By Erewunmi Peace

The Federal Government has announced a major reform in the education sector, including the renaming of Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTCs) as Federal Technical Colleges and the rollout of a new national curriculum.

The changes, set to take effect from the 2025/2026 academic session, were unveiled by the Ministry of Education as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Key highlights of the reform

Renaming of schools: All FSTCs nationwide will now be known as Federal Technical Colleges, with a focus on modern technical and vocational training.

Reduced subject load: Pupils and students in primary, junior, and senior secondary schools will now study fewer subjects to ease learning pressure while ensuring depth of knowledge.

New subject areas: A new compulsory course, Citizenship and Heritage Studies, has been introduced by merging Nigerian History, Civic Education, and Social Studies. Nigerian History will now be taught from Primary 1 through JSS 3.

Skills and digital focus: Students in secondary and technical schools will take at least one trade or vocational subject, alongside digital technology and entrepreneurship studies.

Industry relevance: Technical colleges will adopt a streamlined list of modern trade courses, aligning students’ skills with current global and local labor market demands.

The Federal Ministry of Education explained that the reforms are designed to professionalize technical education, boost digital literacy, and prepare Nigerian youths for the future world of work.

Implementation of the new curriculum will begin in the next academic year, with gradual phasing out of the old curriculum across all levels.