FG Revives History In Basic Schools To Restore National Identity

The Federal Government has reinstated Nigerian History as a compulsory subject in the basic education curriculum, a move aimed at strengthening national identity, unity, patriotism, and responsible citizenship.

According to Ireporter Online, the Federal Ministry of Education confirmed the development in a statement released on its official X handle on Wednesday. The ministry explained that, for the first time in decades, pupils will now study History continuously from Primary 1 to Junior Secondary School 3, while Senior Secondary School students will take a newly introduced subject known as Civic and Heritage Studies, which merges History with Civic Education.

Under the revised structure, pupils in Primary 1 to 6 will be taught Nigeria’s origins, heroes, rulers, culture, politics, economy, religions, colonial rule, and post-independence governance. At the junior secondary level, students will explore themes such as civilisations, empires, trade, European contacts, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values.

The Ministry of Education described the reform as a priceless gift to the nation, stressing that it would reconnect children with their roots while inspiring pride, unity, and commitment to national development. It added that the government has released the updated curriculum and will embark on retraining teachers, providing resources, and strengthening monitoring to ensure effective implementation.

History was initially removed from the curriculum in 2007 following the launch of the New Basic Education Curriculum, which came into effect in the 2009/2010 academic session. The official reasons cited at the time included low student interest, limited career opportunities for History graduates, and a shortage of teachers in the subject.

However, in 2017, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council announced plans to restore History, beginning from the 2018/2019 academic session. By 2022, the Federal Government had already commenced the first stage of a teacher training programme to prepare for the full reintroduction of the subject into basic schools nationwide.