By Victor Itodo Abuh
NIGERIA’s education sector is set for another possible shake-up following the proposal by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to introduce a 12-year basic education system before tertiary education. The proposed reform, unveiled during a meeting of the 2025 Extraordinary National Council on Education, seeks to replace the existing 6-3-3-4 system with a 12-4 model, where students undergo 12 uninterrupted years of basic education before advancing to university.
Under the current 6-3-3-4 system, students spend: – 6 years in primary school; 3 years in junior secondary school; 3 years in senior secondary school, and 4 years (or more) in the university
However, the proposed 12-4 system would eliminate the junior and senior secondary divisions, creating a continuous 12-year basic education program before students proceed to higher institutions.
Additionally, the government aims to establish 16 years as the minimum age for university admission.
Why the reform?
According to Alausa, the goal is to align Nigeria’s education structure with international best practices. “The introduction of a seamless 12-year basic education model will ensure that students are adequately prepared before transitioning to higher education,” he stated.
The proposed system is expected to reduce dropouts, improve foundational learning and ensure that students meet a minimum standard before entering the university.
By setting 16 years as the benchmark for university admission, the government believes that students will be more mentally and academically prepared for tertiary education.
If implemented, this will be the fourth major restructuring of Nigeria’s education system since independence in 1960.
Before 1983; Nigeria operated a 6-5-4 system (six years of primary, five years of secondary, and four years of tertiary education.
From 1983; the 6-3-3-4 system was introduced, dividing secondary school into junior and senior levels.
From 2006; a modified 9-3-4 system was briefly adopted, combining six years of primary education with three years of junior secondary as “basic education.”
The current proposal (2025) of 12-4 model aims to eliminate these divisions and create a single basic education phase.
However, these frequent overhauls have raised concerns about policy inconsistency in Nigeria’s education sector.
Reactions
While the government argues that the new system will standardise education and improve student outcomes, education experts and stakeholders have expressed scepticism.
A recent statement by the Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) criticised the move, calling it a “misplaced priority” that ignores deeper issues like poor funding, inadequate infrastructure and learning crisis in Nigerian schools.
“The problem with Nigeria’s education sector is not necessarily the structure but the quality of education, poor teacher training and lack of resources,” CHRICED noted.
Similarly, some analysts argue that instead of changing the structure, the government should focus on addressing dilapidated school facilities, unpaid teachers’ salaries and outdated curricular that do not align with modern industry needs.
What next?
The proposed 12-4 education model is still at the discussion stage and requires approval before implementation. However, the conversation it has sparked focuses on the challenges of Nigeria’s education system and the need for a more comprehensive approach to reform.
As deliberations continue, the key question remains: Will this new system fix the problems in Nigerian education, or will it be another cycle of policy experimentation with little real impact?
While the idea of a 12-year uninterrupted basic education may sound appealing on paper, its success will depend on proper implementation, funding and addressing systemic issues. Without these, the reform may become another well-intended policy change that fails to improve educational outcomes for millions of Nigerian students.
