9-year Basic Curriculum for Nigerian schools

NERDC VISION Building and Sustaining a Culture of Strategic Educational Research and Development that will inform the Formulation and Effective Implementation of Policies in Education as well as in other related Sectors of the Economy NERDC MISSION Creating the Enabling Environment in which Educational Research and Development Activities will thrive and in the Process not only Encourage Collaboration with International Development Partners but also Foster Public-Private Partnerships in our bid to render Educational Research and Development efforts Sustainable and NEEDS-driven. Website: www.nerdcnigeria.org e-mail: nerdcabuja@yahoo.com nerdcinfo ahoo.com       FOREWORD This booklet presents the approved structure of the 9-year Basic Education Curriculum as well as the core and elective subjects. The high points of the new curriculum include the- introduction of Basic Technology and ICT, emphasis on creative thinking, entrepreneurial skills, positive social and cultural values as well as making French Language one of the core subjects. An overview of how the curriculum should be implemented is also provided. In 2004 Nigeria adopted the home-grown National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) as a response to global reforms in the social and economic context. The core elements of NEEDS are value re-orientation, poverty eradication, job generation, wealth creation and using education to empower the people. In December 2005 the National Council on Education (NCE) directed NERDC to develop a school curriculum for the implementation of the effective UBE programme. NERDC has developed a high quality 9-year Basic Education Curriculum that will not only facilitate the attainment of the core elements of NEEDS but also the goals of EFA and MDG. The Federal Government introduced the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme in 1999 to ensure unfettered access and equity to education for the total development of the individual. Thus the poor, the socially marginalized and vulnerable groups can effectively develop their full capacities and potentials. Through the UBE programme the international goals of Education for All (EFA) as well as the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs) will be achieved. Professor Godswill Obioma, fman, mea, feon, fstan, fnae Executive Secretary NERDC, Abuja May, 2008 BASIC EDUCATION CORE COMPULSORY ELECTIVE SUBJECTS CURRICULUM LEVELS SUBJECTS LOWER BASIC 1. English Studies 1. Agriculture EDUCATION 2. One Major Nigeria 2. Home Economics CURRICULUM Language (Hausa, 3. Arabic Language Igbo or Yoruba) (PRIMARY 1-3) 3. Mathematics 4. Basic Science and Technology Note: 5. Social Studies Must offer 1 elective, 6. Civic Education but not more than 2. 7. Cultural & Creative Arts (CCA) 8. Christian Religious Studies Islamic Studies 9. Physical & Health Education (PHE) 10. Computer Studies/ICT   BASIC EDUCATION CORE COMPULSORY ELECTIVE SUBJECTS CURRICULUM LEVEL SUBJECTS •. MIDDLE BASIC 1. English Studies 1. Agriculture EDUCATION 2. One Major Nigeria 2. Home Economics CURRICULUM Language (Hausa, 3. Arabic Language Igbo or Yoruba) (PRIMARY 4-6) 3. Mathematics 4. Basic Science 5. Social Studies 6. Civic Education Note: 7. Cultural & Creative Must offer 1 elective, Arts (CCA) but not more than 2. 8. Christian Religious Studies/Islamic Studies 9. Physical & Health Education (PHE) 10. French Language 11. Computer Studies/ICT BASIC EDUCATION CORE COMPULSORY ELECTIVE SUBJECTS CURRICULUM LEVEL SUBJECTS - UPPER BASIC 1. English Studies 1. Agriculture EDUCATION 2. One Major Nigeria 2. Home Economics CURRICULUM Language (Hausa, 3. Arabic Language Igbo or Yoruba) 4. Business Studies (JSS1-3) 3. Mathematics 4. Basic Science 5. Social Studies 6. Civic Education Note: 7. Cultural & Creative Must offer 1 elective, Arts (CCA) but not more than 3. 8. Christian Religion Studies/Islamic Religion Studies 9. Physical & Health Education (PHE) 10. French Language 11. Basic Technology 12. Computer Studies/ICT 2.0 WHAT ARE THE BASIC FEATURES OF 9- YEAR BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM? Core subjects are English Studies, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology, Social Studies, Civic Education, Cultural and Creative Arts, Computer Studies, Health and Physical Education, Language, Religious Studies (Christian/Islamic) and French. Elective subjects are Arabic, Agriculture, Business Studies and Home Economics. French is introduced from primary 4 as a core subject. The inclusion of the study of Technology in the   primary school curriculum component. The infusion of creative and critical thinking, entrepreneurial skills and relevant elements of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) into the relevant contents of curriculum. The systematic connection between Primary and Junior Secondary School contents.   4.0 THE PHILOSOPHY Every learner who has gone through 9 years of basic education should have acquired appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy, manipulative, communicative and life-skills; as well as the ethical, moral, and civic values needed for laying a solid foundation for life-long learning; as a basis for scientific and reflective thinking. 5.0 CONCLUSION Education is globally recognized as an instrument for social and economic reconstruction. The 9-year Basic Education Curriculum is thus a vehicle for achieving this goal 3.0     THE NEW CURRICULUM STRUCTURE The 9-year Ba ic Education Curriculum is divided into the following components: Lower Basic Education Curriculum for primaries 1-3 Middle Basic Education Curriculum for Primaries 4-6 Upper Basic Education Curriculum for Junior Secondary 1-3 The subjects and contents flow systematically from Primary 1 to JSS3; thus they form building blocks for the learning of future contents.