The Federal Government has reintroduced Nigerian History as a compulsory subject in all schools from primary to senior secondary levels, 16 years after it was dropped from the curriculum in 2009 during the administration of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
The Federal Ministry of Education disclosed the development in a statement released on its official X handle on Wednesday.
According to the Ministry, the decision to bring back history into the curriculum is designed to promote national identity, foster unity, and build patriotism among Nigeria’s diverse population.
“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.”
“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 civilisations, empires, trade, European contacts, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values,” the statement read.
The Ministry said the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, CON, together with the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing the reform.
“They emphasised that History is not merely a record of the past, but a vital foundation for shaping responsible and patriotic citizens.”
According to the Ministers, the 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.
The former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua-led government in 2009 removed history from Nigeria’s basic education curriculum.
At the time, the removal of history from the curriculum was justified on the grounds that students were shunning the subject due to limited career opportunities for history graduates, coupled with a shortage of qualified teachers.
In 2022, however, the Ministry of Education under the leadership of former Minister Adamu Adamu initiated steps to bring the subject back, officially launching its reintroduction.
The Punch revealed that as part of that effort, history teachers at the basic education level were trained in Abuja, but the subject remained optional in the few schools that chose to offer it.
