NERDC Presents 9-year Basic Education Curriculum Plan

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council(NERDC) today carried out the public presentation of the revised 9-year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) and kick-off of the training of school teachers on the use of the teachers guide for the implementation of the curriculum.

This is even as the council lamented the approval of only N30 million by the National Assembly as against the N270 million in the 2014 budget and sent to the hallowed chamber by the ministry of education.

The Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof Godswill Obioma who revealed this in Abuja, also regretted that “Of the N270million proposed in the 2014 budget and admitted by their parent industry, and office of the senior special assistant to Mr president on MDGs to complete the printing of distribution of the outstanding primary 4-6, only N30million was approved by the National Assembly”.

He further noted that if the development was left unchecked, “it will certainly derail the implementation of the revised BEC as approved by the NCE and thus affect the attainment of the transformation agenda in this context” as already, NERDC has reported the matter to relevant authorities.

For how the subject matter should be taught, Obioma stated that the teachers guides are intended to enhance the effective delivery as well as to eliminate ambiguities in the teaching of the curriculum.

In his remarks, the Senate committee chairman on education, Comrade Uche Chukwumerije stated that the new curriculum has come at the right time when the country is experiencing a huge decline in the education sector due to poor foundation which he said is an issue that must be tackled.

He called for the consistency of implementation as according to him, “Nigeria is very good at making policies but lack of consistency in the implementation of the curriculum is a major challenge. Besides that, lack of funds and above all, corruption are the bane of sustainability”.

The minister of state for education, Nyesom Wike who was represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Macjohn Nwaobiala, said the new BEC has been made to be less cumbersome and more user friendly while contents will meet users needs and match global best practices.