By Peter Omopo
Abuja, September 9, 2025 — The Federal Government has unveiled the official list of approved subjects for the revised Basic and Senior Secondary Education Curriculum, cautioning schools, teachers, and parents against circulating fake versions.
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) announced the reforms in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Professor Salisu Shehu, on September 8. The changes, introduced under the Federal Ministry of Education’s National Education Sector Reform Initiatives (NESRI), are intended to reduce curriculum overload and improve learning outcomes nationwide.
“We fervently call on all critical stakeholders to disregard any other fake and unauthentic list that is at variance with the authentic and approved list provided above,” the statement read.
Implementation Timeline
According to NERDC, the implementation of the revised curriculum will begin at the entry points of every three-year cycle: Primary 1, Primary 4, JSS 1, and SS 1, starting from the 2025/2026 academic session.
The council added that nationwide sensitisation and teacher training programmes will commence immediately to ensure effective rollout.
NERDC stressed that the reform marks a “new phase in Nigeria’s education sector,” with emphasis on relevance, flexibility, and early skill acquisition.
Approved Subject Offerings
Primary 1–3 (9–10 subjects)
- English Studies
- Mathematics
- One Nigerian Language
- Basic Science
- Physical & Health Education
- CRS/IS
- Nigerian History
- Social and Citizenship Studies
- Cultural & Creative Arts
- Arabic (Optional)
Primary 4–6 (11–13 subjects)
Includes all from Primary 1–3, plus:
- Basic Science & Technology
- Basic Digital Literacy
- Pre-vocational Studies
- French (Optional)
- Arabic (Optional)
Junior Secondary School (12–14 subjects)
- English Studies
- Mathematics
- One Nigerian Language
- Intermediate Science
- Physical & Health Education
- Digital Technologies
- CRS/IS
- Nigerian History
- Social and Citizenship Studies
- Cultural & Creative Arts
- Business Studies
- One Trade Subject (e.g., Solar PV, Fashion Design, Livestock Farming, Beauty & Cosmetology, GSM Repairs, Horticulture & Crop Production)
- French (Optional)
- Arabic (Optional)
Senior Secondary School (Core + Electives)
- Core (5 compulsory subjects): English Language, General Mathematics, Citizenship & Heritage Studies, Digital Technologies, and one Trade Subject
- Science electives: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agriculture, Further Mathematics, Foods & Nutrition, Technical Drawing, Physical & Health Education
- Humanities electives: Nigerian History, Government, CRS/IS, one Nigerian Language, French, Arabic, Literature-in-English, Visual Arts, Music, Home Management, Catering Craft
- Business electives: Economics, Accounting, Commerce, Marketing, Business Studies
- Trade electives: Solar PV, Fashion Design, Livestock Farming, Beauty & Cosmetology, GSM Repairs, Horticulture & Crop Production
Stakeholder Reactions
The Federal Ministry of Education confirmed on September 1 that the curriculum review also covers technical education, designed to make Nigerian learners “future-ready.”
However, some teachers and parents have criticised the sudden rollout, warning that schools may lack adequate preparation for immediate implementation. They also argued that wider consultation should have been carried out before approval.
The Federal Government, however, insists that the reforms will take effect in the new academic session, starting this month.
