A Critical Review of the Revised 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) in Nigeria

Abstract

Globally, education is acknowledged as a critical engine for economic development. Nigeria is facing a lot of developmental challenges including a high rate of poverty and astronomical youth unemployment. Education has been advanced as one of the key strategies to address the challenges. The 9-Year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) for Primary (elementary) and Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in Nigeria was revised in response to the country’s need for relevant, dynamic, and globally competitive education that will ensure socio-economic and national development. This paper critically reviewed the adequacy of the revised 9-Year BEC. The review showed an improvement in the curriculum development process and in primary (elementary) and Junior Secondary School (JSS) curriculum contents over previous attempts of curriculum development in Nigeria. However, factors such as inadequate trained teachers, inappropriate pedagogy and poor learning environment pose threats to successful implementation of the revised 9-Year BEC. The implication for the field of curriculum development is that availability of adequate “quality teachers”, appropriate pedagogy and conducive school learning environment are of utmost importance in ensuring that a well-designed curriculum meets its objectives.