Keywords
Nigeria
System-wide change
Education stakeholders
Basic education
Learning Organisation
Systems Design
Change process
How to Cite
Abstract
Reform in education is an inevitable, continuous phenomenon that usually takes place as a result of problems with the previous curriculum, changes in societal needs, responses to disasters or crises, staying up to date with new national challenges, the need to raise educational standards, expectations for the future, staff innovation, and leadership changes. A change in education that affects every level, classrooms, structures, teaching environment, schools at the district/local, province/state/regional, and federal/national governments, as well as the administrative and governmental procedures that steer the entire educational process, is referred to as system-wide change. This kind of change offers a framework for a comprehensive change model that depends on systemic change that is rooted in stakeholders’ continuous engagement and shared ownership of the change effort and is driven locally. Nigeria has seen a number of changes in its educational system prior to, during, and following colonial rule. This paper juxtaposed the educational reforms that have been carried out in Nigeria before, during, and after her independence with the principle of system-wide change. It was found that Nigerian educational reform has not adhered to the tenets of the system-wide change process. Therefore, the paper suggests that in order for Nigeria's educational system to successfully undergo change, it must do so in accordance with the principle of system-wide reform procedure, which includes developing systems design, extended stakeholders’ ownership, a systems perspective on education, learning organisations, and changing stakeholder mindsets about education.
References
Akwataghibe, N. N., Ogunsola, E. A., Broerse, J. E. W., Agbo, A. I., & Dieleman, M. A. (2022). Inclusion strategies in multi-stakeholder dialogues: The case of a community-based participatory research on immunization in Nigeria. PLoS One, 17(3), e0264304. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0264304
Alabi, M. (2022). UPDATED: Nigeria now has 20 million out-of-school children - UNESCO. In Premium Times Nigeria. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/551804-breaking-nigeria-now-has-20-million-out-of-school-children-unesco.html. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/551804-breaking-nigeria-now-has-20-million-out-of-school-children-unesco.html
Alshumaimeri, Y. (2022). Educational context: The factor for a successful change. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED621782.pdf
Amissah, M., Gannon, T., & Monat, J. (2020). What is systems thinking? Expert perspectives from the WPI Systems Thinking Colloquium of 2 October 2019. Systems, 8(1), 6. https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/8/1/6
Asadu, G. (2021). Christianity and national development: The Nigeria experience. HTS Teol. Stud. / Theol. Stud., 77(1), 9. https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/6307
Austine, A., Ngozi, P., & Audu, C. (2013). An appraisal of the universal basic education in Nigeria. Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 13. https://globaljournals.org/GJMBR_Volume13/1-An-Appraisal-of-the-Universal-basic.pdf
Babajide, O. P., & Smith, C. (2022). Teachers’ challenges in the introduction and implementation of systemic change in the Nigerian primary school system. SAGE Open, 12(2). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/21582440221093033
Bolaji, S. (2014). Intent to action: Overcoming barriers to universal basic education policy implementation in Nigeria. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1424
Chen, G.-M. (2022). Building a Global Community: An Intercultural Communication Perspective. China Media Res., 18(4). https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/com_facpubs/80
Darling-Hammond, L., Flook, L., Cook-Harvey, C., Barron, B., & Osher, D. (2020). Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development. Appl. Dev. Sci., 24(2), 97–140. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10888691.2018.1537791
Duffy, V. G. (2007). Modified virtual build methodology for computer‐aided ergonomics and safety. Hum. Factors Ergon. Manuf., 17(5), 413–422. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hfm.20082
Edlmann, F. R. P., & Grobbelaar, S. (2021). A framework of engagement practices for stakeholders collaborating around complex social challenges. Sustainability, 13(19), 10828. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/19/10828
Eit, A. (2022). Class-based communities: The postcolonial reform of school education in South Africa. In International Impacts on Social Policy: Short Histories in Global Perspective (pp. 131–144). Springer International Publishing. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-86638-9_7
Enyiazu, F. A. (2022). The problems of educational policy implementation and its influence on the welfare of teacher labor market in Nigeria. OAlib, 9(8), 1–22. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=111021
Errida, A., & Lotfi, B. (2021). The determinants of organizational change management success: Literature review and case study. Int. J. Eng. Bus. Manag., 13, 184797902110162. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/18479790211016273
Ezegwu, C., & Okoye, D. (2024). Political bargaining, religion, and educational development: The Nigerian experience from the takeover of schools from christian missions. Int. J. Educ. Dev., 106(103000), 103000. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0738059324000020
Fabunmi, M. (2005). Historical analysis of educational policy formulation in Nigeria: Implications for educational planning and policy. International Journal of African & African American Studies, 4. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/45403230/69-295-1-PB_1-libre.pdf
Federal Ministry of Education. (2004). National Policy on Education (4th ed.). Abuja: Government Printer. https://education.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NATIONAL-POLICY-ON-EDUCATION.pdf
Federal Ministry of Education. (2011). Nigeria digest of education statistics 2006-2010 [Techreport]. Abuja: Government Printer. https://education.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/digest.pdf
Fullan, M. (2009). Large-scale reform comes of age. J. Educ. Chang., 10(2–3), 101–113. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10833-009-9108-z
Gouëdard, P., Pont, B., Hyttinen, S., & Huang, P. (2020). Curriculum reform: A literature review to support effective implementation [Techreport]. Organisation for Economic Co-Operation. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/curriculum-reform_efe8a48c-en
Griffiths, P. E., & Tabery, J. (2013). Developmental systems theory: what does it explain, and how does it explain it? Adv. Child Dev. Behav., 44, 65–94. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780123979476000039
Gupta, D. (2022). 6 types of organizational change, explained. In The Whatfix Blog | Drive Digital Adoption. Whatfix. https://whatfix.com/blog/types-of-organizational-change/
Hanna, K. T., Lawton, G., & Pratt, M. K. (2024). What is change management? In Search CIO. TechTarget. https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/change-management
Hubbart, J. A. (2023). Organizational change: The challenge of change aversion. Adm. Sci., 13(7), 162. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/13/7/162
Hutahaean, M. (2017). The importance of stakeholders approach in public policy making. Proceedings of the International Conference on Ethics in Governance (ICONEG 2016). https://www.atlantis-press.com/proceedings/iconeg-16/25874104
Ibia, I. E. (2014). Application of the principles of social demand approach (SDA) in the implementation of universal basic education (UBE) in Nigeria: A sociological analysis. Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2, 156–160. https://oaji.net/articles/2014/1543-1418695227.pdf
Ikechukwu, E. C. (2015). Towards a pragmatic system of education: A comparative study of Nigeria 6-3-3-4 and Chinese 9-3-4 system. International Journal of Educational Research, 3. https://www.ijern.com/journal/2015/May-2015/07.pdf
Imam, H. (2012). Educational policy in Nigeria from the colonial era to the post-independence period. Italian Journal of Sociology of Education, 4. https://ijse.padovauniversitypress.it/system/files/papers/2012_1_8_0.pdf
Kujala, J., Sachs, S., Leinonen, H., Heikkinen, A., & Laude, D. (2022). Stakeholder engagement: Past, present, and future. Bus. Soc., 61(5), 1136–1196. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00076503211066595
Mbatha, B. J. (2022). Role of stakeholders regarding policymaking in the localised sphere of government in KwaZulu-Natal. https://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/handle/10413/20714
Ogunnubi, O. O. (2022). Decentralisation and local governance in Nigeria: issues, challenges and prospects. Commonw. J. Local Gov., 5–16. https://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/cjlg/article/view/7935
Ogunode, N. J., Akinyode, F., & Ayoko, V. O. (2023). Education Policy Instability in Nigeria and Implications for Educational Development in Nigeria. Web of Synergy:International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 2(1), 1–11. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366865372_Education_Policy_Instability_in_Nigeria_and_Implications_for_Educational_Development_in_Nigeria
Okeke, C. C. (2022). Presidential hopefuls’ promises on out-of-school kids. In Daily Trust. https://dailytrust.com/presidential-hopefuls-promises-on-out-of-school-kids/. https://dailytrust.com/presidential-hopefuls-promises-on-out-of-school-kids/
Oluwagbemi, A. (2017). Malala calls for state of emergency for education in Nigeria. In Punch Newspapers. Punch Newspaper. https://punchng.com/malala-calls-for-state-of-emergency-for-education-in-nigeria/
Omotayo, T. O. (2011). Challenges of implementing universal basic education (UBE) in Nigeria, especially as it affects teachers’ preparation. Multidisciplinary Journal of Research Development, 17(1), 1–11. https://www.globalacademicgroup.com/journals/multidisciplinary/MJRD%20VOL%2017%20NO%201%202011.pdf
Reigeluth, C. M., & Joseph, R. (2010). The systemic change process in education: A conceptual framework. Contemp. Educ. Technol., 1(2). https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ced/issue/26160/275528
Rezaei, F., Khalilzadeh, M., & Soleimani, P. (2021). Factors affecting knowledge management and its effect on organizational performance: Mediating the role of human capital. Adv. Hum.-Comput. Interact., 2021, 1–16. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ahci/2021/8857572/
Sengeh, D., & Winthrop, R. (2022). Transforming education systems: Why, what, and how. policy brief. Centre for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution. 1–33. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Transforming-education-systems.pdf
Tsafe, A. K. (2013). A critical analysis of universal basic education on its implementation so far. Scientific Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 2(1), 23–34. https://www.sjournals.com/download/776/a-critical-analysis-of-universal-basic-education-on-its-implementation-so-far.pdf
Valentinov, V., & Chia, R. (2022). Stakeholder theory: A process-ontological perspective. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, 31(3), 762–776. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/beer.12439
Veit, A. (2022). Class-based communities: The postcolonial reform of school education in South Africa. In International Impacts on Social Policy: Short Histories in Global Perspective (pp. 131–144). Springer International Publishing. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-86638-9_7
Voulvoulis, N., Giakoumis, T., Hunt, C., Kioupi, V., Petrou, N., Souliotis, I., & Vaghela, C. J. G. E. C. (2022). Systems thinking as a paradigm shift for sustainability transformation. Global Environmental Change, 75, 1–7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378022000739
Winthrop, R., & The Hon. Minister David Sengeh. (2022). Transforming education systems: Why, what, and how. In Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/transforming-education-systems-why-what-and-how/.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Education, Management and Development Studies