[FULL LIST]: FG Introduces new Curriculum to Reduce Subject Overload, Boost Skills

The Federal Government has unveiled the approved subject offerings for Nigeria’s newly revised Basic and Senior Secondary Educational Curriculum.

The list announced by the Ministry of Education in a statement on Tuesday is aimed at reducing subject overload, strengthening skills acquisition, and aligning the education system with global standards.

The Minister of Education Tunji Alausa, alongside Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, said the reforms followed wide consultations with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), WAEC, NECO, NBTE, NABTEB, and other key stakeholders.

Under the revised curriculum, pupils in Primary 1–3 will now take between nine and ten subjects, including English Studies, Mathematics, one Nigerian Language, Basic Science, Physical and Health Education, Nigerian History, Social and Citizenship Studies, Cultural and Creative Arts, and either Christian Religious Studies or Islamic Studies. Arabic remains optional.

For Primary 4–6, the load increases to between 11&13 subjects, with the inclusion of Basic Digital Literacy, Pre-vocational Studies, and French as an optional subject.

At the Junior Secondary School level (JSS 1–3), students will be offered 12 to 14 subjects, with the addition of Digital Technologies, Business Studies, and a compulsory trade subject. Options for trade subjects include Solar Photovoltaic Installation, Fashion Design, Livestock Farming, Beauty and Cosmetology, Computer Hardware and GSM Repairs, and Horticulture.

The Senior Secondary School curriculum now mandates five core subjects: English Language, General Mathematics, one trade subject, Citizenship and Heritage Studies, and Digital Technologies. Students will then choose from a wide pool of electives across sciences, humanities, business, and technical disciplines, ranging from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to Government, Literature, Accounting, and Visual Arts. Trade and vocational subjects, such as Catering Craft and Horticulture, are also available.

The Federal Government had, on September 1, announced that it had completed a comprehensive review of school curriculum for basic, senior secondary, and technical education aimed to make Nigerian learners “future-ready.”