standards to domestic consumers, reflecting a commitment to high-quality customer service delivery and consumer protection.
The 1977 National Policy on Education established guidelines on standards, procedures, strategies, and roles to ensure sustained qualitative education in Nigeria.
The guidelines were first envisioned at the 1969 National Curriculum Conference, marking the beginning of a structured approach to educational quality and accessibility in Nigeria.
Challenges in Basic Education
Despite these frameworks, Nigeria’s right to basic education faces significant obstacles. Thirteen states have yet to adopt the Child Rights Act, highlighting a critical gap in the uniform application of educational rights.
Nigeria’s federal system limits the federal government’s ability to influence state governments, complicating nationwide educational policy implementation.
Commentary on Basic Education
This commentary, provided by our Education Law team, focuses on the rights to basic education as envisioned under the NPE 2013.
It is part of a series examining the philosophy of basic education in Nigeria. You can access further insights on the philosophy of education and the National Policy on Education here.
Basic Education and Out-of-School Children
UNICEF reports that one in three children is out of school in Nigeria, with 10.2 million children in primary school and 8.1 million in junior secondary school (JSS) not attending school.
Additionally, 12.4 million children have never attended school, and 5.9 million left school prematurely.
Nigeria’s out-of-school population represents 15% of the global total, a staggering figure worsened by growing insecurity, banditry, extreme multidimensional poverty, and illiteracy in Africa’s most populous country.
Basic Education Framework
Under the NPE 2013 and the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act of 2004, Nigerian governments provide compulsory, free, universal, and qualitative pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary education to all children up to age 15.
Basic education covers children aged 0-15 years, with Early Child Care and Development Education spanning from 0-4 years and formal schooling extending for ten years.
Early Child Care and Development Education for children aged 0-4 is promoted and managed by the private sector and social development services.
For children aged 5-6, both the private and public sectors play a role in providing formal education.
The government guarantees one year of pre-primary, six years of primary, and three years of junior secondary education.
However, there is no guaranteed right for Nigerian children to receive daycare or creche education from the government.
Goals of Basic Education
Basic education in Nigeria aims to provide diverse knowledge and entrepreneurial skills, fostering wealth generation and educational advancement.
It also seeks to inculcate patriotism, contributing to social development and civic duties.
The ultimate goal is to develop a morally sound citizenry capable of independent thinking and dignified work, promoting national consciousness and harmonious coexistence beyond religious, ethnic, or socio-economic divides.
Basic education also aims to develop manipulative skills necessary for effective social development and integration.
Conclusion
The Federal Ministry of Education and the State’s Ministry of Education must develop innovative ways to ensure private school operators understand and appropriate the philosophy of basic education in Nigeria.
Ages 0-4 are formative years that require a practical regulatory framework to guarantee the outcomes in preschool, primary, and junior secondary education.
The Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) must incentivize registration and grant open access to registered teachers in Nigeria.
TRCN must galvanize parent-teacher associations into monitoring agents for non-registered teachers, given the high number of non-TRCN-registered teachers.
A redeemed educational sector in Nigeria depends on people and systems.
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