Lagos Reintroduces History Into School Curriculum

The Lagos State Government has ordered the reintroduction of History as “a stand-alone subject” into the basic and junior secondary schools in the state.

According to a memo dated 8th August, 2022, addressed to private school owners and heads of public schools, and signed by the Director of Research at the Office of Education Quality Assurance of the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Pelumi E.I, the new development is in line with the directives from the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).

The memo added that the subject has been re-introduced in the National Curriculum and the current Lagos State Unified Schemes of Work for primary and junior secondary schools.

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The government said the subject is compulsory for both primary and junior secondary classes but elective for senior secondary classes.

The memo reads in part; “You are to note that while the subject (History) is compulsory for both primary and junior secondary school classes, it is an elective subject in the senior secondary school.

“To this end, I am further directed to inform you that the subject should be taught in primaries 1 and 2 and JSS 1 and 2 classes in the 2022/2023 academic session.”

Recall that in 2018, the federal government ordered the reintroduction of history as an independent subject into the basic and junior secondary schools in the country.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who gave the directive, said the subject would allow students to know the history of the country.

Mr Adamu said the importance of history to nation building, national identity, patriotism and overall human development could not be overemphasised.

According to the minister, one of the cardinal principles of the present administration is social and behavioural change, and “history is key to its realisation.”

The government had said; “The desire to realise this and national clamour for it to be back, informed our decision to reintroduce the teaching of history in Nigeria’s primary and junior secondary schools.

“The Federal Ministry of Education developed its strategic plan – Education for Change: A ministerial strategic plan (2016-2019) which contained several initiatives.

“This initiative was approved by the National Council on Education during its 61st ministerial session in September 2016.”