CHALLENGES OF UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the challenges that erupted from the trends in educational programmes as well as proffering strategic solutions that can ameliorate future development of Universal Basic Education programme in Nigeria. Nigeria's education policy is one of the social policies of government used in strengthening and improving the well being of her citizens. Since after independence in 1960, successive governments have not relented in efforts to improve the quality of the nation's education system via education policies.This is evident in the most recent national policy on education of 2013, which is an improvement up on the previous ones in 1977, 1981, 1988, 1998 and 2004. A look at the current educational policy shows that it covers the following areas: pre-primary education, primary education, secondary education and tertiary education, mass literacy, adult and non-formal education, special education, educational services as well as financing, administration and supervision of education. A special feature of this current educational policy is how ever the modification of the 6-3-3-4 system of education into a 9-3-4 system and the Universal Basic Education, which caters for educational needs of individual within the first 9years. This paper is a historic research that attempts to critically analyse from a sociological and historical perspective, the Universal Basic Education (UBE) aspect of there viewed Nigeria's Policy on Education of 2013. This study therefore investigated the challenges and prospects of Universal Basic Education in terms of the strengths and weaknesses. As it is assumed that for this long, the challenges and strengths would have been showcased in the course of implementing the pre – planned programme. Recommendations and strategic solutions are proffered for future prospect.