Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise
A renewed national debate over Nigeria’s education reform has intensified following warnings from veteran educationist Otunba Oladele Olapeju that plans to abolish the National Common Entrance Examination risk worsening existing structural problems rather than resolving them.
Olapeju, a retired director in the Federal Ministry of Education and former principal of King’s College, Lagos, issued the caution amid the Federal Government’s proposal to phase out the long-standing entrance examination for admission into junior secondary schools, particularly the country’s federal unity colleges. The policy shift, which aims to replace the examination with a continuous assessment system supported by a Learner Identification Number, has drawn mixed reactions from stakeholders across the education sector.
The proposed reform is part of a broader government effort to address what officials describe as a major gap in the transition from primary to secondary education. According to Education Minister Tunji Alausa, the current system leaves millions of pupils unable to progress beyond primary school, with data indicating that out of more than 23 million pupils enrolled in public primary schools, only slightly over three million proceed to junior secondary level.
Under the new framework, the Common Entrance Examination would be replaced by continuous assessment tracking pupils’ academic performance from their early years in primary school. Each student would be assigned a unique Learner Identification Number to monitor progress, even if they transfer between schools. Government officials argue that this approach would provide a more comprehensive evaluation of students and improve access to secondary education.
However, Olapeju strongly disagrees with the assumption that eliminating the Common Entrance Examination will solve the country’s education crisis. In his assessment, the move appears more politically driven than grounded in technical expertise, warning that it could undermine merit-based admissions and create new opportunities for manipulation within the system.
He emphasized that unity colleges occupy a unique position in Nigeria’s education structure, serving as institutions designed to foster national integration by bringing together students from diverse backgrounds. According to him, the Common Entrance Examination plays a crucial role in identifying academically capable pupils across the country and maintaining standards within these schools.
Olapeju also raised concerns about the feasibility of relying solely on continuous assessment, noting that the system is already vulnerable to abuse. He pointed out that even under the current centralized examination structure, malpractice remains a challenge, citing past experiences where a significant number of pupils admitted to receiving assistance during entrance exams.
The risk, he argued, would be significantly higher if admissions were based entirely on school-based assessments, which are more difficult to regulate. In a system where parental pressure and competition for limited school placements are intense, he warned that score inflation and undue influence could become widespread.
Beyond the debate over examinations, Olapeju stressed that Nigeria’s education crisis is rooted in deeper systemic issues that have persisted for decades. Chief among these are inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, teacher shortages, and weak policy implementation. In many public schools, especially in rural areas, classrooms are overcrowded, learning materials are scarce, and qualified teachers are in short supply.
These structural deficiencies, he argued, are the real obstacles to quality education and cannot be addressed by simply changing the method of student assessment. Instead, he called for targeted investments in improving school facilities, enhancing teacher training, and strengthening oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability.
His position aligns with concerns raised by other analysts who argue that Nigeria’s primary education system requires urgent reform at the foundational level. Critics of the proposed policy have noted that many schools lack the technological infrastructure necessary to support a robust continuous assessment system, particularly one that relies on digital tracking through a Learner Identification Number.
In addition, there are fears that the proposed changes could exacerbate inequalities between urban and rural schools. While well-resourced private and urban institutions may be better equipped to implement continuous assessment effectively, underfunded public schools could struggle, potentially widening the gap in educational outcomes.
Supporters of the reform, however, argue that the current examination-based system is itself flawed and contributes to limited access. They contend that a single high-stakes test cannot adequately capture a pupil’s academic abilities and that a more holistic evaluation could improve fairness and inclusivity.
The government has also linked the reform to broader efforts to tackle Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis, which remains one of the largest in the world. By tracking students through a centralized system, authorities hope to identify those who drop out and implement targeted interventions to bring them back into the education system.
Despite these arguments, Olapeju insists that removing the Common Entrance Examination without first addressing underlying challenges could destabilize an already fragile system. He noted that continuous assessment has been part of Nigeria’s education framework since the introduction of the 6-3-3-4 system in 1979, but its effectiveness has been undermined by inconsistent implementation and lack of proper monitoring.
He also highlighted the broader issue of examination pressure, arguing that the real burden on students occurs at the senior secondary level, where multiple exams are often scheduled within a short timeframe. Addressing these pressures, he suggested, would be a more meaningful reform than eliminating the Common Entrance Examination.
The debate reflects a wider tension in Nigeria’s education policy landscape, where successive reforms have often been introduced without sufficient planning or continuity. Experts have repeatedly called for a more coordinated approach that prioritizes long-term stability and evidence-based decision-making.
As discussions continue, stakeholders across the sector, including educators, parents, and policymakers, remain divided over the best path forward. While there is broad agreement on the need for reform, the question of how to achieve it remains contentious.
For Olapeju, the answer lies not in dismantling existing structures but in strengthening them. He urged the government to focus on improving the quality of education at the foundational level, ensuring that all pupils have access to well-equipped schools and competent teachers.
Without such measures, he warned, any policy change, no matter how well-intentioned, will fall short of delivering the desired transformation.
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