The Ministry of Education confirmed the development in a statement released on Wednesday, noting that pupils will, for the first time in decades, study History continuously from Primary 1 to JSS 3. At the senior secondary level (SSS 1–3), students will take Civic and Heritage Studies, a new subject that combines Civic Education with Nigerian History.
Under the revised curriculum:
Primary 1–6 pupils will be taught Nigeria’s origins, heroes, rulers, culture, politics, economy, religion, colonial rule, and post-independence governance.
JSS 1–3 students will study ancient civilizations, kingdoms and empires, trade, European contact, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values.
The ministry described the reintroduction of History as “a priceless gift to the nation,” stressing that the move will reconnect children with their roots, inspire unity, and promote a sense of responsibility toward national development. It also disclosed that teachers will undergo retraining, while schools will receive new resources and monitoring support to ensure smooth implementation.
History was previously removed from the basic education curriculum in 2009/2010 under the New Basic Education Curriculum, with official reasons ranging from poor student interest to limited career prospects for graduates, and a shortage of qualified teachers.
Since then, several efforts have been made to restore the subject. In 2017, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) announced plans for its reintroduction. By 2022, the Federal Government had already begun training teachers in preparation for a full comeback.
With this new policy, History officially returns to the classroom; this time positioned as a foundation for nurturing informed, patriotic, and responsible citizens.
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