Photo File: Federal Ministry of Education

The Federal Government has reintroduced Nigerian History as a compulsory subject in the basic education curriculum to strengthen national identity, unity, patriotism, and responsible citizenship.

The Federal Ministry of Education announced the introduction in a statement on its official X account yesterday.

“For the first time in decades, Nigerian pupils will study History continuously from Primary 1 to JSS3, while SSS1–3 students will take the new Civic and Heritage Studies, integrating 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 civilizations, empires, trade, European contacts, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values.”

According to the Ministry of Education, this reform is a priceless gift to the nation, reconnecting children with their roots while inspiring pride, unity, and commitment to national development.

The ministry has released the revised curriculum and will retrain teachers, provide resources, and strengthen monitoring.

In 2007, the Federal Government launched a new curriculum known as the New Basic Education Curriculum for primary and Junior Secondary Schools. History was removed from Primary and Junior Secondary Schools’ curricula and implemented in the 2009/2010 Academic Session.

Official reasons given for the removal then were, among others, that students shun the subject; only a few jobs were available for History graduates, and dearth of History teachers.

In 2017, the Nigeria Education Research and Development Council announced it was set to reintroduce History as a subject in primary and junior secondary school curriculum, beginning from the 2018/2019 academic session.

In 2022, The Federal Government initiated the first stage of a teacher training initiative to reintroduce History as a stand-alone subject in basic education curriculum.