“By the time children finish school, they should have at least two skills,” Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman says, announcing the new curriculum for basic schools, set to take effect in January 2025.
This initiative, he said, aims to equip students with practical skills, making them more employable and self-sufficient.
“Students should be able to finish school with a minimum of two skills so that they can have a very productive life,” he added while speaking with stakeholders in Abuja on Monday.
The new curriculum includes vocational training in sectors such as building and construction, hospitality and leisure, services, agriculture and processing, and digital literacy.
“The vocational and entrepreneurship studies, or the skills, we have different sectors comprising different trades.
“For instance, we have the building and construction industry, consisting of plumbing, tiling, floor works, and POP installation,” explained Margret Lawani, Acting Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.
Lawani added, “For hospitality and leisure, we have events decoration and management. We have bakery and confectionery. We have hairstyling, makeup, and interior design.”
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Other skills to be learnt include GSM repairs, CCTV, satellite installations, garment making, beekeeping, horticulture, and poultry farming.
Mamman, on his part, emphasized the importance of practical skills, stating, “Some parents do not want to send their children to school because people finish and there’s no change in their lives. Now it’s going to change that game altogether.”
The Minister assured that teachers will receive necessary training and support for the new curriculum’s successful implementation. “We are working on teachers’ support and development for them to be able to implement this,” he said.
The National Skills Framework is the basis for this curriculum, approved for implementation in all Nigerian schools, public and private.
Mamman noted, “We’ll also have a national stakeholders’ engagement on publicity, particularly with the private schools.”
This development aims to revitalize Nigeria’s education system, providing students with tangible skills for a brighter future.
