The Federal Ministry of Education has announced that the new curriculum for basic education will commence across Nigerian schools in January 2025.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, announced this at a stakeholders’ meeting on the implementation of the new curriculum in Abuja on Monday, October 14, 2024.

Mamman said the new curriculum for senior secondary education would also commence in September 2025.

He said the new curriculum would address problems of learning crises and employability.

According to him, the new skills acquisition to be introduced would have a multiplier effect by equipping students with 21st-century skills.

Mamman said: “In the last one year, we have worked with stakeholders to develop a skills framework that will inject skills right from the latter part of basic education to secondary education.

“The whole idea is that, by the time children finish, they should have a minimum of two skills so that they can have a productive life.”

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The minister stated that the meeting was conveyed to discuss the modality and as well tidy some aspects of the curriculum, while also giving a timeline for implementation, support, monitoring and evaluation.

He noted that the next three months would be used for preparatory stage, including preparing teachers’ guide in using the curriculum.

When asked about the difference between the new scheme and the 6:3:3:4 system of education that also infused skills, Mamman said the problem was the inability to implement the policy.

The minister added: “The major justification for what we have done has been the inability to implement the 6:3:3:4 system from inception

“The minimum academic standard of 1993 shows a reason for 6:3:3:4 and the Act outlined clearly the learning trajectory of schools in Nigeria.

“It was envisaged that by the time learners finished basic education, they would have acquired skills. Unfortunately, we departed from it.”

Also speaking at the event, the Director of Curriculum at the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Dr Garba Gandu, said the new curriculum would provide prerequisite skills and training for global competitiveness.

Gandu said the curriculum is competency and digital-based, adding that it also aligned with Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Methods (STEAM).

The new curriculum includes 15 newly introduced trade subjects for basic education.

The subjects are basic digital literacy such as information technology and vocational entrepreneurship skills, including building and construction, plumbing, and tiling.

Others include hospitality such as hair styling, make-up and services, including construction, GSM repairs, satellite and CCTV installation and maintenance, and garment making, among others.

The Star