The Federal Government recently announced that it had revised already-existing curricula across the full spectrum of Basic, Senior Secondary and Technical Education in Nigeria; this was announced on Wednesday in Abuja, by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad on behalf of the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON.
Professor Ahmad, after identifying various stakeholders involved in the review process; such as the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC); the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC); National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC); National Board for Technical Education (NBTE); and relevant departments of the Ministry of Education; noted that this review was not just a reduction of subjects, it improved the breadth of scope of content, so pupils can achieve deep learning and understand, and be prepared with the skills required to transition into a rapidly changing world today.
With respect to the new curriculum, explicit subject ranges across school levels were outlined; pupils in Primary 1 to 3 will take 9 to 10 subjects; pupils in Primary 4 to 6 will take 10 to 12 subjects; Junior Secondary students will take 12 to 14 subjects; Senior Secondary students will take 8 to 9 subjects; Technical School students will take 9 to 11 subjects respectively. The restructuring of subject content provides here a reduction in content overload, expunges concentrated learning periods, and permits effective learning times for some students at each stage.
The Federal Government also broadened the curricula across subjects to accommodate vocational and technical based subjects, to include digital literacy, plumbing, agriculture, solar installation, outfit making, and event management and this new curriculum aims to promote practical abilities pupils need for the 21st century, and to lay the foundation to higher study, means of self-sustainability, and Labour market opportunities, according to Professor Ahmad. She reiterated the vision of the government to develop a future disposition to education where pupils were being supervised in schools to remain in society with both intellectual and practical/technical agendas.
This review represents the largest review since 2011 and remains a strategic box ticked towards the policy goal of ensuring Nigeria’s Education System matches global best practice. The Ministry of Education expressed their appreciation to all the stakeholders for their memberships and collaborative effort in the review process, claiming mutually a significant achievement in the area. Professor Ahmad also assured participants the revised curricula is being implemented with guardianship properties of stringent monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure effective embracement and seamless transitioning across all sectors of schools for the nation.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to quality education towards the national objective of productive empowered Response to Learner issues around the contemporary challenges they face; the intention to be adaptable to a technology-driven ecology; and the hope that these skills will make for a new generation of men and women who will meaningfully contribute to National Development.
It called upon parents, teachers and educational stakeholders to support the full, exhaustive, and efficient application of the revised curricula, noted collective ownership as paramount; harboured expectations it would develop toward a fulsome future ready education system for Nigeria.