Abstract

This work is an overview of the new Educational Curriculum in Nigeria. The old Curriculum was reviewed as a result of the demand of International best practices in education, evolving multinational agreements in education, new National polices, changing social order, aging of the curriculum and the globally acceptable standards in education especially as it concerned child’s right to free education and poverty eradication. Specifically, the curriculum takes into consideration the needs of the Nigerian society in line with the Millennium Development goals, the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy and the vision 20-20-20. In addition, the old curriculum had some gaps which became magnified by the paradigm shift in science, technological and other emerging issues which inevitably thwarted its efficacy. The work therefore reviewed the structure of the Curriculum taking into consideration its strength and weakness. Certain problems were found to prevent the implementation of the Curriculum especially the non- availability of the Curriculum with Teachers. It was recommended that stakeholders should work towards proper implementation of the Curriculum.

 Introduction

The educational system in Nigeria among other things is made of three inter-related components namely the curriculum, polices and resources. There have been various changes in all aspects of the Nigerian educational system but the most prominent is the new curriculum. There were changes in policy in 1977 and that of 1981 which brought in the 6334 system. The Universal basic education came into existence in 29^th September 1999 and was launched in Soot. The first batch of pupils was enrolled nationwide in the 2000/2001 session. Incidentally, the Universal basic education and the Millennium Development goals brought about massive infrastructural changes in various schools. There was an urgent need for the review of the curriculum but this was not possible as there were various changes in the polices. It was relieve when the curriculum was eventually reviewed in 2008. The Universal basic education curriculum came out first. It was interesting that the Universal basic education curriculum had to be reviewed four years after due to curricular overload and absence of basic material to implement the curriculum in the form in which it was.

Maccia (1962) defined the curriculum as presented instructional content. On the other hand, Beauchamp (1961) saw the curriculum as a design of a school or social group for the educational experiences of children in school. Kerr (1968) saw the curriculum as all the learning which is planned and guided by the school whether it is carried out in group or individually, inside or outside the school. Tanner & Tanner (1975:vii) define the curriculum as ‘planned and guided learning experiences and intended learning outcome, formulated through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experiences under the auspices of the school ,for the learner’s continuous and wilful growth in personal-social competence’ Incidentally, curriculum is formed from the Greek word curie which means the ‘race track’ by implication the curriculum is the school’s route to changing the behaviour of the learners. The curriculum is therefore the management of the learning objectives, the methods, materials assessment, feedback and all the activities involved in the transformation of the learner into a useful member of the society. Geography especially of the British Empire. The 1984 curriculum now reviewed was to emphasis the 6,3,3,4, system of education which was derived from the National Policy on Education which was based on the following philosophical statement

·         A free and democratic society

·         A just and egalitarians society

·         A united strong and self-reliant nation

·         A great and dynamic economy

·         A land of bright and full opportunity for all citizen

It was then designed to emphasis technological and vocational development in line with the requirement of the 6 3 3 4 system of education.

The revision commenced in 2003. It was however elongated because of the enactment into law of the Universal Basic Education commission. As that was not enough, the Nation Adopted the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) in line with the global reforms in the likes of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the goals of Education for All (EFA) which the country was a signatory. This influenced the revision to be focused on higher academic standards, civic, ethical and moral responsibilities, entrepreneurship, the overall goals of basic education, and the critical demand of NEEDS as well as the MDGs. The curriculum planners on their own observed that those leaving schools were ill-prepared to face the challenges of the world of work as they lacked basic life- long skills, functional literacy and numeracy (Federal Ministry of Education, 2008). The multifaceted challenges in the nation were complicated. This was because, there was serious case of unemployment even when the nation was in dire need of a critical mass of manpower to kick start an industrial revolution in a land that is blessed with abundant natural and human resources. The critical mass of school leavers where only job seekers and not job creators. The result was that the private sector was weak and too subsistent to keep pace with the demand of international competitiveness. This was compounded by the fact that the international community could not have the faith to invest in the country. The lack of major intermediaries to attract and provide surety to such investors were lacking even when feasibility studies showed that the land was good for investment and the people needed little capacity building to perform well. In view of the fore going, they went along to introduce the 9-year UBE. There was also the need to realign the primary and JSS curriculum contents into a content that will fit into the new programme. There was also the need to discard obsolete contents that did not meet the challenges of the 21^st century in an ICT-driven globally competitive world. In other words, the JSS leavers should have acquired functional skills to overcome poverty, create their own jobs and wealth and demonstrate positive values in consonance with the ideals of NEEDS. In summary there was the need to revise and upgrade the curriculum in a customized manner towards providing for the needs of the country while at the same time keeping touch with contemporary issues and global best practices (Federal Republic of Education, 2008).

Philosophy and purpose of New Curriculum

The new curriculum is divided into 2 the – The Basic Education curriculum and the Senior Secondary School Curriculum

The Basic Education curriculum

 From the NERDC (Federal Republic of Education, 2008:1) the philosophy of the new BEC can be summarized as follows: Every learner who has gone through 9 years of basic education should have acquired appropriate levels of literacy, manipulative, communicative and lifelong skills; as well as the ethical, moral and civic values needed for laying a solid foundation for lifelong learning; as a basic for scientific and reflective thinking. (NERDC. 2008). The new curriculum, among others, targeted the critical elements of the NEEDS namely:

·         Value re-orientation

·         Poverty eradication

·         Job creation

·         Wealth generation and

·         Using education to empower the citizenry

 The basic education was aimed at that any student who has passed through the 9–hear basic education should have:

Ø  Basic numeracy, literacy and life- long skills

Ø  Basic skills in science, technology, mathematics and ICT

Ø  Basic rudiment for creative thinking

Ø  High moral and ethical values as well establish fully a positive disposition towards peace, justice, equity anti-corruptive tendencies and good governance

Ø  The spirit and yearning for entrepreneurship The new curriculum among others will provide these:

§  Acquisition of scientific and technological skills,

§  inculcation of value re- orientation , civic and moral responsibilities as well as family living skills

§  acquisition of skills for poverty eradication

§  Laying of foundation for acquisition and applications of ICT skills.

 Structure of the New Basic Education Curriculum

The structure of the new 9-years BEC is presented in Table 1. The following are the basic features of the new curriculum:

The curriculum structure has three levels as follows:

·         Lower BEC for Primaries 1-3

·         Middle BEC for Primaries 4-6

·         Upper BEC for Junior secondary 1-3

The subjects are grouped into core compulsory and elective subjects. Subjects and contents flow systematically from Primary 1 through Primary 6 to junior secondary 3. (See Table 1).The new curriculum has taken care of the shortfalls of the former system by introducing additional subjects in line with the vision of National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) and for value reorientation, poverty eradication, job creation and wealth generation.

The basic education curriculum addresses gaps in the old curriculum. New subjects such as computer/ICT, French and Civic Education are introduced. Obsolete subjects are removed. Core subjects such as Basic Science and Basic Technology redefined. The curriculum contents are thematic. The curriculum covers a period of 9 years of continuous schooling (i.e. 6 years primary and 3 years of JSS). These were done to make the country’s educational system functional to enable it square up to the rapidly changing world particularly in the attainment of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For instance, the primary science and integrated science is now known as Basic Science and Technology, which cater adequately for the higher studies by providing a solid foundation on which to build upon and to inculcate in the child skills to face the challenges and possible hazards of the future. In each of the three levels, there were about twelve compulsory core subjects with one elective subject. English Studies, Mathematics, Social Studies, Civic Education, Computer Studies, Health and Physical Education, Religious Studies as well as French are among the compulsory subjects.

 Table 1

Structure of the New BEC

 The educational system remains 6-3-3-4: six years of primary education, three years of Junior secondary, three years of Senior secondary education, and four years of tertiary education. The 6- 3-3-4 now has the basic education sub-set, comprising the first nine years of the education cycle (Primary and Junior Secondary), adult literacy and non- formal education for out-of- school youths. In 2012 government has added the schools for Alajimaris to this set. Basic education is free and compulsory and the Senior Secondary school with the grammar, technical, vocational teachers training and the non-formal education. A child is to complete primary school normally and to proceed to the Junior Secondary School. The curriculum has made sure that there is no break in schooling as one moves from primary to the secondary school. What is learnt in Primary six is connected systematically to the JSS 1 curriculum contents. The curriculum addresses Strategic positive national values including ethics, moral and critical thinking, strategic communication skills entrepreneurship skills and functional literacy and numeracy. A further review of the New curriculum reduced the total subject offered to 10. In the Presidential Summit held on the state of education in Nigeria on October 2010, delegates observed curricula overload in terms of subject offerings at the primary and JSS levels. From September 2008 when the implementation of BEC began in primary and junior secondary schools nationwide, learners have been contending with 20 subjects in the curriculum. For instance, pupils in primary 1 – 3 are expected to offer ten compulsory subjects, including English studies, mathematics, one Nigerian language, basic science and technology, physical and health education, religious studies (Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Studies), social studies, civic education, cultural and creative arts and computer studies/ ICT. In addition, they are expected to offer at least one optional subject from three options of agriculture, home economics and Arabic Language. Therefore the summit called for the compression of the curricula offerings at all levels of basic education. It was also recommended at the summit that the subjects should be reduced to between six and 13, in line with international best practices.

 A High Level Policy Committee meeting and the National Stakeholders Forum form the review committee. The pupils/students are to offer only seven subjects now. This was found to be in line with international best practices as Kenya has seven subjects; Tanzania, eight subjects; United States, six subjects; Malaysia and Indonesia, nine subjects each. The streamlining of the BEC curricula does not reduce the contents. The merging was done as follows

 Table 2

 Reviewed Structure of the New BEC

 Hence, Basic Science and Technology contain themes as Basic Science and Technology, Computer Studies/ICT and physical and health education. Additionally Religions and Values education contain themes as religious studies, civic education, social studies and Security Education is added as one of the themes. Under Pre-vocational studies are the following themes: Agriculture, home economics and entrepreneurship have also been compressed as themes Studies.

 The subjects offered pupils in primary 4 – 6 are the same with the ones in primary 1 – 3. The only difference is that from primary 4, French Language becomes compulsory. French is Nigeria’s second official language and knowledge of the language will make the children globally competitive.

 The subjects offered in JSS 1 – 3 are the same but Business Studies now becomes compulsory. This is in the form of entrepreneurship education. Business Studies is therefore a necessity for every child in order to have idea of business enterprise.

 In teaching the pupils these subjects, the forum agreed that emphasis should be on the understanding of basic concepts and their explanations while teaching and learning must be creative, innovative and practical.

 The Senior Secondary School Curriculum

 The reasons which were responsible for the review of the Basic Education curriculum also affected the Senior Secondary School Curriculum. For one there was need to prepare a curriculum which could cater for the new Federal government reforms in education and to re-align the curriculum to fit into the reforms. The National Council on Education (NCE) at its meeting in Ibadan in December 2005 directed the NERDC to review the curriculum. The NCE also approved a new Senior Secondary School Curriculum structure namely Science and Mathematics, Humanities, Business, and Technology. A high Level Policy Committee on Curriculum Development (HLPC) made up of Critic stakeholders and the NERDC was setup to handle this task. They apply caution to ensure the continuity and flow of themes, topics experience from the Basic Education through the Senor Secondary one to the Senior Secondary three. Emerging issues like value orientation, peace, and dialogue, human right education, family life/HIV and AIDS education, entrepreneurial skills and others were infused into the relevant section of the curriculum. The Curriculums used thematic approach and the content organization was of the spiral approach. The curriculum is student activity centered and attempts are made to enhance creativity while developing the relevant skills. Of course, the assessment protocol which takes into consideration the three domains cognitive, affective and psychomotor was recommended.The new Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC) comprises:

·        A group of 4 compulsory core cross – cutting subjects that must be Offered by all students

·         Four fields of studies

·         A group of 35 trade/entrepreneurship subjects

·         Elective subjects.

The 4 compulsory core-cross cutting subjects are:

·         English Language

·         General Mathematics

·         Civic Education

·         Trade/entrepreneurship subject

**Computer was initially among the compulsory core-cross cutting subjects but was removed as a result of logistics especially as it concerned the resources to instruct it in the rural settings

Field of study subjects are those subjects representing a student’s potential area of specialization. They are:

·        Senior Secondary Science & Mathematics

·        Senior Secondary Technology

·        Senior Secondary Humanities

·        Senior Secondary Business Studies

·        Senior Secondary Science & Mathematics

1       Biology

2       Chemistry

3       Physics

4       Further Mathematics

5       Agriculture

6       Physical Education

7       Health Education

8       Computer studies/let

 ·        Senior Secondary Technology

1        Technical Drawing

2        General Metal Work

3        Basic Electricity

4        Electronics

5        Auto–Mechanics

6        Building Construction

7        Wood–work

8        Home Management

9        Foods & Nutrition 10 Clothing & Textiles.

·        Senior Secondary Humanities

1.         Nigerian Languages

2.         Literature–in English

3.         Geography

4.         Government

5.         Christian Religious Studies

6.         Islamic Studies

7.         History

8.         Visual Arts

9.         Music

10.     French

11.     Arabic

12.     Economics

·        Senior Secondary Business Studies

1       Accounting

2       Store Management

3       Office Practice

4       Insurance

5       Commerce

The entrepreneurial subjects are shown on the table below Table 3

The entrepreneurial subjects

·         The new curriculum is more enriched with emerging issues and new concepts.

·         The old curriculum is outdated generally, having not been reviewed in the last two decades

·         Every student is to offer?

·         A minimum of 8 subjects

·         A maximum of 9 subjects.

·         All students are to offer all 4 core compulsory cross cutting subjects

·         Student are to choose 3 – 4 Subjects from their Field of Specialization (Humanities, Science, Technology, Business Studies)

·         Students are to choose their compulsory Trade/Entrepreneurship from the list of available 35 Trades

·         Students may choose 1 elective subject outside their field of Specialization provided that the Total Number of Examinable subjects are not more than nine (9) for instance:

·         4 Cross cutting (including 1 Trade (Entrepreneurship)

·         3 to 4 Subject from field of Specialization 1 Elective Subject

 These subjects are to be selected?

The strength

From the National Action plan for the implementation of the Universal basic Education the UBE programme is the Nigeria’s response to the challenges of fighting poverty and entrenching participatory democracy through education. It is Nigeria commitment to the following international agreements.

·                     the Jomtien Declaration (1990) that of the right of all people to education and knowledge

·                     The Delhi Declaration (1993) for reduction of illiteracy.

·                     the Durban Statement of Commitment (1998) for lifelong learning

·                     The OAU Decade of Education in Africa (1997-2006) for African states access to qualitative basic education as a basis for sustainable socio-economic development.The 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 1 and 3 makes provision for free and compulsory basic education. This was followed by UBE Act passed into law on 26^th May 2004

This was also in line with the requirement of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS).NEEDS recognize education as a vital transformation tool and a formidable instrument for empowerment which will culminate into wealth creation, employment generation and poverty reduction and value re-orientation. The curriculum is also in line with the requirement of the national policy on education. The curriculum generally reflects depth, appropriateness and interrelatedness of the curriculums and contents.

In addition expos have been invited for inputs in the curriculum and they have recommended the use of the curriculum

 Challenges:

·         Inadequate funding of the education sector with the attendant consequences.

·         Continuous drop in budgetary allocation to Education

·         Unreliable and politicized data due to fear of marginalization

§  Inconsistent policies and programme by successful governments

§  Socio cultural factors e.g. boy child syndrome and ignorance by parents due to poverty

§  Non Availability of the Curriculum in the schools and with the teachers

Problem of Continuation of policy especially that the present government is strategizing for transformation as against NEEDS which was used to structure the curriculum

§  Absence of Expert in the subject areas various new subject have been n introduced these needs experts to articulate them into a single subject structure

§  The Problem Of Overcrowded Programme will make covering the curriculum tortuous

The Previous Knowledge needed for the teaching of each topic could be lacking especially if the previous teacher was unable to cover the curriculum

§  Lacking of teaching learning resources will make the implementation of the curriculum impossible

§  The concept of free and compulsory Education is still elusive as the fund to make education what it should be is just not available

§  Policy Gap now exist between the nation and the curriculum this is because the nation is very far from meting the critical demand of the Millenniums development goals. The curriculum is just isolated as the content of the curriculum is not reflected in the society.

Monitoring and evaluation of the Curriculum

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) is a key parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Education which has the statutory responsibility of improving and sustaining the quality of education through implementation of its programs and projects in Educational Research; Curriculum Development and Renewal; Book and Language Development; Library and Informatics, and Extension Services. The Council on behalf of Federal Government of Nigeria also undertakes implementation of special development programs in partnership with other agencies and International Development Partners. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to effectively monitor the implementation of the curriculum established six zonal offices and . These were Calabar for South-South, Lagos for South-West, Abakaliki for South-East, Damaturu for North-East, Kano for North-West, Minna for North-Central. The functions of the zonal offices

The Federal ministry of Education together with the Sate ministries of Education is also monitoring the implementation of this curriculum. Above all the national Council on education is also monitoring the implementation of the curriculum

Conclusion

The curriculum was the sincere request of the stakeholders in the education sector. The relevant agencies have assiduously taken time to prepare a new curriculum for the Nigerian Education system. The curriculum has taken into considerations the yearning of the present generation of Nigerian and indeed the future generation. It should also been observed that the curriculum is in line with various international protocols and has been infused global best practices in education. The New Curriculum needs to be implemented with passion commitment and dedication for it to serve the purpose it was designed. It has to be properly implemented and machinery for continuous review put it place.

Recommendations

Ø  The government and stakeholders in education should make sure that the Curriculum is properly implemented.

Ø  An enabling environment should be created for the implementation of the Curriculum in terms of resourcefulness, and competence of staff. Capacity building and motivation should be the guiding principle.

Ø  The UBE on its own should be properly implemented by the relevant agencies and adequate fund allotted to it.

Ø  More teachers should be employed and trained to adequately instruct the Curriculum.

Ø  The classroom should be in compliance with the digital age.

Ø  Enabling environment and structures should be put in place to attract the active participation of the international communities, multinationals, private sector, civil society organizations, communities, and development partners in The Universal Basic education curriculum development.

Ø  The infrastructure in schools should be provided or rehabilitated or renovated or updated

Ø  All stakeholders should make sure that all the institutions, agencies and the relevant bodies have adjusted to the demand of the new curriculum