By Blessing Adimabua
Copyright businessday
Global university professionals have commended the Federal Government of Nigeria for approving and unveiling a future-ready school curriculum for basic (primary and junior secondary) and senior secondary education.
According to them, this landmark reform modernises subject offerings, rebalances subject loads across phases, and integrates contemporary competencies like digital technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), coding/robotics, media and information literacy, entrepreneurship, and citizenship and heritage studies.
Monday Anyairo, global president of World Innovators University, said Nigeria’s new curriculum is a decisive step toward future-ready learning for every child, adding that by foregrounding digital competencies, problem solving, entrepreneurship, and civic literacy, the reform aligns schooling with the demands of a fast-changing economy and society.
Highlighting the need and importance of the reform in the nation’s education space, the educationist said that Nigeria’s demographic profile and digital transformation create an urgent need for learning that is both foundational and future-oriented.
He pointed out that the new curriculum advances national objectives by improving learning relevance and employability through hands-on, project-based, and skills-aligned content.
The university professor also noted that the new curriculum also elevates digital competence from basic digital literacy in upper primary to programming, data/AI awareness, and cybersecurity themes in secondary.
“Strengthening national cohesion and citizenship, with attention to heritage, ethics, and civic participation; Supporting teacher workload balance by rationalising subjects and focusing on depth, not just breadth; Aligning with Nigeria’s sector roadmap (2024–2027) and complementary national digital strategies,” Anyairo said.
Ashok K. Gupta, provost, World Innovators University, said that great curricula become great learning only through well-supported teachers.
Gupta said the immediate focus of World Innovators University Institute is practical, adding that it wants to equip educators to teach AI and coding safely and confidently, strengthening cross-curricular literacies, and providing low-cost, open resources that work in real Nigerian classrooms.
He pledged the institutes nationwide educator upskilling, curriculum-aligned micro credentials, and research support ahead of the 2025/2026 rollout.
“World Innovators University Institute welcomes the reform’s emphasis on applicability, relevance, and employability, and stands ready to support stakeholders with evidence-based teacher capacity development, curriculum resources, and implementation research,” he said.
He further said that the WIU Institute is prepared to work with federal and state authorities, schools, teacher education institutions, and development partners to translate this policy into classroom impact.
“The World Innovators University, through the WIU Institute, invites expressions of interest from State Ministries of Education, SUBEBs, school networks, teacher education institutions, NGOs, and development partners seeking practical support for curriculum implementation in 2025/2026. Proposals for co-funded pilots and alignment with existing initiatives are welcome,” he added.
He further said that the World Innovators University, through the WIU Institute, will launch a practical, multi-year support package built around six pillars as part of its effort to assist with effective and equitable rollout.
