Schools, experts list hurdles to new curriculum implementation

Stakeholders including school administrators, education and tech experts have raised concerns over the implementation of the newly introduced national school curriculum designed to equip students with 21st-century competencies in digital literacy, practical skills, and emerging trades. While they praised the new curriculum, they also highlighted significant hurdles that must be addressed for its smooth implementation. […]

Stakeholders including school administrators, education and tech experts have raised concerns over the implementation of the newly introduced national school curriculum designed to equip students with 21st-century competencies in digital literacy, practical skills, and emerging trades.

While they praised the new curriculum, they also highlighted significant hurdles that must be addressed for its smooth implementation. These include the federal government’s need to address infrastructural gaps by improving power supply and internet provision, which are essential for teaching tech-related subjects like robotics and data science.

The timing of the curriculum’s announcement was also criticised, as it came shortly before the start of the 2025/2026 academic session. Stakeholders noted that this did not allow for proper orientation, training, practice, and evaluation for those involved.

The reform is aimed at tackling graduate unemployment and the long-standing gap in practical, employable skills. However, stakeholders observed that the scarcity of necessary materials, qualified teachers, and infrastructure remains a major challenge, especially for teaching technology-related subjects in a country where electricity and internet access are unreliable.

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New curriculum breakdown

• Technology & Innovation: The new curriculum includes subjects like programming (Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS), data science basics, AI and robotics, digital entrepreneurship, and cybersecurity.
• Primary 1–3: Students will take 9 to 10 subjects. Core subjects include English Language, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology, Cultural and Creative Arts, Religion and National Values, and any Nigerian language.
• Primary 4–6: Students are required to take 10 to 12 subjects. Core subjects include English Language, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology, Cultural and Creative Arts, Religion and National Values, Pre-Vocational Studies, Arabic Language (optional), and any Nigerian language.
• Junior Secondary School: Students will take 12 to 14 subjects. Core subjects include English Language, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology, Cultural and Creative Arts, Religion and National Values, Pre-Vocational Studies, Business Studies, French, Arabic Language (optional), and any Nigerian language.
• Senior Secondary School: Students will take 8 to 9 subjects. Core subjects include English Language, Mathematics, Civic Education, Humanities, Trade/Entrepreneurship Studies, Science and Mathematics, Technology and Business Studies. Technical school students will take 9 to 11 subjects.

 

Abuja: A sudden rollout

In Abuja, schools welcomed the initiative but noted that the rollout was too sudden.

Dr. Mary Chinwuba, the founder of Chalcedony School Kubwa, Abuja, said the new curriculum took schools by surprise and would likely take two years to be fully implemented. “The new curriculum actually took us unawares, as it wasn’t what we prepared for. But since it’s out, we have to adjust to the new normal,” she said.

She explained that while her school already teaches some of the listed programmes like coding and robotics, they will need to adjust to the new mergers and subject removals. “It will take a bit of time to adjust to this reality,” she said. “Ideally, in very developed countries, when there is going to be a new curriculum, they give about one or two academic sessions.” She added that teachers will need to be trained and the government will need to provide new schemes of work.

Idiong Godwin, a JSS3 student at Chalcedony School, shared a more optimistic view. “I feel it’s okay. It has reduced the number of subjects and students will now be learning more and more. It will be easier for students. So, no more studying 20 subjects.”

Mr. Solomon Alimi, Director of Christ Chosen Group of Schools in Gwarinpa, described the policy as long overdue. He emphasized that the world is now driven by ICT, and the new curriculum will make graduates more employable and globally competitive. “If we keep running the analog curriculum that we have been running, over time, the gap may be too wide for the country to fill,” he said.

 

Kano: Embracing digital age

In Kano, parents and teachers also described the new curriculum as a step forward.

Ambassador Usman Inuwa Dutse, Director of Inuwa Dutse International School, said the overhaul is a welcome development that can change the fortunes of the nation’s education sector. “We are already keying into the vision of producing students with not only good grades but digital and employable skills,” he stated.

However, Malam Zangina Muhammad, a teacher at a government school in Tarauni LGA, cautioned that challenges remain. He noted that the lack of qualified teachers, proper training, and infrastructure is a major hurdle. “To achieve the set objectives, we must address some of the problems militating against education, namely qualified teachers… basic infrastructure like classrooms, workshops, laboratories, libraries, and computers among several others,” he said.

Tijjani Sarki, a good governance and public policy analyst, said Kano State must strengthen technical and digital skills among students. He proposed the formation of an Independent Standing Committee on Education Accountability and Quality Assurance to ensure that reforms are not only implemented but sustained.

 

Benue: Waiting for directives and materials

Similar concerns were echoed in Benue State. Our correspondent who visited schools in Makurdi metropolis reports that school owners, principals, teachers, students, and parents are preparing to embrace the new policy.

Agatha Yanaga, proprietor of Goodly Seed Christian Academy, Makurdi, said her school is willing to adopt the policy but noted that necessary materials are not yet available. “We already teach computer studies, and now they are talking about digital skills, but we haven’t seen materials or textbooks to that effect,” she said.

Jerry Akya, the principal of Community Secondary School, Apir, Makurdi LGA, said the policy would be implemented once directives are received from the Federal Ministry of Education. He believes the new curriculum will be more beneficial to students by teaching them practical skills and reducing their overdependence on government jobs.

A student, Shidoo Edmond, said she was aware of the new policy and excited about the prospect of learning practical skills. “I will be so happy to learn practical skills. We mostly used to do only theory,” she said.

 

Infrastructural challenges: Power and internet

Hon. Nic Uzor, Director of Divine Gems School, commended the new curriculum as a step in the right direction but questioned how tech-related subjects like robotics and data science can be taught without proper infrastructure.

“You can’t teach robotics and coding without gadgets, and the gadgets cannot work effectively without electricity,” he said. “A lot needs to be put in place for the new curriculum to work effectively in the remote parts of the country, where electric poles have not even crossed, let alone electricity being experienced.”

Abiodun Adu, a parent and tech expert, stressed the importance of digital literacy but noted that the country is playing catch-up. He also emphasized the need for a stable power supply, describing the current power generation of 6,000MW as a “far cry” from the required capacity of 50,000MW for a nation of Nigeria’s size.

 

The problem with poor timing

Education expert Michael Omisore criticized the timing of the curriculum’s announcement, which was made just before the new academic session.

“The timing of releasing the information about the curriculum is odd in my opinion. It was so close to a new academic session. Does the government mean the new curriculum should start running immediately as this new session begins? That, to me, is a joke,” he said.

He noted that significant preparation, including orientation, training, practice, and evaluation, needs to happen first. Omisore argued that the government’s “top-bottom” approach is not effective and that stakeholders at the grassroots level need to be informed and equipped.

Timeline of curriculum introduction in Nigeria

• 1842: Christian missionaries introduced the first form of Western education, with a religious-based curriculum.
• 1882: The colonial government introduced the first structured curriculum through the Education Ordinance.
• 1916–1940s: The focus shifted to vocational and practical training to produce skilled workers.
• 1969: The first National Curriculum Conference laid the foundation for a more relevant and practical education system.
• 1976: The Universal Primary Education (UPE) scheme reformed the primary school curriculum.
• 1982: The 6-3-3-4 system of education was officially introduced.
• 1999: The Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme was launched, leading to the 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC).
• 2008: The senior secondary level curriculum underwent significant revision, with 42 subjects organized into five broad fields.

 

By Jide Olusola (Abuja), Hope Abah (Benue), Ahmad Datti (Kano), Dotun Omisakin (Lagos)