The Federal Government says it is embarking on a comprehensive overhaul of its basic curriculum.
The government says this is with the aim of nurturing creativity and critical thinking skills among children, to prepare them for future innovations.
Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, pointed out that Nigeria has a glaring shortage of teachers and classrooms in the country, with a staggering gap of 950,000 teachers and 20,000 classrooms.
He spoke during a panel session on National Well-being at the Nigeria Economic Summit, noting what he described as “the inadequacy of the current numeracy and literacy-focused curriculum” to address the evolving needs of Nigerian children in the contemporary world.
Mamman also underscored the important of incorporating soft skills, such as critical thinking and practical abilities into basic education to enhance the quality of learning and foster children’s capacity for independent thought.
“We are going to revamp the curriculum for basic schools, aiming to instill critical thinking from an early age,” Mamman stated, stressing the need to nurture these capabilities early in children.
He also unveiled the FG’s renewed focus on basic education, a sector that has often been neglected in the past. He said the government is actively formulating policies to boost enrollment in basic schools, which currently offer free education but suffer from low attendance and a high number of out-of-school children.
Enhancing learning opportunities and facilities in basic schools, he said the government plans to collaborate with governor, who hold the funding responsibilities for this purpose.
He further gave an assurance that the government is working diligently to improve infrastructure and enhance security around schools, particularly in vulnerable areas, to ensure the safety of students.
On his part, the Health and Social Welfare Minister, Muhammad Pate, emphasized the link between health and education in human capital development, adding that the government is also making efforts to expand and recalibrate the Vulnerable Group Fund with the aim to provide health insurance for the poorest of the poor and ensure health security for all.
Various stakeholders at the Summit during a panel discussion on “Rethinking Strategies towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” urged for greater private sector in fast-tracking its achievements by 2030.
