Secondary Education in Post-Colonial Nigeria: The Policy and Implementation’s Pros and Cons

Secondary Education in Post-Colonial Nigeria: The Policy and Implementation’s Pros and Cons

Gloria Chiadi¹, Masud Ibrahim Oniye² & Yusuf M. Abdulrahman³*

^1&3Department of Educational Foundations, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

²Department of Arts Education, University of Ilorin, Nigeria

*Corresponding author

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.70527

 Received: 26 April 2023; Accepted: 05 May 2023; Published: 30 May 2023

ABSTRACT

This paper examined the pros and cons of the policy and implementation of secondary education in post-colonial Nigeria. A number of identified efforts and commitments made over the years by the Nigerian government in the formulation, planning and implementation of educational policies in secondary education were found to be some of the good inputs conceived as instruments for national development. However, some of these efforts were defeated on the long run, because of a number of other manifestations that negated the intent of the policy to better secondary education in Nigeria. As a way forward, the paper concluded that if the country is to enjoy the dividends of secondary education, there is urgent need to address the challenges that have limited the implementation of educational policies in the secondary education sector. It was recommended inter alia, a review of some of the secondary education policy contents and the implementation of innovative policies and programmes directed towards improving standards of secondary education in the country.

Keywords: Secondary Education, Post-Colonial, Educational Policy, Implementation, Pros and Cons.

INTRODUCTION

Education is an instrument that liberates people from poverty, sicknesses and ignorance. Education in many countries has brought about remarkable progress in the socio-economic, political, cultural and the technological advancement of those countries that made it their priority. Education from all its ramification has played significant roles in creating modern societies. Education is an investment in people which has immeasurable benefits to any society and the world at large. The development of any country and its educational achievements depend largely on the effective implementation of its educational policies. Based on this, many governments have globally adopted reforms that are meticulously guided by educational policies in the theory and practice of education. In this regard, priority is given to educational policies – planning, formulation and implementation.

In Nigeria, education is seen as ‘an instrument par excellence for social and economic reconstruction of the nation’ (FRN, 2013). The need for an educational transformation aimed at harnessing the talents of the young people, especially at the secondary school level; to achieve a high standard of living led to the adoption of different educational systems from 6-5-2-3 to 6-3-3-4 education systems.  It was envisaged that the new system will be catalytic in bringing the desired changes needed in secondary education; to move the country forward, post-independence. Despite the developmental efforts and commitments made by the government in the formulation, planning and implementation of educational policies at the secondary level, some challenges still limit the implementation of the policy, thereby preventing the sector from realizing it objectives.

Given the magnitude of the dividends of secondary education, there is urgent need to review the secondary education and initiate reforms with innovative policies and proactive implementation.

EXPLANATION OF CONCEPTS

Secondary Education

Secondary education is that level of education that is enrolled in after a learner must have completed 6 years of primary education which is followed by vocational training, higher education or employment (Grant, 2017). Ibrahim, Abudullahi and Igbaji (2019) explain secondary education as an open system which takes inputs from the immediate environment, process the input and discharge them back into the environment where they were taken from. They further emphasize that if the input is insufficient, then the process of conversion will be faulty and vice versa. Igbokwe and Igbokwe in Igbokwe and Joseph (2018) describe secondary education as the education for learners within the ages of eleven and twelve (11⁺ or 12years). In Nigeria, secondary education is divided into junior and senior sections, that is, the Junior Secondary School and the Senior Secondary School (JSS and SSS). The junior section is part of Universal Basic Education (UBE) while the secondary section is part of the Post-Basic Education and Career Development (PBECD). Also, FRN (2013) states that junior secondary education is the education a child acquires immediately he/she completes the primary education while PBECD is the education that students acquire, having completed the ten years of basic education and successfully scaling through the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the Junior Arabic or the Islamic Studies Certificate Examination (JAISCE).

Igbokwe and Joseph (2018) state that the aims of secondary education are to equip learners’ skills and be ready for useful living in the community and to prepare them for higher education.

EDUCATION POLICY

Policy according to Terry in Okoroma (2000) is a guide that indicated the limits and direction in which administrative action will follow. Nwideeduh, Osaat and Ikegah (2015) describe policy as procedures, rules, orders and guidelines used to enforce or to work in support of plans and tactics, especially in planning. In addition, they state that at the institutional level, policy acts as a means of action or reference point that directs the authorities of institutions to keep to disciplined leadership and promote the values of a system. They conclude that policy is the decisions of people in authority which shows the goals of an organization.

According to Hoy and Miskel in Okoroma (2000) policy is something that is not only formulated, it is programmed, communicated as well as monitored and evaluated. In the view of Mulin in Nwideeduh, et al (2015) policy is what is carved out from objectives in terms of how, where and when of a course of action that must be carried out to achieve the stated objectives. Also, Ibrahim in Ogunode and Samuel (2020), educational policies are designed to perform the following: Improve the quality of education, address educational challenges, provide access to quality education, provide and transfer knowledge needed for the adaptation of the masses in the society.

Implementation

According to Ogunode and Ahaotu in Ogunode and Samuel (2020) implementation is the systematic method of carrying out policies, programmes, projects, etc. They also see it as the act of executing a planned action and programme. It was further stated that implementation is delivery of defined and planned programmes stage by stage. Ogbonnaya (2010) sees implementation as the execution of formulated policies in concrete terms. According to him, implementation is the stage where the prepared plans, the designs and analysis proposed are tested to ascertain how effective they are. In the view of Ogunode and Samuel (2020), the factors that determine the effective implementation of educational policies are:

• The numbers of professionals available
• The capacity of the implementers
• The number of infrastructural facilities made available
• The funds made available
• The level of monitoring and the evaluation team available, etc.

Secondary Education and Post-Colonial Educational Policies

Universal Basic Education (UBE)

The former president Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 introduced the Universal Basic Education (UBE) in the country (Uwaneze, 2016; Mordi 2016) the programme was an expansion of the Universal Primary Education (UPE). According to Taiwo in Mordi (2016) the UPE was abandoned as a result of a change in government. UBE was designed to be a free and compulsory education for the period of 9 years (Osagie and Ehigie in Uwaneze, 2015). The UBE Act of 2004 makes provision for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), primary education, and junior secondary education. The programme was designed to address the challenge of marginalization. The universality of the innovative educational programme was an indication that UBE is for every child and adult; irrespective of race, culture, tribe, class and sex. UBE was exclusively funded by both the federal and state government. According to Aja, Esu, Aja, Ani and Amuta (2018), the UBE 2004 Act has the following objectives:

1. Develop in the masses, education consciousness and commitment to its promotion;
2. provide free UBE for every Nigerian child of school going age;
3. curb high level of learners’ drop-out from the formal education system;
4. cater for the need of youths who left school for one reason or the other through appropriate channel to the provision of UBE in their states.

The promulgation of UBE (Adeniyi, 2015) was to:

1. promote gender equality,
2. promote national integration,
3. inculcate the knowledge of literacy and numeracy,
4. the enhancement of educational reform, provide solid foundation.

According to UBEC (2010), the minimum standards of UBE implementation is to enhance, promote and facilitate the teaching and learning process and at the same time ensure effective management of resources in the education sector in Nigeria. The report also reveals that the implementations of the standards and compliance on the part of school managements have not been completely met.

Abebayo in Simon and Nguwasen (2020) reports that over the years, the Nigerian government has continued to show a laisse faire attitude and double standards in the implementation of free UBE without adequate manpower and infrastructural facilities while their children are sent to school abroad or are enrolled in well-equipped private schools with national funds (Abebayo in Simon & Nguwasen, 2020). Adeniyi (2015) asserts that the challenges linked with the UBE are:

1. poor funding, ethical problem,
2. over emphasis on tertiary education,
3. demography pressure and improper management.

Festus (2007) maintains that the launch of the UBE in Nigeria has thwarted the colonial restrictive education policy for equal educational opportunities for all the children of school going age in the country. With this freedom comes the problems of balancing quality education with quantity education in terms of providing human and material resources.

National Policy on Education (6-3-3-4 System) and Secondary Education

After independence, there was no standard or uniformity in the educational structure of the 12 states in Nigeria. According to Samson in Akanbi (2018), there were twelve states with twelve different educational characteristics – some states ran primary education for 8 years, while some ran theirs for 6 years. The system in secondary education was diverse; for example, there were secondary modern, secondary grammar, secondary technical and secondary commercial. Abdulrahman (2014) revealed that the conference recommended the idea of multilateral or comprehensive schools. The conference submitted that comprehensiveness of schools in Nigeria should not only be in numbers of students, but also in variety of course-offerings in academic (arts and science), technical, professional and commercial areas.  This was conceived as a reform and eventually captured in the National Policy on Education, to improve secondary education in Nigeria.

Lack of uniformity and poor standard in the education provided became a great concern for Nigerians.

National Curriculum Conference and Secondary Education

In September 1969, a national curriculum conference was convened by the Nigerian Educational Research Council (NERC) now known as the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) with the mandate of bringing together stakeholders in the education sector to formulate and draw a workable plan for educational advancement in post-colonial Nigeria (Okorosaye-Orubite, 2012). In this regard, Abdulrahman (2014 p.155) recounts that:

significantly, the 1969 curriculum conference came out with bold recommendations of a six-year primary school course, followed by six years of secondary school, patterned into a lower or junior secondary and an upper or senior secondary of 3years each respectively, and lastly a four-year university education which had been tagged and structured numerically as 6-3-3-4. This 6-3-3-4 system, though took almost 2 decades before its implementation started, but remains a proud education system to Nigeria, even with the Universal Basic Education programme, 6-3-3-4 remains the country’s education system.

Following the proclamation of General Yakubu Gowon, the then Head of States who promise a national policy on education for the country in his speech at Barewa College, Zaria on the 26th of April, 1972; having realized the need to have a national policy which should guide our theory and practice of education. In 1973, therefore, experts from different disciplines, under the chairmanship of Chief S. O. Adebo were brought together to deliberate and decide on what should form the national education policy for Nigeria. In 1977, the government of Nigeria released the National Policy on Education (NPE). The deliberation, formulation and the deliberate planning of the new educational system led to the beginning of the numerous educational reforms and innovations in Nigeria.

Nigeria changed from the British 6-5-2-3 system of education to the 6-3-3-4 system of education with the hope of providing the quality education that is desired. The system indicates 6 years of primary education, 3 years of junior secondary education, 3 years of senior secondary education and a minimum of 4 years for university education. The secondary education component, that is, the 3-3 was first trial tested and piloted, using the Federal Government Colleges (Unity Schools) with the phasing out the old curriculum. It must however be mentioned that the UBE curriculum was not ready until 2007, despite the passage of the enabling Law in 2004.

The position of secondary education in the new educational system became vital for economic and national development, and rather than solving the problem of dormant vocational training and entrepreneurship education which the system was intended to address, the free Universal Basic Education compounded the problem by the theory-oriented knowledge, characterized with weak technical/vocational trainings. Okoroma (2000) informs that the implementation of the 3-3 aspect of the educational system has not been uniform, some states in Nigeria started the implementation in 1982 while others gradually followed. He further states that after many decades, of practicing this educational system, the poor standard of secondary education in the country is yet to be addressed. The research findings of Okoroma in Okoroma (2000) on the effective implementation of the UBE programme reveal the following:

1. inadequate funding of education,
2. inadequate number of qualified teachers,
3. insufficient teaching and learning facilities,
4. lack of motivation for teachers and
5. inadequate guidance and counseling services.

Unfortunately, with the efforts and resources invested in the new 6-3-3-4 educational system and in the 29 years of adopting the system, the country still suffers the problem of unemployed and underemployed secondary school leavers of which some are roaming the streets or engaging in one anti-social activity or the other (Bankole, 2019). Taiwo in Okorosaye-Orubite (2012) points to the fact that the concept of 6-3-3-4 education system was adopted in the 70’s when the country was experiencing economic growth due to the oil boom, and the system was put into action in the 80’s when Nigeria’s economy was not stable. In addition, he was of the opinion that 6-3-3-4 system was an expensive system that requires the provision of numerous services and facilities. Okorosaye-Orubite (2012) emphasizes that to operate the new educational system, the services will require fifteen educational services ranging from Teachers Resource Centres to Network of Educational Service Centre in Nigeria (NESCN) which would be provided by the federal, state and the local governments.

Okorosaye-Orubite (2012) further informs that not more than 30% of these were provided and the effect was that the nation ended up operating a grammar school, just like before Nigeria’s independence which is bookish in nature and examination dominated. An education system that lacks the various disciplines with which learners need to express themselves in the knowledge acquired and explore different areas to develop their capabilities and talents as endowed by God. With this, Okorosaye-Orubite (2012) asserts that for Nigeria to experience all round development then all areas must be developed, development should not be in one direction. The 6-3-3-4 system of education was designed to address different areas and levels of education. A major short coming according to him was emphasis on examination.

The Nigerian educational structure had been modified severally from 1970s-1980s and the essence of this modifications is ‘vocationalization/functionalism’.

Table 1: The 6-3-3-4 Education System

Source: Ogbondah and Chiadi (n.d)

The Nigeria Educational Structure

Source: www.researchgate.net

Nwideeduh, et al. (2015) posit that the country lacks consistent policy as a result of consistent change in policies by the government. This lack of continuity has led to the establishment of many educational institutions as well as different educational structures starting with 7-6-2-3 to 6-5-2-3 and to 6-3-3-4. They conclude that education policies in the country have not totally succeeded in achieving societal development. The role of education in human development has not been successful in achieving the purpose of education due to many challenges such as the following;

1. continuous educational reforms,
2. lack of finance, etc. which have posed as barriers to effective implementation of numerous policies such as codes, ordinances, laws, etc.
3. to assist the educational process since the colonial era.

The Nigerian government is good at policy making, but lacks the will to implement them. Implementation has always been the clog in the wheel due to corruption, communication gap between the stakeholders in education, operators, the society, curriculum problems, etc. (Okoroma, 2000). Okoli, Ugwumba, Iwejuo and Kalu (2015) in their report, state that lack of effective implementation of educational policies was as a result of the following:

1. Funding the execution of the blue print is approved by the executives through special conditions or restrictions.
2. The unwilling nature of the decision-making division of administration to disburse the allotted allocation after approval for the execution of the formulated plans.
3. Sometimes, the insufficient funds disbursed for implementation of educational policies are completely not used to support educational plans. Some of them redirect a large amount of the money for personal use.

The effects of these actions by the decision makers are poor implementation of educational policies. According to Okoli, et al (2015), the effect of poor implementation of policies on education are these among others: inadequate conducive learning environment, inadequate qualified teachers, the employment of mediocre, the use of curriculum that is not 21^st century compliance, unreliable examination results, negative attitude to learning, etc. With these challenges in view, Nigeria will not achieve quality education. Nwideeduh et al (2015) are of the opinion that lack of continuity in implementing formulated plans due to constant change in educational policies by the government has resulted in the establishment of many educational institutions in the country and different educational systems starting with 7-6-2-3 to 6-5-2-3 and finally to 6-3-3-4 which is even now preceded with a year pre-primary in the current National Policy on Education document – The NPE, thus: 1-6-3-3-4.

Secondary Education and Post-Colonial Admission Policy

Nigeria is a member of the United Nations (UN) and a signatory to numerous international accords that promote the right to education over the years e.g. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 1948, African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) 1990, among others. In section 18 (1) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, it mandates Nigerian government to use its policy to ensure that there are equal educational opportunities at all levels. So, under statutes, law and relevant policies, Nigeria has comprehensive provisions on the right to education (Taiwo, 2013 in Emmanuel, 2021). To ensure equal and adequate educational opportunities for every child, especially at the secondary level, the federal government of Nigeria founded unity schools.

According to USOSA (2019) the purpose of establishing unity schools are:

1. To integrate girls and boys from various regions irrespective of their socio-economic status to work, learn, live together as well as play together so as to form a homogeneous family without distrust, suspicion and rancor;
2. to establish institutions of academic excellence;
3. to raise detribalized citizens required for effective management of the country’s resources at various levels of governance.

According to Sahara Reporters (2021), the Federal Ministry of Education pegged the cut-off marks for 2020/2021 admission into Unity Schools at 134 out of 300 points for the five South Eastern States in Nigeria, while the cut-off marks for the northern states is pined at 20 points and below. Suffice to say that a pupil from South East must score at least 140 points out of 300 points before he/she can gain admission in any federal government college, but a candidate from the north need not struggle to gain admission into the same college (Guardian, 2019).

The factors responsible for the enrolment problem in the federal unity schools are numerous (NOUN, n.d) the population data that would help to direct and project enrolment for various levels of education are inaccurate, it states further that the last population census conducted in 2006 has been controversial since it was made public making it difficult for educational planners to plan. It highlights the causes of age and enrolment challenges in public secondary schools among others:

1. Lack of accurate demographic statistics on age distribution.
2. Inability to put into consideration the enrolment projection in school plan expansion.
3. Politicization of population census in the country with the sole purpose of falsifying data.

According to Premium Times (n.d) the federal unity schools in Nigeria are 104; there are 24 in North-Central, 18 in North-West and 15 in North-East, 18 in the South-West, 17 in South-South, 18 in South-West and 12 unity schools in the South-East.  Abu in Simon and Nguwasen (2020) points out the facts that some areas are overcrowded with (unity) secondary schools than others as a result of the influence of their political representatives.

The Registrar, National Examination Council (NECO) Prof. AbdulRashid Garba, in an interview discloses to newsmen during the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) in Abuja in 2015 that the score alone cannot get a child admitted, ranking is used. This is even an issue of concern. However, Prof. Garba explains further that if a state wants to enroll 6,000 candidates, then one ranks from the score of the first person to where the score of the 6000^th person stops and that would be used as the cut-off point, Lawal (2019). It can be deduced from the explanation of the registrar that if a state in the north wants to admit 2,000 candidates and 1,800 candidates sat for the Common Entrance Examination and the total mark is 200, the cut-off point will be placed at 70, if students score below 15 all of them will be admitted based on ranking. This shows that the educational policy of admission in Nigeria lacks standard. The rights of every of every child to equal educational opportunity is not observed in Nigeria.

Secondary Education and Policy Implementation Challenges

There are many challenges inhibiting the implementation of educational policies in the country. These challenges include among others:

INADEQUATE FUNDING

Inadequate funding is one of the major challenges inhibiting the effective implementation of educational policies in Nigeria. Over the years UNESCO recommends 26% as the bench mark for each member states for the nation’s education allocation so as to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The government of Nigeria is not complying with this bench mark. A breakdown of the country’s education budget for decades reveals the following:

Table 2: Nigeria Total Budget and Education Allocation 2010-2021.

Source: Odigwe and Owan (2019), CBN (2020), Sun News (2021), Reuters (2015)

The table reveals that there is a fluctuation in the federal government’s allocation to the education sector over the years. The highest allocation allotted to the sector was in 2012 with 9.8% and the least was in 2015 with 1.09%. What the education sector receives is a far cry from the UNESCO’s reasonable bench mark.

Mohammed and Gbenu in Joel, Ogi and Ikpe (2019) observed that Nigeria is not doing much in the area of research due to funding and this has adversely affected the programmes and policies in the education sector. The implication of inadequate funding of the education sector is that the commissions and agencies that rely on the ministry of education are equally underfunded (Ogunode & Samuel, 2020) the poor funding affect the activities of the agencies and reduces the impact of evaluation in the country. They conclude that inadequate funding is responsible for the ineffective implementation of educational policies in Nigeria. This view is supported by Ajayi and Fayomi (2017) they stated that insufficient funds especially at the secondary sector have led to poor implementation of educational policies. The effects of insufficient funding in secondary schools are decayed infrastructure, lack of staff commitment and high educational cost (Nwafor, Uchendu and Akani, 2015; Obasi and Asodike in Matthew and Richard, 2019). They suggest that alternatively the secondary sector can source for fund through the following: school fees, contributions from private sectors, sales and exhibitions of students’ arts and crafts, Alumni, sales of school agricultural produce, etc.

Increase in the number of pupils seeking admission into secondary schools without adequate funds for expansion of classrooms, purchase of facilities affects teaching and learning of students in the 21^st Century (Olaniyan & Ojo, 2008).  Franklins and Nelson (2015) submit that there has been expansion in the secondary sector but with limited structures. To solve the challenge of access to secondary education there is need for adequate funding as most of the institutions are dilapidated. Ali and Ajibola (2015) posit that post independent Nigeria has a massive expansion of the education sector especially at the secondary level. In his concern, he suggests adequate funding should be used as a follow up.

Lack of Political Will

Nigeria has rich educational policies but is challenged with poor implementation. The effort of the Nigerian government to implement educational policies and process has been thwarted by inadequate resources and political will (UNICEF in Adesina, 2012) Nigeria prioritized educational policies but lack the will to implement them. Okoroma (2000) submits that in 45 years, the country has been ruled by twelve heads of states of which three were democratically elected. Others came into power through military coups. According to him, this shows that most of the leaders did not have time to plan before they took over leadership therefore, they were not prepared for any national development. Most of their actions were for personal benefits and not patriotic. According to Ogunode and Samuel (2020) the bill of the Child Act Rights of 2003 signed and passed into law by the federal government of Nigeria has not been fully endorsed by many northern governors because they do not want to implement the law in their respective states. According to Independent (2019) the following twelve northern states government are yet to sign the Child Right Bill to become Act of Parliament (Law): Kano, Bauchi, Yobe, Sokoto, Zamfara, Adamawa, Jigawa, Gombe, Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi and Borno. Suffice to say that, poor implementation of educational policies especially at the secondary level is as a result of the lassie faire attitude of some government officials.

Corruption

Institutional corruption is one of the major problems preventing the effective implementation of educational policies in Nigeria. According to Ogunode and Samuel (2020) the funds allocated for the implementation of educational policies are diverted by some officials in the ministries of education for personal interests. Ogbonnaya (2010) informs that some heads of management in some educational institutions take 10% gratification for any project executed in the institutions. Also, he states that some parents cut corners by bribing some principals in some public secondary schools for their children to be admitted even when they are not on the merit list. Furthermore, some proprietors of schools bribe some officials of the education board for their schools to be approved. According to the former vice president of Nigeria, Atitu Abubakar speaking in a public hearing at Modibbo Adanna University, Yola in Adamawa laments in Ogunode and Samuel (2020:6)

When we were in office, we passed the compulsory education from primary to secondary school law. We also imposed taxation on education. I would appeal to you, members of the National Assembly to look at the law again because there is a disconnect in the sense that monies or funds being given to states are diverted.

In the view of Okoli, Ugwumba, Iwejuo and Kalu (2015) and Okoroma (2000) the designers of the educational policy in Nigeria were visionary. They submit that most of the educational policies are thwarted at the implementation stage as a result of the following

1. To fund the execution of blue prints is approved by the executives through special conditions or restrictions.
2. The unwilling nature of the decision-making division of administration to disburse the allotted allocation after approval for the execution of the formulated plans.
3. Most times, the insufficient funds disbursed for the implementation of educational policies are not completely used to support educational plans. Some of the officials redirect a large sum of the money for personal use. They further state that the effects of these actions by the decision makers are poor implementation of educational policies.

INADEQUATE FACILITIES

Inadequate facilities are one of the major reasons for poor implementation of educational policies in secondary schools. In the view of Akomolafe and Adesua (2016) school facilities refers to school plant. This includes the school buildings, toilet facilities, laboratories, library, offices and other infrastructures that motivate teachers towards teaching and students towards learning. Amadi in Joel, Ogi and Ikpe (2019) confirms that in any policy programme, there are various basic requirements slated for each level of education. The requirements include among others infrastructure, equipment, teaching and instructional materials for learning. According to Okoroma in Joel,et al (2019) there is a divide between educational policies and the actualization of set goals due to poor implementation of the policies.  Lending voice to this NOUN (n.d) submits that the implementation of UBE led to the massive expansion of students’ enrolment in the country after independence. This in turn led to inadequacy of resources allotted to education. Inadequate funding of schools especially at the secondary level hinders the expansion and replacement of dilapidated school buildings. Ivowi in Ali and Ajibola (2015) remarks that for educational policies to be effectively implemented, facilities, tools and teaching and learning resources must be adequately provided.

According to Adesina in Okoroma (2000) emphasized that planned implementation is thwarted by the following factors:

1. Inaccurate statistical data: The planning of educational policies requires accurate and up-to-date data, lack of this usually have implementation challenges.
2. Over estimation of available resources.
3. Under estimation of cost implementation plan.
4. Over reliance on external assistance.

Van and Van in Okoroma (2000) submit that implementation of educational policies can be hindered through:

(a) Panels or network, distortions that produce contrary directives might occur.

(b) Disposition conflict: The implementation of policies might fail due to implementers refused to perform their duties.

(c) Capability problem: The implementation of educational policies might be thwarted due to the following-inadequate information, lack of political support, lack of professionals, etc.

The Way Forward

According to Okoroma in Joel, et al (2019) different educational policies have been formulated but not adequately implemented or given sufficient time to evaluate the outcome. The following measures should be taken for effective implementation of educational policies in Nigeria.

1. The budget allotted to education should be adequate to ensure effective implementation of educational policies. The allocation should conform with the UNESCO bench mark of 26% of the country’s allocation budget.
2. Frequent review of educational policies that do not promote equal educational opportunities in Nigerians should be reviewed. Also, educational policies that were not implemented due to political will or instability brings a gap between formulation and implementation of educational policies. The political office holders should work towards policy continuity and the implementation
3. Adequate provision of infrastructural facilities in secondary schools will help the implementation of educational policies and the evaluation of the outcome.
4. The government should encourage a team work between the policy designers and the policy implementers
5. A specified time should be given to work on every formulated policy.
6. There should be a data bank for policy planners to plan effectively.

CONCLUSION

The federal government of Nigeria has formulated rich educational policies to improve the educational standard of its citizens, especially at the secondary level, but unfortunately, underfunding, inadequate facilities and corruption among others have hindered the implementation of the policies. When policies that are the road maps that guide the education sector of a nation are not implemented, the country will not attain socio-economic, political and technological development. Secondary education is central to the actualization of the economic growth of any nation. To achieve the objectives of secondary education in Nigeria, there is need for proper planning, implementation and the evaluation of the adopted educational policies.

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