The Founder and Executive Director of Slum2School Africa, Mr. Orondaam Otto, has called for a reform of Nigeria’s education system, proposing a 3-12-4 model to replace the existing 9-3-4 system. This was stated during his convocation lecture at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on January 19, 2026.
Otto emphasized that the current system fails to capture early childhood years, which are crucial for brain development, speech/language formation, values, and socialization. He advocated for an expansion of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act to accommodate an initial three years of early childhood education, followed by a three-year senior secondary education to develop skills, specialization, and real-world capability.
The proposed 3-12-4 system aims to address Nigeria’s educational challenges, including excessive emphasis on examinations and certificates, while neglecting early skills acquisition. Otto stressed that schools should become centers of dignity, models of excellence, and hubs of inspiration, rather than symbols of neglect.
In his lecture, “Maximizing Nigeria’s Demographic Dividend through Urgent Education Reform for Global Competitiveness in the 21st Century,” Otto highlighted the need for standardization and decolonization of the national curriculum. He emphasized protecting and projecting real African values, promoting Nigerian and African fairy tales, storybooks, animations, and learning materials centered on local heroes, history, and culture.
The Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, supported Otto’s proposal, stressing the need for intentional engagement in re-thinking the education sector. She noted that Nigeria’s current models are unsustainable and urged strategic investment in education to ensure national development and global competitiveness.
The convocation lecture was chaired by Professor Rahamon Bello, former Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, who commended Otto’s recommendations. The event was part of UNILAG’s 56th convocation ceremonies, which graduated 16,506 students, with 709 receiving first-class degrees.
Otto’s proposal includes creating two strategic education ministries: one for children and basic education, and another for higher education and research. He also advocated for a fully digitized, data-driven education system, where every pupil can be uniquely identified, traced, and tracked.
The Slum2School Africa founder emphasized re-engineering education around skills development from the early years, helping children identify their interests, build confidence, and understand that success has multiple paths. He noted that Nigeria’s population, projected to reach 410 million by 2050, can become an asset rather than a burden with urgent education reform.
UNILAG has taken steps to address these challenges, including expanding from 12 to 19 faculties, recruiting 350 new staff, and supporting over 61 startups. The university has also attracted over $17.3 million in research grants and established a state-of-the-art molecular laboratory for Parkinson’s disease research.
The implementation of the 3-12-4 system would require amendments to the UBE Act and collaboration among stakeholders. If adopted, it could potentially transform Nigeria’s education system and drive national development.
