By Habeeb Ibrahim
The administration of President Bola Tinubu has unveiled a new primary school curriculum, scheduled to take effect in January 2025.
The updated curriculum will mandate that pupils acquire at least two vocational skills, including plumbing, phone repairing, and hairstyling, according to a statement released by Dada Olusegun, the President’s Special Assistant on Social Media.
These vocational subjects will be incorporated into the broader Vocational and Entrepreneurship Studies framework, which is designed to expose young students to a variety of trades across several sectors.
Under the construction sector, pupils will learn skills such as plumbing, tiling, flooring, and POP installation. In the hospitality sector, they will be trained in areas such as event decoration and management.
The service sector will offer skills such as GSM repair, CCTV installation, and solar photovoltaic installation. In the agricultural sector, students will gain knowledge in crop production, beekeeping, horticulture, as well as sheep, goat, poultry, and rabbit farming.
Digital literacy will also be a core component of the curriculum, introducing students to IT, robotics, and other foundational digital skills.
This initiative forms part of a broader effort by the administration to enhance education quality and equip the younger generation with practical skills aimed at reducing unemployment and improving employability. It complements ongoing skill acquisition programs such as SUPA, 3MTT, and NATEP, which are focused on the wider population.
