Restructuring and Re-alignment of Extant Primary and Junior Secondary Schools Curricula: Challenges to Basic Science and Value Education

Abstract

Before now, the existing curricula used in Nigeria primary and secondary schools have been described as being overloaded, as such could not induce in learners the needed entrepreneurial skills for self reliance and the ability to response to challenges posed by globalization. In an attempt to bridge these observable limitations, the National Education Research and Development Council (NERDC) restructured and re-aligned all extant primary and junior Secondary Schools Curricula, which gave rise to the new 9-year Basic Education Curriculum. This trend has left much to be desired. Hence, this paper is an attempt to identify and give answers to some basic challenges posed by the approaches adopted to reduce the overload identified in the curricula with respect to subject listings and composites subjects presented under sub-themes. Particular references were made to religion and national values as well as basic science and technology. It highlighted the basic features of the basic education curriculum, composite subjects and their corresponding sub-themes. Finally the paper suggested among others, that subject matters which are centered on values and skills acquisition should be presented to the learner in their own right and practices not under sub-themes. Secondly, ambiguous subject listing under a sub-theme would only compound content delivery and assessment requirements.