The Federal Government has reinstated Nigerian History as a mandatory subject in the basic education curriculum, aiming to promote national identity, unity, patriotism, and responsible citizenship.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced on Wednesday through a statement on its official X account.
“For the first time in decades, Nigerian pupils will study History continuously from Primary 1 to JSS3, while students in SSS1–3 will take the new Civic and Heritage Studies, which integrates History with Civic Education,” the statement read.
“Primary 1–6: Pupils will learn about Nigeria’s origins, heroes, rulers, culture, politics, economy, religions, colonial rule, and post-independence governance.”
“JSS1–3: Students will study civilisations, empires, trade, European contact, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values.”
According to the Ministry, this reform is a significant step for the nation, reconnecting children with their roots and fostering pride, unity, and a commitment to national development.
The ministry has released the updated curriculum and plans to retrain teachers, provide necessary resources, and enhance monitoring.
In 2007, the Federal Government introduced the New Basic Education Curriculum for primary and junior secondary schools, which removed History from these levels. The subject was officially discontinued in the 2009/2010 academic session, with reasons cited including a lack of interest from students, limited job opportunities for History graduates, and a shortage of History teachers.
However, in 2017, the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council announced plans to reintroduce History as a subject in primary and junior secondary school curricula, with implementation set to begin in the 2018/2019 academic session.
In 2022, the Federal Government launched the first phase of a teacher training program to fully reintroduce History as a standalone subject in the basic education curriculum.
