Tension trails nationwide implementation of revised secondary school curriculum

The introduction of a new secondary school curriculum has sparked anxiety nationwide, with stakeholders describing the process as hurried and potentially harmful to students preparing for crucial examinations.
The Stakeholders who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, raised alarm over the rushed implementation of the new curriculum, warning that poor coordination could jeopardise students’ performance in external examinations.
NAN recalls that the federal government introduced a revised Senior Secondary School Curriculum nationwide, aiming to make learning more flexible, student-centred and aligne with global standards.
The reform renamed Information and Communication Technology as Digital Technology and approved six trade subjects, while allowing students to combine science, arts and social science subjects more freely.
The six trade subjects newly introduced to the curriculum included, Solar Photovoltaic Installation and Maintenance, Fashion Designing and Garment Making, Livestock Farming
Others were, Beauty and Cosmetology, Computer Hardware and GSM Repairs, Horticulture and Crop Production.
In the new curriculum, there is
reduction of overall subject load – students now take eight to nine subjects instead of up to 20 in the old system-.
Many traditional electives or optional subjects were consolidated or removed to make space for core and trade subjects.
Trade subjects also became part of the core structure, and rather than being peripheral electives, vocational and practical trade skills are now compulsory options within a student’s programme.
Laudable as the initiative is, its hurried rollout without adequate transition measures has drawn sharp criticism from key stakeholders.
Many argued that while the vision behind the reform is commendable, the execution leaves much to be desired.
In separate interviews with NAN, the stakeholders said the curriculum was rolled out across all classes in secondary schools without adequate transition measures for students already in the system.
According to them, the sudden implementation affected the current SS3 students, forcing some of them to drop previously offered subjects and register new ones ahead of their WAEC and other external examinations.
A secondary school teacher, Mrs Ife Olorunmolu, noted that the curriculum reform itself was not the problem, but the manner of implementation.
Olorunmolu said the curriculum should have commenced with Junior Secondary School (JSS 1) and Senior Secondary School (SSS1) students.
“Considering the short time the students have to prepare for their Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), how are they expected to perform in the new subjects in their external examinations?,’’ she queried.
Olorunmolu expressed concern that the affected students had limited time to prepare for the new subjects ahead of their SSC Examination.
She warned that the development could negatively affect students’ performance in external examinations if urgent corrective measures were not taken.
She, therefore, urged relevant authorities to review the implementation strategy and ensure a smooth transition that would not be of disadvantage to the current SS 3 students.
Speaking in the same vein, a parent, Christianah Okechukwu, said the revised curriculum introduced new subject combinations and content areas that the current SS3 students were only exposed to in their final year.
Okechukwu said students preparing for the 2026 WAEC examinations were disadvantaged because they lacked foundational knowledge from SS1 and SS2.
He said teaching complex concepts within a limited timeframe placed undue pressure on both teachers and students.
Another parent, Ngozi Okonkwo, whose child is from a Federal Government College, also expressed worry that their children were being unfairly assessed.
Okonkwo said the situation had caused anxiety among candidates who feared failing subjects they barely understood.
She urged education authorities and examination bodies to consider transitional arrangements to protect the affected students.
“I was invited by the authority of my son’s school in one of the federal government colleges in Abuja to come and assist him in choosing his WASCE subjects.
” I was so surprised to find out that my son has to drop two subjects he has been offering from SS1 because these subjects are not slated to be examined in this year’s WASCE.
“My son was made to choose two other subjects he did not offer from SS 1 and the examination is just barely few months. How do we expect good performance from this examination,” she queried.
Some of the affected students told NAN that the sudden curriculum shift has hurt their academic performance, forcing last-minute subject changes with little warning or preparation.
An SS 3 student in a private school in Kubwa said he was introduced to Horticulture at the beginning of the term, despite never studying it before, scrambling to grasp new theory and practical requirements.
A female student from the same school said she dropped Data Processing for History, a subject she abandoned in SS1, and now struggling to revisit past topics to catch up with classmates.
At a Federal Government College in Gwagwalada, an SS3 technical student said he was ordered to drop Basic Electricity and Basic Electronics after studying them for three years, since SS1.
He said he replaced them with Physical and Health Education, with the fear that the abrupt switch will undermine his readiness for technical courses at the tertiary level.
A school proprietor, who preferred anonymity called for urgent intervention by the Federal Ministry of Education and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
According to the proprietor, the curriculum changes should follow a gradual implementation process.
She said that examining students on content they had not studied over three years undermined educational fairness.
The proprietor warned that the policy could widen learning gaps, noting that curriculum reforms should align teaching duration with assessment requirements.
She said abrupt changes without adequate teacher training and learning materials could compromise learning outcomes.
Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, National President of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), described the recent policy change affecting school curricula as a policy somersault with potential negative implications for students nationwide.
Danjuma said that, while the intention to enable Nigeria compete favourably with other countries was commendable, such reforms should not be introduced in ways that could adversely affect students preparing for external examinations.
According to him, the current policy ought to have commenced at the beginning of an academic session rather than midstream.
He noted that candidates preparing for final examinations conducted by examination bodies such as WAEC and NECO should have been exempted.
“We are appealing to all the examination bodies to consider many variables in setting up their questions, especially the period that was introduced and the areas covered by teachers.
“Secondly, we urged teachers to redouble their efforts in covering the syllabus while the ministry of education should consider extension period for the students.
“On the part of parents, we should make sure the required learning materials are provided for the students as well as ensuring their wards read at home,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa had issued comprehensive guidance to address widespread enquiries from students, parents, school proprietors and administrators regarding subject selection under the revised curriculum.
Alausa, in a statement, said the clarification followed numerous calls, letters and public concerns arising from misinterpretations circulating across various platforms.
He explained that there was no restriction or exclusion attached to the selection of any approved subject within the Senior Secondary School Curriculum.
Alausa emphasised that all subjects remain fully open for students to choose from, provided such choices are properly guided by the school authority, parents or a certified school counsellor.
He further noted that the curriculum is designed to be flexible, student centred and supportive of diverse academic interests and career pathways.
On the matter of Trade Subjects, the minister said a student might register for any of the subjects if the school offers them and the student has been taught the subject.
“Where a student has not been exposed to or offered any of the six trade subjects, there is no obligation for such a student to register for any trade subject as a third subject,”he said.
The Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring a smooth, inclusive and well guided implementation of the revised Senior Secondary School Curriculum nationwide.
As a saying goes, “however beautiful the bird may be, if it perches wrongly, it will fall”. The curriculum, might be well designed on paper, but without careful planning, phased implementation, and adequate support, its promise could falter.
Therefore, as debates continue, stakeholders are calling for a more deliberate transition process, one that preserves the reform’s innovative spirit while safeguarding the academic stability of learners.
They insist that meaningful change in education must be both visionary and methodical, balancing ambition with preparedness to truly achieve its intended impact. (NAN)