The significance of education in the growth and development of a country makes different country of the world to operate one system of education or the other.  Because some system of education may be more effectives, it became imperative for nations (Nigeria inclusive) to strive toward adopting various means of strengthening their educational policies which ought to include a general improvement on quality of education to merge with other elements in the national development through a deliberate process of transmitting the national values, and experiences from one generation to another. Therefore, the transition of Nigerian system of education from U.P.E to U.B.E has brought various changes which lead the researcher seek to compare performance of the beneficiaries in the tertiary institution Umar Suleiman collage of education Gashua [1-4].   

Efforts geared towards sending every child to school by Nigerian government has observed, one of such giant attempt was the introduction and implementation of Universal Primary Education (UPE), by Obasanjo administration, which was a free-of-charge basic education scheme launched in September 1976. The scheme, which was welcomed in many part of Nigeria, aimed at, among others, upgrading the quality of education for development, improving resource allocations, increasing enrolment, strengthen public institutions responsible for primary education and stimulating future planning for the next phase of the program [5] It also aimed at ensuring that all children, from the age of six, attend primary school. Unfortunately, the scheme and other effort by the government in providing primary education did not yield significant results, because the quality of education drastically is dropping more especially in the application of knowledge in to real life situation among U.B.E student’s beneficiaries than that of U.P.E student’s beneficiaries in the tertiary institution of learning [6].

As stated in the UBE document (2000), a lot of attention given to the scheme in order to improve upon the standard of education, and build a solid foundation for development of further education and other sectors in the country. Despite this assertion, demographic studies on the existing national situation in the final year exams (WAEC) sector revealed that, U.B.E students result is better than that of U.P.E students result, because since from the introducing the U.B.E scheme passing WAEC/NECO is increasing each and every year. For example, 68% of the students who has sat for West African Examination Council 2017 were passing Mathematics and English with other five or six credit [7,8] than that of U.P.E result. Moreover, their performance in tertiary institution did not yield significant than that of U.P.E, that is why various universities of the country introduces POST-U.M. E before got admission in to the systems.

Despite all the effort given by the federal government to its citizens for quality education, the researcher wants to identify factors for responsible after comparing the student performance, as well as assessing factors responsible for change the system of education [9-12].

Statement of the Problems

Federal ministries of education, have being call for curriculum conference and policies review of Nigerian system of education in order to achieve national philosophy of education. The introduction of Universal basic education brings about changing in academic performance of the students in the tertiary institutions of learning. These changing ranging from passing their West African examination council and national examination council during final year examination, but yet, the more when they got admission in to tertiary institution their performance is minimal compare to that of Universal primary education more especial in times of application in real life situations as well as presentation and passing semester examination [13].

Despite all the effort given by the scheme of universal basic education in order the citizens be able to read and write, but yet the performance of the students who pass through the system drastically dropping in the tertiary institution of learning. For example, report from newspaper shows that 68% of the students who’s sat for WAEC this year (2020) pass Mathematics and English with five to six papers but, those that sat for JAM they fail woefully [14-16]. 

Moreover, record from tertiary institutions, governmental organization, privet organization as well as community’s organization shows that, the current system of education did not give quality education compare to that of previous one (U.P.E). Because majority of the failures and withdrawals students in the tertiary institutions are those that have pass through U.B.E scheme, so also, therefore the more when you ask one of those students, which school did you attend he/she may say government school (U.B.E) [17]. 

Various report, bulletins, research as well as newspaper have been publish on U.P.E as well as U.B.E, no researcher attempt to seek to pinpoint the impact on the performance of the students whose benefit from two scheme U.P.E and U.B.E. Also is it above reason necessitated the researcher raise objectives such like comparative assessment of U.P.E and U.B.E educational system in relation to the student`s performance of Umar Suleiman college of education Gashua [18-20].  
 

Objectives of the Study

 The purpose of this study is to compare between universal primary education system and that of universal basic education system, which set of students perform better in the higher institutions of learning.

Research Question

Do the U.P.E graduates of universal primary education do better than that of U.B.E graduates in higher institution of learning?
 

The measurement of the comparative assessment between universal primary education and universal basic education was carry out with 40 respondents, in Umar Suleiman Collage of Education Gashua. For this study, the unit of analysis is students’ performance, who undergo through UPE and UBE system of education. Participants were chosen because the sample is believed to be a representative of the faculties/schools who have good working experience in teaching and learning process in the study area [21,22]. The study used survey design in which questionnaire was used to collect the data. The socioeconomic, demographic variables Data were collected, questionnaire were developed base on literature review of the measurement of comparative assessment between UPE and UBE performance. The questionnaire contained structured close-ended questions and participants answer the questions base on the scale that best answered the situation. The data was analysed using chi-square method of test [23-25].

From the Table 1 at α = 0.05 with 16 degree of freedom, therefore the critical value is 26.30 while the calculated value is 23.21. This shows that the statement is accepted, i.e. the students who pass through Universal Primary Educational system do better than that of who pass through Universal Basic Educational system, because the calculated value is (23.21) less than the critical value (26.30), means that there is significance deference between the Universal Primary Education and that of current one the Universal Basic Education. So also, best on the result showed that the students who pass through Universal Primary Education Perform better in the high institutions of learning than that of Universal Basic Education. This may be as a result of mismanagement and poor implementation of the policies.

Table 1: Chi-Square Test Table Showing Observed and Expected Frequencies for Responses across Five Questionnaire Items

In conclusion, based on the result shows that, the philosophy of Nigerian system of education did not achieved, despite the fact that, all the curriculum conferences and curriculum review by the expertise and professional in the educational system of Nigeria. Therefore, the transition of the Nigerian system of education from universal primary education to universal basic education did not change the system positively but rather than negatively because of the above result showed. And so also, the transition between the two systems, there is no significance different, only the differences/changes are in the classes i.e. from 6-3-3-4 to 9-3-4 system, the curriculum is remaining the same, methods of teaching are also the same, teacher motivation is negatively, workshops are selected best on godfathers. Moreover, during the time of UPE system the learning environment was very conducive, facilities of teaching and learning process ware available, teacher’s remuneration excellent, but at the present system UBE teachers are hungry, no more concentration, no more commitment, thinking of survival instated of input in to academics, children frustration, classroom condition poor, etc.

Recommendations

The following are the recommendation suggested by the researcher:

• Government should ensure that every UBE teacher should be well trained e.g. government should provide technical training for the teachers in order to be updated on current and or new development/methods or changes in the curriculum

• UBE staffs (teachers) should be motivated and well checked (supervisions) on regular basis in order to checked mate activities of every schools

Universal Basic Education commission should ensure overall posting of staff of UBE for workshops in order to reduce corruption from the ministry (hardworking staff should be given chance to go for workshop). On the student site, government should embank quiz/competition this will enhance and enable the children/pupils work very hard so as to win and it will enhance their knowledge.

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