By Ngozi Nwankwo
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, recently announced that the new curriculum for basic education in Nigeria will be rolled out by the end of October 2024. The curriculum, he emphasized, is designed to integrate knowledge, skills, and values, with a particular emphasis on equipping students for real-world economic engagement and productive lives.
Speaking at the 68th National Council on Education (NCE) Meeting in Abuja, Prof. Mamman stated, “The Ministry is set to introduce a new curriculum for Basic and Senior Secondary Education, which prioritizes the development of skills alongside knowledge and values.” He further noted that this curriculum is aligned with the Ministry’s commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s Education Transformation Agenda, which aims to overhaul the education sector comprehensively.
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The NCE meeting, which gathered Permanent Secretaries from State Ministries of Education, Commissioners for Education, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and international partners, was centred around the theme: Innovation, Digital Technology, and Entrepreneurship: Tools for Educational and National Development in the 21st Century.
Prof. Mamman highlighted that the new curriculum will equip Students with the necessary skills to thrive in a modern economy, emphasizing the importance of aligning education with national productivity. He added that the Ministry’s Education Transformation Agenda focuses on four key areas, encapsulated in the acronym ‘DOTS’: Data Repository, Out-of-School Children Education, Teacher Training and Development, and Skills Acquisition.
“Our discussions at this session should focus on strategies to ensure that Education is centred on a knowledge-based economy, driven by creativity and digital excellence,” Mamman urged the stakeholders. “Our nation’s future depends on our ability to foster innovation, digital technology, and entrepreneurship, with our youth at the forefront as key players.”
The Honourable Minister of State for Education, Hon Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, also addressed the session, affirming the government’s commitment to embracing digital technology and fostering entrepreneurship. “Innovation, digital technology, and entrepreneurship are essential for the 21st century. Our education system must be revitalized to meet these challenges, ensuring that Nigerian students are equipped to compete on the global stage,” Dr. Sununu stated.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, has announced a major shift towards digitalization at the 68th National Council on Education (NCE) meeting in Abuja. He expressed his gratitude to all who supported the Ministry for making the meeting a success. Dr. Gwarzo declared that all paperwork, files, and memos will be digitalised while the remaining part of the meeting will to be conducted electronically. As part of this initiative, each attendee will receive a tablet, signalling the Ministry’s commitment to a fully digital education system. In recognition of outstanding performance, gifts were also presented to Enugu, Borno, Kano,FCT, CrossRiver, Ebony, Yobe and Ondo Commissioners.