Fed Govt to revert education system to 1-6-3-3-4

By Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja 

Professor Ruqayyatu Rufa’i

Following the recommendation of the Presidential Task Force on Education, the Federal Government yesterday unfolded plans to revert the existing 6-3-3-4 education system to the 1-6-3-3-4 system.

Under the proposed 1-6-3-3-4 system, there will be one compulsory year of Early Childhood Education (ECE) for five-year old pupils; six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary, three years of senior secondary and four years of higher education.

The Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu  Rufa’i spoke during the inauguration of the Education High-level Committee set up to implement the report of the Presidential task team on education .

Prof. Rufa’i said  President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the recommendations of the report, including “reverting the 6-3-3-4 to the original plan by adjusting its structure to include one year ECE for 5-year olds.

Other recommendations for implementation, according to the minister, are: “Development of a synergy mechanism to utilise intervention funds from TETFUND, UBEC, MDGs, NITDA, PTDF, NCC, CBN, etc; conclusion of the bureaucratic process for the approval and actualisation of the  National Teacher Education Policy; resolution of  political & financial issues impeding the implementation of the Teachers’ Salary Scale; addressing the challenge of the Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) by realocating them under the management of UBEC, after its act has been amended to include the Secondary Education component.”

 SOURCE: The Nation Newspaper, 19 October 2011.