FG Opens Up Nigerian Senior Secondary Curriculum: Students Can Now Mix Subjects

 

​The Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria has released an important clarification regarding the recently introduced Senior Secondary School Curriculum, easing confusion among students, parents, and school administrators nationwide. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, confirmed there are absolutely no restrictions or exclusions on subject choices, emphasizing that the new curriculum is designed to be highly flexible and student-centered.

​Flexibility is the New Standard

​The core message from the Ministry is clear: the new curriculum fully supports diverse academic interests and career paths. This means that the rigid lines separating traditional study groups are being dissolved:

​Science students are now welcome to select subjects traditionally classified under Social Sciences or Arts.

​Conversely, students focused on Arts and Social Sciences are equally free to choose subjects typically grouped under the Sciences.

​This unprecedented flexibility allows students, guided by their school authority, parents, or a certified counsellor, to tailor their education to better suit their individual talents and future aspirations, preparing them for a wider range of university courses and careers.

​Key Changes: Digital Technology and Trade Subjects

​The Ministry also addressed two specific subject areas that have caused public inquiry:

​Digital Technology (Formerly ICT): The subject previously known as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been officially renamed Digital Technology. Minister Alausa stressed that this change is strictly in nomenclature; the core curriculum content remains the same. Therefore, students who previously took ICT are fully eligible to register and sit for examinations in Digital Technology.

​Trade Subjects: The curriculum includes six approved trade subjects. The Minister clarified that while a student may register for any of these if their school offers them and they have been taught the course, there is no obligation for a student to register for a trade subject as a compulsory third subject if they have not been exposed to it.

​The Federal Government's commitment, as reaffirmed by the Ministry, is to ensure a smooth, inclusive, and well-guided implementation of this revised curriculum, fostering an educational environment that genuinely supports the potential of every Nigerian student.