The Federal Government has completed a comprehensive review of the national curriculum for basic, senior secondary and technical education, describing the reform as a major step towards preparing Nigerian learners for a rapidly changing world.
The Ministry of Education disclosed the development in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, and released to journalists on Sunday. The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, made the announcement in Abuja on behalf of the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON.
Professor Ahmad explained that the exercise was carried out in collaboration with key education agencies, including the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
According to her, the curriculum review was not merely about trimming subjects but also about enhancing the quality of learning content. “The review process was not only about streamlining subjects but also about improving content to allow for deeper learning,” Ahmad said. “The revised curricula will reduce content overload and create more learning time for students. Our aim is to deliver education that is practical, relevant, and future-ready.”
Under the revised structure, the subject distribution across levels of education has been adjusted as follows:
- Primary 1–3: 9–10 subjects
- Primary 4–6: 10–12 subjects
- Junior Secondary School: 12–14 subjects
- Senior Secondary School: 8–9 subjects
- Technical schools: 9–11 subjects
The government said the new framework is designed to reduce overload, improve learning outcomes and ensure Nigerian students acquire skills relevant to global demands.
The Ministry stated that the revised curricula will be implemented nationwide, with strict monitoring to guarantee smooth adoption in schools. While no exact rollout date was provided, officials noted that the implementation would be phased and supervised by relevant agencies to ensure a seamless transition.
The statement commended stakeholders for their commitment to the process, noting that their collaboration had produced a stronger, future-focused curriculum. “This reform reflects the government’s determination to create an education system that balances knowledge with skills, and theory with practice,” Ahmad added.
Reform Context
Curriculum reviews in Nigeria have been long overdue. The secondary school curriculum currently in use was introduced in 2011 and remained unchanged for over a decade. In 2024, then Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, disclosed plans for a new curriculum to be implemented by September of that year, highlighting that the last review had taken place 12 years earlier.
Since then, several reform steps have been undertaken. In January 2025, the government introduced 15 new trades into the basic education curriculum, covering skills such as plumbing, solar installation, digital literacy, garment making, event management and agriculture. By February 2025, discussions at the National Council of Education saw a proposal to replace the traditional 6-3-3-4 or 9-3-4 system with a 12-year basic education model, which the ministry argued would provide a more cohesive learning experience and better align Nigeria with international standards.
Despite the government’s optimism, some stakeholders remain cautious. The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has consistently warned that structural reforms alone will not solve the sector’s challenges. NUT President Audu Amba has argued that inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, lack of teaching materials and recurring strikes remain the true obstacles to quality education. “Whether the structure is 6-3-3-4, 9-3-3, or 12-4, the reality is that without sufficient financing, the problems will persist,” he stressed.
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