New Curriculum

Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council Sheda
ABOUT THE REVISED THE 9-YEAR BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM (BEC)
Background and Focus of the 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum
The 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) was developed in response to Nigeria’s need for relevant, dynamic and globally competitive education that would ensure socio-economic and national development. Specifically, BEC was developed to ensure that learners at the basic Education level receive well rounded education capable to compete favourably anywhere in the world in terms of knowledge, skills, techniques and values and aptitude. Thus BEC addresses amongst other things, the issues of value re-orientation, poverty eradication, critical thinking, entrepreneurship and life skills.
BEC was produced and distributed to all public Primary and Junior Secondary Schools nationwide in 2007. Its implementation commenced nationwide, in Primary 1 and JSS 1 classes in September 2008 respectively. The first batch of JSS students graduated in June 2011. It is expected that by September 2014, the cohort of pupils that benefitted from the use of BEC at the primary school level will be entering class one of the Junior Secondary School.
Reason for the Review
The curriculum is the main vehicle for transmitting the cultural heritage (needs aspirations, knowledge and values) of the past and present members of society. Since the societal needs and aspirations are continually changing, the curriculum content should, of necessity be dynamic, reflecting at every point in time the contemporary and anticipated societal values, needs, challenges and aspirations. Consequently, schools curricula need to be constantly reviewed to keep pace with global trends and developmental changes in the society.
Recent feedback on the implementation of BEC suggests curriculum overload in terms of subject offerings at the Basic Education level. Presently, BEC comprises of 20 subjects’ listings, learners are expected to offer as many as 12 subjects in primary schools and 15 in the JSS. Delegates at the Presidential Summit on Education held in October 2010 particularly recommended a reduction in the number of subjects offered at the Basic Education level to between 6 and 13 subjects. Consequently, NERDC was mandated to revise the 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) in line with the recommendations of the summit.
The Curriculum Review Process
Curriculum revision process at NERDC is a team work that involves consultations with stakeholders (curriculum experts, subject matter specialists, teachers, policy makers, employers of labour, parents, etc.) in education at various levels. Consultations in respect of the review of BEC started in earnest in December 2011 at a Concept Formulation Workshop, when curriculum experts, subject matter specialists, teachers, policy makers, employers of labour, parents, etc. converged to propose a Conceptual Framework for reducing the number of subjects offered at the Basic Education level. The Conceptual Framework was also presented at a National Stakeholders Forum for further input by end users and the civil society at the State and Local government levels.
At the level of policy making, NERDC constituted a High Level Policy Committee (HLPC) for the Review of the UBE curriculum. The Committee comprised of Stakeholders in the Nigerian education sector drawn from the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the National Teachers Institute (NTI), the National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), amongst others. The Committee met from time to time to make input into policy related aspects of the curriculum review process as well as facilitate the efficient implementation of the project. Other stages in the curriculum development process; prior to the printing and dissemination of the curricula were: (i) Planning; (ii) Writing; (iii) Critique; (iv) Editorial; and (v) Presentation to the Joint Consultative Committee on Education (JCCE) and the National Council on Education (NCE) for scrutiny and approval. The revised curriculum was approved for use in Nigerian schools by the National Council on Education (NCE) at its 59th meeting held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja from 24th -28th June, 2013. The systematic implementation of the revised curriculum will commence in primary 1 and JSS 1 by September 2014, as approved by NCE. This will not only allow the gradual phasing out of the earlier edition of BEC in subsequent years. It will also ensure proper planning, text book review and development and provision of adequate resources for the effective implementation of the revised curriculum. The revision of the BEC was done through the support of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSSAP) on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The revised curriculum has been printed and distributed to all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Conceptual Framework for the Review
Unlike the present structure of the 9-Year BEC, which comprises of 20 subjects’ listings, the Conceptual Framework adopted by stakeholders for the review of basic education curriculum comprises of a ten (10) subjects. The Framework identifies and groups related disciplines, thereby achieving a reduction in subject listings. For example, related UBE subjects curricula like Home Economics, Agriculture are brought together to create a new UBE subject curriculum to be called Pre-Vocational Studies. Similarly, Islamic Studies, Christian Religious Studies, Social Studies, Civic Education, and Security Education that focus primarily on the inculcation of values (societal, moral, interpersonal) now form a new UBE subject called Religion and National Values. Key concepts in the former curricula formed integrating threads for organizing the contents of the new subject into a coherent whole.
STRUCTURE OF THE REVISED 9-YEAR BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM (BEC)
BASIC EDUCATION LEVEL SUBJECTS EXPLANATORY NOTES
Primary
1-3
1. English Studies • Official National Language
• Medium of Instruction in schools
• The subject predisposes itself for the infusion of all the following stand-alone curricula Road Safety, Disaster Risk Reduction Education Curriculum, Consumer Education Curriculum.
• Should include Literature - in - English
2. Mathematics • Fundamental discipline for science and technological development
• Important for everyday life
3. Nigerian Languages (One Nigerian Language) • National Policy on Education (NPE) stipulates that the medium of instruction should be the language of the immediate environment of the child.
• Schools are free to select such Nigerian Language to be taught.
4. Basic Science and Technology (BST)
Basic Science
Basic Technology
Physical & Health Education
Information Technology (IT) • Each of the listed components will serve as theme for the Basic Science and Technology curriculum
• Climate change should be part of Basic Science Theme
• Disaster Risk Reduction Education and Consumer Education are to be infused into Basic Science and Technology Curriculum
• Create enabling environment for the subject in all schools by making computers available in schools
5. Religion and National Values (RNV)
Christian Religious Studies / Islamic Studies
Social Studies
Civic Education
Security Education • Listed components will serve as themes in the Religion and National Values Curriculum
• Content should be planned for all children to take Social Studies, Civic Education and Security Education themes
• Separate classes should be run for CRS theme and IS theme
• Disaster Risk Reduction Education and Peace and Conflict Resolution curricula are to be infused into the Civic Education, Social Studies and Security Education Themes.
• Create enabling environment for the subject in all schools
6. Cultural & Creative Arts (CCA) • Important for preservation of our cultural Heritage and Creativity.
7. Arabic Language • Optional
NOTE:
• Minimum of 6 subjects; Maximum of 7 subjects
• Emphasis should be on basic concepts and their explanations
• Teaching and learning activities must be creative, innovative, and practical.
• Avoid content repetitions across themes and subjects
• Admit only basic contents from the old curriculum
BASIC EDUCATION LEVEL SUBJECTS EXPLANATORY NOTES
Primary 4-6
1. English Studies • Official National Language
• Medium of Instruction in school
• The subject predisposes itself for the infusion of all the following stand alone curricula Road Safety, Disaster Risk Reduction Education, Consumer Education.
• Should include Literature - in - English
2. Mathematics • Fundamental discipline for science and technological development
• Important for everyday life
3. Nigerian Languages (One Nigerian Language) • Schools are free to select such Nigerian Language to be taught.
4. Basic Science and Technology (BST)
Basic Science
Basic Technology
Physical & Health Education
Information Technology (IT) • Each of the listed component will serve as theme for the Basic Science and Technology curriculum
• Climate change should be part of Basic Science Theme
• Disaster Risk Reduction Education and Consumer Education are to be infused into Basic Science and Technology Curriculum
• Create enabling environment for the subject in all schools by making computers available in schools
5. Pre-Vocational Studies (PVS)
Home Economics
Agriculture
Entrepreneurship • Each of the listed component will serve as theme for the Pre-Vocational Studies
• Consumer Education to be infused into Pre-Vocational Studies
• Create enabling environment for the teaching of pre-vocational studies in schools
6. Religion and National Values (RNV)
Christian Religious Studies / Islamic Studies
Social Studies
Civic Education
Security Education • Listed components will serve as themes in the Religion and National Values Curriculum.
• Content should be planned for all children to take Social Studies, Civic Education and Security Education themes
• Separate classes should be run for CRS theme and IS theme
• Disaster Risk Reduction Education and Peace and Conflict Resolution curricula are to be infused into the Civic Education, Social Studies and Security Education Themes.
• Create enabling environment for the subject in all schools
7. Cultural & Creative Arts (CCA) • Important for preservation of our cultural Heritage and Creativity.
8. French Language • Nigeria’s second official language
• Nigeria is surrounded by Francophone countries
• The study of French language will make our children more competitive at the global level
9. Arabic Language • Optional
NOTE:
• Minimum of 8 subjects; Maximum of 9 subjects
• Emphasis should be on basic concepts and their explanations
• Teaching and learning activities must be creative, innovative, and practical.
• Avoid content repetitions across themes and subjects
• Admit only basic contents from the old curriculum
BASIC EDUCATION LEVEL SUBJECTS EXPLANATORY NOTES
JSS 1-3
1. English Studies • Official National Language
• Medium of instruction in schools
• The subject predisposes itself to the infusion of the following stand-alone curricula Road Safety Curriculum, Disaster Risk Reduction Education Curriculum, Consumer Education Curriculum.
• Should include Literature - in - English
2. Mathematics • Fundamental discipline for science and technological development
• Important for everyday life
3. Nigerian Languages
(One Nigerian Language) • Schools are free to select such Nigerian Language to be taught.
4. Basic Science and Technology (BST)
Basic Science
Basic Technology
Physical & Health Education
Information Technology (IT) • Each of the listed components will serve as theme for the Basic Science and Technology curriculum
• Climate change should be part of Basic Science Theme
• Disaster Risk Reduction Education and Consumer Education are to be infused into Basic Science and Technology Curriculum
• Create enabling environment for the subject in all schools by making computers available in schools
5. Pre-Vocational Studies (PVS)
Home Economics
Agriculture
Entrepreneurship • Each of the listed components will serve as theme for the Pre-Vocational Studies Curriculum
• Consumer Education to be infused into Pre-Vocational Studies Curriculum
• Create enabling environment for the teaching of pre-vocational studies in schools
6. Religion and National Values (RNV)
Christian Religious Studies / Islamic Studies
Social Studies
Civic Education
Security Education • Listed components will serve as themes in the Religion and National Values Curriculum.
• Content should be planned for all children to take Social Studies, Civic Education and Security Education themes
• Separate classes should be run for Christian Religious Studies theme and Islamic Studies theme
• Disaster Risk Reduction Education to be infused into the Civic Education, Social Studies and Security Education Themes.
• Create enabling environment for the subject in all schools
7. Cultural & Creative Arts (CCA) • Important for preservation of our cultural Heritage and Creativity.
• Tourism should be a theme in Cultural and Creative Arts Curriculum
8. Business Studies • It is desirable for every child to have some idea of Business enterprise
• Entrepreneurship should be treated in Business Studies
• Consumer Education to be infused into Business Studies Curriculum
9. French Language • Nigeria’s second Official Language
• Nigeria is surrounded by Francophone countries
• The study of French language will make our children more competitive at the global level
10. Arabic Language • Optional
NOTE:
• Minimum of 9 subjects; Maximum of 10 subjects
• Emphasis should be on comprehension and application of basic concepts
• Teaching and learning activities must be creative, innovative, and practical.
• Avoid content repetitions across themes and subjects
• Admit only basic contents from the old curriculum.
TEACHER SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REVISED 9-YEAR BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM
To assist school teachers in the effective implementation of the revised 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council developed Teachers’ Guide in all the subject areas. The Guides represents a major departure from previous practice of producing one generic guide for implementation of the Basic Education Curriculum by teachers.
The Teachers Guide is also an improvement on the ‘Teachers Handbook’ earlier produced by NERDC for the effective implementation of the new 9-year Basic Education Curriculum. The Guides addresses specific issues that are pertinent to quality education delivery as listed below:
1. Understanding the Revised Curriculum;
2. Breaking of the curriculum into Syllabus, Scheme of Work, Unit of Work, and Lesson Plan; and the relationship between them;
3. Preparing the Syllabus, Scheme of Work, Unit of Work, and Lesson Plan;
4. Modern Teaching Approaches and lesson planning;
5. Sample lesson planning based on modern teaching approaches;
6. Teaching of perceived difficulty concepts in the subject areas;
7. Resources for Teaching; and
8. Assessment of learning.
The process of the development of the Teachers Guides which included a series of planning, writing, critique and editorial workshops entailed wide consultations with stakeholders: experienced primary and junior secondary school teachers, teacher educators, school inspectors and supervisors, teachers professional associations, Parent Teachers Association and policy makers.
The preparation of the Teachers’ Guide was through the support of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSSAP) on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
REVISION OF THE NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION (NPE)
To accommodate the changes that have taken place in the Nigerian Political structure and the education sector, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) was directed by the Honourable Minister of Education to revise the 2007 edition of the NPE.
To ensure that the perspectives and inputs of the three tiers of government, development partners and all other stakeholders are, as much as possible, accommodated and infused, a High Level Policy Committee (HLPC) for the revision of the NPE was constituted by NERDC.
The HLPC was comprised of:
State Commissioners of Education/FCT Education Secretary,
Directors in the Federal Ministry of Education and their Parastatals,
Professional Bodies,
International Development Partners, Civil Society Organizations and other relevant bodies
The revision process comprised series of consultative meetings amongst members of the HLPC. Some fundamental changes introduced into the updated edition of the NPE include:
The consolidation of Pre-Primary, Primary and Junior Secondary Education to a 10-Year Basic Education in line with UBE and its establishment Act;
the introduction of a new curriculum structure for the Basic Education level;
the introduction of a new curriculum structure for senior secondary education and enunciation of the criteria for subject selection for public examinations;
emphasis on improved quality assurance, restructuring and enhancing the capacities of Federal and States/FCT Inspectorate Services through effective performance evaluation;
the evolution of a credible and up-to-date National Education Management and Information System (NEMIS) and corresponding State Education Management and Information Systems (SEMIS);
outline for better coordination, collaboration and networking of activities, programmes and interventions of all tiers of government, development partners and all other stakeholders in the Nigerian education sector to eliminate overlaps, achieve and sustain synergy, etc.
The revised NPE was approved by the National Council on Education (NCE), the highest policy making body in the Nigeria education sector, at its 59th meeting held at the Internal Conference Centre, Abuja from 24th – 28th, June 2013. The revised NPE is currently being printed.
THE NERDC/STEP-B PROJECT
The NERDC/STEP-B Project is titled “Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) Science, Technology and Vocational Education Curriculum Improvement Project”. The Project is specifically designed to equip teachers with innovative classroom practices that promote the development of work-related skills and abilities in learners. The Project is an intervention that would in the long-run produce high performing students with globally competitive skills for technological development of the nation.
Specifically, the project sought to:
expose teachers to relevant strategies and techniques for promoting the development of work-skills and abilities in learners;
assure effective teaching of the contents of the new S/TVET curricula; as well as
promote collaboration and linkages among curriculum designers, teachers, schools, work-places and immediate community for effective curriculum delivery
The project had the following components:
teacher capacity building in the use of these curricula; and
sensitization of science technology and mathematic (STM) desk officers in the 36 State Ministries of Education (SMoEs) and FCT Education Secretariat.
Some Achievements recorded in the project include:
Development of Teachers Guides for teaching the contents of the new SSE Biology,s Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics curricula;
Sensitization of Science, Technology and Mathematics Desk Officer from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT);
Training of 98 Master Trainers nationwide using the Teachers Guides. The Master Trainers would in turn train other teachers within their various schools as well as assist in state level trainings for multiplier effect;
The Teachers Guides and CD-ROMs of presentations of training contents were also distributed participating states and schools for the purpose of stepping down the training.
The Project was executed with funding support from the World Bank through the Science and Technology Education Post Basic (STEP-B) Project.