By Deborah Nnamdi
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said Nigeria’s education crisis is rooted in decades of inadequate funding and poor implementation of policies rather than the separation of Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS).
Obi made the remarks on Friday in a post on his X account while reacting to the Federal Government’s recent acknowledgement that the JSS/SSS structure had failed to significantly improve learning outcomes.
According to him, while the government’s admission was welcome, the real challenge confronting the education sector is the lack of sustained investment and commitment to delivering quality education.
Obi argued that education remains the most critical investment in human capital development and is essential for economic growth, national productivity, and long-term national development.
Drawing lessons from Asian countries, he said nations with strong education systems achieved success through consistent investment in curriculum development, teacher welfare, and improved learning environments rather than frequent changes to educational structures.
He maintained that Nigeria’s priority should be ensuring effective implementation of education policies backed by adequate funding instead of focusing mainly on restructuring the school system.
“The issue is not the JSS/SSS policy itself, but the lack of commitment to properly fund, manage, and deliver quality education,” Obi said.
He also criticised the Federal Government’s allocation to education in the 2026 budget, describing it as insufficient to address the country’s educational challenges.
According to him, the sector received N3.52 trillion, representing 6.17 per cent of the total 2026 budget, down from 7.87 per cent in 2025 and significantly below UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 15 to 20 per cent.
“This low allocation indicates a failure to recognise education as a driver of sustained economic growth,” he added.
Obi’s comments come days after the Federal Government announced plans to phase out the separation between Junior and Senior Secondary Schools as part of wider reforms aimed at improving access to education, reducing dropout rates, and making better use of existing school facilities.
The proposed reform follows an earlier recommendation by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to replace Nigeria’s current 9-3-4 education structure with a 12-4 model, providing 12 years of uninterrupted basic education before tertiary studies.
However, the proposal has faced opposition from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), which argued that restructuring the education system alone would not improve learning outcomes without increased funding, improved infrastructure, adequate teacher recruitment, and better learning conditions.
Nigeria continues to face significant education challenges, with more than 20 million children reportedly failing to progress from primary school to senior secondary education, underscoring the need for comprehensive reforms in the sector.
