Education stakeholders in Ebonyi reject the proposed 6-3-3-4 policy reversal

The stakeholders, who spoke separately with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Abakaliki, described the proposed move as detrimental to Nigeria’s effort to develop a functional and competitive education system.

Education stakeholders in Ebonyi have voiced strong opposition to the federal government’s proposal to scrap the 6-3-3-4 education system. Instead of a policy reversal, they are advocating improved infrastructure, teacher training, and better funding to help the system achieve its original goals.

Speaking separately to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki, the respondents described the proposed change as detrimental to Nigeria’s objective of building a functional and competitive education system. They emphasised that inconsistent policy implementation remains a primary obstacle to national development.

Expert Perspectives

Chinedu Nwankwo, a professor of educational administration at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, argued that the 6-3-3-4 structure was designed to foster self-reliance by introducing vocational and technical training at the junior secondary level. “The objective was to enable students who may not proceed to senior secondary school or the university to acquire practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship,” he said.

“Unfortunately, governments failed to provide the infrastructure, equipment, and qualified teachers required to achieve that objective; scrapping the policy will not address those deficiencies.”

Grace Onwe, a director of academic planning in the Ebonyi Ministry of Education, highlighted the negative impact of frequent policy changes on long-term planning. She urged the federal government to prioritise strengthening existing structures through effective monitoring and adequate resource allocation.

“We should avoid changing policies whenever challenges arise; what is required is commitment to implementation because every reform needs time, resources, and consistency to succeed,” she noted.

Structural vs Institutional Challenges

Sunday Ogbu, Director of Schools in the Ebonyi Ministry of Education, noted that the vocational component of the 6-3-3-4 system was never fully realised nationwide, as many schools lack the necessary workshops and technical instructors.

Echoing this sentiment, Ngozi Enyi, a professor of curriculum studies at Ebonyi State University (EBSU), advised the federal government to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current system before introducing new structures.

She disputed the government’s claim that the system is responsible for high dropout rates, labelling the issue an institutional problem rather than a structural one.

Emmanuel Eze, a representative of the EBSU Students’ Union Government, also urged the government to engage students, teachers, and experts before making a final decision, noting that students are more concerned with modern technology, quality teaching, and functional facilities than structural changes.

A Call for Consistency

The stakeholders concluded that the 6-3-3-4 system—which provides six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary, three years of senior secondary, and a minimum of four years of tertiary education—remains a viable framework if supported by political will.

They urged the federal government to retain the policy, strengthen its implementation, and invest heavily in technical and vocational education to drive national economic growth.