Vocational skills such as plumbing, hairstyling, and solar installation, among others, will soon become part of the country’s educational system.
The new primary school curriculum is expected to take effect from January 2025, with pupils required to learn at least two skills.
Speaking during a stakeholder meeting held in Abuja on Monday, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, Dr Margret Lawani, said the newly introduced subjects fall under the vocational and entrepreneurship studies framework, which has been designed to expose pupils to various trades across multiple sectors.
Lawani stated that subjects to be taught in the construction industry include plumbing, tiling, flooring, and POP installation.
She added that in the hospitality and leisure sector, pupils would acquire skills in event decoration and management.
Lawani said, “The vocational and entrepreneurship studies, or the skills, cover different sectors comprising various trades. 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.”
Other skills include GSM repairs, CCTV, and satellite installations, among others.
She added, “In the services sector, we have GSM repairs, satellite or TV antenna installations, CCTV, intercom installation, and maintenance.
“We also have solar photovoltaic installation and maintenance, as well as garment making. Another sector is agriculture and processing.”
In the agriculture sector, pupils will be taught beekeeping, horticulture, and poultry farming, among others.
Lawani said, “This sector covers crop production, beekeeping, horticulture, sheep and goat farming, as well as poultry and rabbit farming. Altogether, we have about 15 different trades or skills newly introduced for basic education.”
In addition to vocational training, the new curriculum, according to Lawani, will integrate digital literacy as a core subject.
“We are introducing basic digital literacy, including IT, robotics, and more,” she stated.
