Education
Dons Defend 6-3-3-4 System
Two university teachers last Friday in Lagos faulted the proposition for the scrapping of the 6-3-3-4 education policy in the country.
The policy, according to the dons, should be strengthened to enable it to achieve its set objectives.
Dr Soji Oni of the Department of Education Foundation, University of Lagos, who lauded the system, noted that it had been bedeviled by poor implementation.
The Minister of State for Education, Mr Kenneth Gbagi had at a forum in Abuja announced that the Federal Government was considering scrapping the system.
He said plans were at an advanced stage to revert to the 6-5-4 system as an alternative in a bid to reduce the number of years spent by secondary school students by one year. It would be recalled that the system was introduced in 1989 by the late Minister of Education, Prof. Babatunde Fafunwa.
But Oni told our correspondent that because of the poor implementation of the system, it had failed to realise its objectives.
“There is a problem with the 6-3-3-4 system – the problem is implementation – just like with other policies of successive governments.
“The policy was designed to promote science and technology education as well as self-reliance in students.
“How do you expect such a beautiful policy to work without continuous training for teachers – the implementers?
“There is also need for the right infrastructure, such as workshops and laboratories in schools,” he said.
Oni expressed regrets that in spite of the potentialities of the policy in making Nigeria a technology power-house, the ideals and objectives had been jettisoned.
Dr Sule Sheidu of the Education Administration Department, UNILAG, noted that the policy had not made much impact because “the right people to drive it were not saddled with the responsibility”.
He suggested that the government should inject more funds into the system to provide the necessary facilities for its more effective implementation.
“The policy is not working because the wrong people are given the mandate to drive it.
“For as long as we entrust decision making on issues as important as education into the hands of politicians and not educationists, it will not work,” Sheidu said.
He added: “The government needs to get the right people to implement the system and provide the necessary funds and facilities to give the policy some life.”
A professor of Highway Engineering at the Rivers State University (RSU), Prof. Emmanuel Osilemme Ekwulo, has identified poor designs, inadequate materials, insufficient testing, and lack of accountability as major obstacles to the success of highway construction projects in the country.
Ekwulo made this remark in Port Harcourt last Wednesday during the 128th inaugural lecture series of the university, where he presented a lecture titled “Removing Roadblocks: Rebuilding a Foundation for Reliable Highway Pavement Infrastructure.”
The university don lamented the consistent premature failures of road construction projects nationwide, despite huge investments by the government at all levels, attributing the problem to neglected basics and systemic principles in the industry.
According to him, rebuilding the foundation technically, institutionally, and ethically is crucial to building strong and lasting pavements.
Ekwulo emphasized the need for political will, professional integrity, and commitment to engineering excellence to overcome the challenges.
“The metaphoric roadblocks are those challenges causing premature failures,” Ekwulo said, adding that identifying and addressing these roadblocks is key to rebuilding the nation’s highways.
He recommended that institutions involved in road design and construction adopt a mechanistic-empirical design approach, and develop a comprehensive framework for implementing the Nigerian Imperial and Mechanistic Pavement Design System (NEMPADS) approach.
Ekwulo also advocated for mandatory traffic load analysis, strengthened university-industry collaboration, and funding for applied pavement research.
Corruption, he noted, is a major challenge in the profession, saying severe punitive measures are needed to curb shabby practices leading to premature road failures.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, described Ekwulo’s lecture as interesting and intriguing, highlighting the importance of implementing solutions to Nigeria’s highway challenges.
The Vice Chancellor also described Ekwulo’s proposals as practical and applicable to government and industry stakeholders.
He said the university is committed to research aligned with national development goals, referencing its NDV-12 responsive consortium production framework.
Zeb-Obipi noted that Ekwulo’s recommendations are timely and solution-driven, and will contribute to addressing Nigeria’s highway challenges.
Akujobi Amadi
-
News11 hours agoRSG Reiterates Commitment To Youth Dev
-
Business8 hours agoNSCDC Discloses Illegal Dump Site In Ikwerre Community
-
Rivers8 hours agoPolice Launch Community-Centred National Day Celebration In Rivers, Today
-
Business8 hours agoYenagoa’s Radisson Hotel Ready December — NCDMB, Other
-
Maritime8 hours agoMWUN Raises Alarm Over Port Security Lapses In Lagos
-
Maritime8 hours agoNNS Hands Over Two Suspected Stowaways to Immigration Service
-
Maritime9 hours agoMaritime Workers Demand Reinstatement Of Tally Clerks, Gangway Security Over Port Revenue Loss
-
Environment8 hours agoWDC: Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Odu Call Inclusion Of Woman And Girls Decision Making