Nigeria’s primary school curriculum is set to undergo a new framework that will integrate vocational skills such as plumbing, hairstyling, solar installation, and other practical trades into the educational system starting January 2025. This initiative aims to equip pupils with hands-on skills across multiple sectors, enhancing their employability and entrepreneurship prospects.
According to Dr. Margret Lawani, Acting Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, the newly introduced subjects fall under the vocational and entrepreneurship studies framework. Speaking during a stakeholder meeting in Abuja, Lawani stated, “The vocational and entrepreneurship studies, or the skills, cover different sectors comprising various trades.”
Lawani elaborated on the various skills pupils will acquire, saying,
“For instance, in the building and construction industry, we have plumbing, tiling, flooring, and POP installation. For hospitality and leisure, we have event decoration and management. We also have bakery and confectionery, hairstyling, makeup, and interior design.”
Additionally, pupils will learn skills in GSM repairs, CCTV, satellite installations, and solar photovoltaic installation and maintenance. In the agriculture sector, they will be taught beekeeping, horticulture, poultry farming, sheep and goat farming, and crop production.
Lawani highlighted that about 15 different trades or skills will be introduced for basic education. “This sector covers crop production, beekeeping, horticulture, sheep and goat farming, as well as poultry and rabbit farming,” she explained.
Beyond vocational training, the new curriculum will also integrate digital literacy as a core subject. Lawani noted, “We are introducing basic digital literacy, including IT, robotics, and more.”
