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Sunday N. Orji
Transcript of Sunday N. Orji
The New 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum
NIGERIAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (NERDC)
N .E .R. D . C
NIG
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DUCATI ONA
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By
Sunday N. Orji Senior Research Officer – NERDC Sheda, Abuja
[email protected]; 08069259978
Presented at a Sensitization & Advocacy Workshop for Teachers in Taraba
State held on the 23rd – 24th August, 2012.
Antecedence
Education is regarded as the vehicle for sustainable socio-economic
development and advancement . Thus, nations are reforming and
strengthening their educational system to meet their aspirations as well as
International Development Goals (IDGs).
In Nigeria, the National Council on Education (NCE) in 2005 mandated
NERDC to produce a viable curriculum to meet national and international
goals (including NEEDS, EFA & MDGs).
o NEEDS = National Economic Development and Empowerment strategy.
It encompasses
Value re-orientation
Poverty eradication
Job creation and wealth generation
Using education to empower the people
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Antecedence cont…
o MDGs = Millennium Development Goals Internationally agreed framework of 8 goals and 18 targets to stimulate
global development
Launched in September 2000; benchmark period 1990 to 2015
189 signatory countries (including Nigeria) are expected to create
effective implementation strategies and structures for the MDGs
Goal 1: Eradication of Extreme Hunger and Poverty
Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, and
Goal 4:Reduce Child Mortality
Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health
Goal 6: Combat HlV/AlDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
The education sector is concerned with MDGs 2, 3 & 6
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Antecedence cont…
Based on NCE directives, NERDC successfully re-structuring and re-
alignment of the Primary and Secondary Education Curriculum for the
achievement of the national and global development goals.
One of the products of the restructuring is the Universal Basic
Education (UBE)
The New BEC has not only updated the old content standards, but
also introduced new subject matter and associated skill
requirements for pedagogy.
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Goals of the 9-year Basic Education Programme
Developing in the entire citizenry a strong consciousness for
education and a strong committed to its vigorous promotion.
Providing free and compulsory, universal basic education for every
Nigerian child of school-going age.
Reducing drastically the incidence of early leaving from the formal
school system.
Catering for the learning needs of young persons who, for one reason
or another, have had to interrupt their schooling through appropriate
forms of complementary approaches to the provision and promotion of
basic education.
Ensuring the acquisition of appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy,
manipulative, communicative and life-skills as well as the ethical,
moral and civic values for laying a solid foundation for lifelong
learning. 5
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Philosophy of the BEC
The philosophy of the curriculum is that every learner who has
gone through 9-years of basic education should have acquired
appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy, manipulative and life
skills; as well as the ethical, moral, and civic values needed for
laying a solid foundation for life long – learning as a basic for
scientific and reflective thinking.
Basic Education Curriculum Structure
The 9-year basic education curriculum is structured in three levels:
1. Lower Basic Education (Primary 1-3)
2. Middle Basic Education (Primary 4-6)
3. Upper Basic Education (JSS1-3)
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Lower basic education curriculum structure
Basic Education
Curriculum Levels
Core Compulsory Subjects Elective Subjects
Lower Basic
Education
Curriculum
(Primary 1- 3)
1. English Studies
2. One Major Nigeria Language
(Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba)
3. Mathematics
4. Basic Science & Technology
5. Social Studies
6. Civic Education
7. Cultural & Creative Arts
(CCA)
8. Christian Religion
Studies/Islamic Studies
9. Physical & Health Education
(PHE)
10. Computer Studies/ICT
1. Agriculture
2. Home Economics
3. Arabic Language
NOTE:
Must offer 1 elective,
but not more than 2.
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Middle basic education curriculum structure
Basic Education
Curriculum Level
Core Compulsory Subjects Elective Subjects
Middle Basic Education
Curriculum
(Primary 4-6)
1. English Studies
2. One Major
(Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba)
3. Mathematics
4. Basic Science &
Technology
5. Social Studies
6. Civic Education
7. Cultural & Creative Arts
(CCA)
8. Christian Religious
Studies/Islamic Studies
9. Physical & Health
Education (PHE)
10. French Language
11. Computer Studies/ICT
1. Agricultural
2. Home Economics
3. Arabic Language
NOTE:
Must offer 1 elective,
but not more than 2
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0
Upper basic curriculum structure
Basic Education
Curriculum Level
Core Compulsory Subjects Elective Subjects
Upper Basic
Education Curriculum
(JSS1 -3)
1. English Studies
2. One Major Nigeria Language
(Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba)
3. Mathematics
4. Basic Science
5. Social Studies
6. Civic Education
7. Cultural & Creative Arts (CCA)
8. Christian Religion
Studies/Islamic Studies
9. Physical & Health Education
(PHE)
10. French Language
11. Basic Technology
12. Computer Studies/ICT
1. Agriculture
2. Home Economics
3. Arabic Languages
4. Business Studies
NOTE:
Must offer 1 elective,
but not more than 3
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Ongoing review of BEC Subjects offer
= 10 subjects curriculum structure
In view of the complaints of curriculum overload by the end users,
the Federal Government ordered comprehensive review of the BEC.
There was the need to reduce the subject overload without losing
quality and also to incorporate, if there are any emerging issue that
has come onboard in the last 2 or 3 years
Emerging issues emphasized:
Reading
Security awareness
Religion and National values
Entrepreneurship and preparation for vocational training
The review process is being completed; inauguration intended before
the 2013 academic session
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Ongoing review of BEC Subjects offer = 10 subjects
curriculum structure
New Subject Listing Components
1. English
2. Mathematics
3. Cultural & Creative Arts
4. Nigerian Languages 1. Hausa 2. Ibo 3. Yoruba
5. Basic Science & Technology Basic Science, Basic
Technology, P.H.E. &
Computer/ICT
6. Religion & National Values C.R.S., Islamic Studies, Social
Studies, Civic Education &
Security Awareness
7. Pre-vocational studies Agriculture; Home
Economics; Entrepreneurship
8. French
9. Arabic
10. Business Studies
The Basic Features of the New 9-Year BEC
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The subjects are divided into core compulsory and elective subjects
Electives include Arabic, Agriculture, Home Economics and Business
Studies (Business Studies as elective is introduced in JS1)
Subjects and contents flow systematically from primary 1 to JSS 3, thus
form building blocks for the learning of future contents.
Contents organization are thematic and spiral
There is systematic connection between primary and junior secondary
school contents
Infusion of emerging issues from NEEDs, National Values (ethics and
morals ), Peace Studies and Entrepreneurial skills in the various contents
French is introduced as a core subject from primary 4
Technology is included in the primary school curriculum
Basic Science and Basic Technology become distinct/separate subjects
from JS1
Why change from old to new?
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There were limitations and gaps in the old curricula
There was a disconnect in some subjects between Primary and
JSS curricula:
Primary science and integrated science
Introduction technology
The existing primary and JSS curriculum could not achieve
acquisition of, functional literacy and numeracy, strategic
communication skills, and entrepreneurial skill
No support for reducing poverty, creating jobs and wealth for
grandaunts
There was subject overloading
The old primary and JSS curricula was not in line with the 9-
continous schooling policy
Implementation Strategies
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As a deliberate policy, the curriculum was approved to commence in
September, 2008 in schools across the federation at Primary 1 and JSS 1
classes.
By implication, as students progress to the upper classes the old
curriculum is gradually and systematically phased out.
The old curriculum will be phased out gradually over a period of 6
years and 3 years (i.e. 2013 and 2011) for the primary and JSS
components respectively.
The gradually phase out is to allow for:
Adequate sensitization and Advocacy
Mobilization of resources
Staffing; teacher training and retraining
Provision of infrastructures
Textbook development and review
Monitoring of implementation, curriculum feedback and review
Implementation Strategy …
However excellent the new curricula, effective implementation is
hinged upon collaboration and commitment of all critical
stakeholders.
Thus, to ensure effective implementation of BEC, critical
stakeholders should be involved in:
Bulk purchase/distribution of the subject-based curricula
Distribution of the curricula to (6) Zonal Offices for easy access
Bulk sales/distribution to SMoE
Individual state collaboration with the NERDC in organizing
sensitization/training workshop for teachers
Annual state level Advocacy and sensitization of on the
curriculum
Development and printing of Teacher’s Guide
Development, printing and distribution of NERDC manual for
development and utilization of instructional resources 16
Implementation Strategy … Head Teachers/Teachers
oThe teacher is expected to play a critical role in the effective
implementation of the new BEC at the classroom level!
o Needs be abreast with the structure, content and philosophy of the BEC
o Critical roles??
School level sensitization and advocacy on the curricula
Procurement of adequate no. the new curricula & Teacher Handbooks
4A questions [Aware? Available? Access? Adequacy?]
Guiding students on choice of subjects
Encourage & supervise the use of the curriculum by teachers
Capacity building for teachers relevant to the new BEC
Planning lessons, designing activities, continuous assessment, etc.
Encourage writing & review of textbooks
Writing of test items; development of test banks
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Implementation strategies … Assessment Policy
Pupils who successfully complete primary 6 will proceed to JSS1
without a selective (placement) examination
Abolition of terminal examination for primary 6 pupils
Scrapping of the central common entrance (placement) examination for
primary 6 pupils into JSS1
Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) at the end of the 9-
year basic education schooling in June 2010 to replace the Junior
Secondary Certificate Examination
Introduction of selective (placement) examination for graduating JSS
students who are potentially bound for senior secondary (post basic)
education
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Group assignment???
Briefly demonstrate how to use the curriculum in your subject area for the
following teaching activities:
1. Preparing scheme of work
2. Writing lesson note
3. Selecting appropriate instructional materials
4. Choosing relevant textbook
5. Designing engaging learning activities
6. Assessing students (test item generation and administration; essay-
objective test choice, etc.)
7. Planning, research and development project
8. Monitoring of curriculum implementation at school level
9. Giving curricula feedback (e.g. perceived difficult concepts;
discovered best practices; etc.)
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Conclusion
The success of our education and subsequent achievement of
the national and global development goals is hinged upon the
effective implementation of the curriculum.
Thus, all stakeholders must of necessity be actively committed
for the success of the new BEC!
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Thank you for listening!
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