Hope rises for return of History to schools by September 2017

Ismail Junaidu, executive secretary, Nigerian Educational Research Development Council (NERDC), on Monday said that subject, history, would be reintroduced in primary and secondary school curricula from September 2017.

Junaidu made the disclosure in an interview with NAN in Abuja.

“Hopefully by next academic session, all things being equal, we should start implementing the policy. This is what the country is yearning for,” he said.

“The National Assembly is 100 per cent behind us, so also the federal ministry of education.”

“By next council on education meeting, we should be able to table the curriculum itself, and if we have the curriculum, we will start the distribution to the schools.

“We are hoping by the next academic session we should start implementing the policy.”

Junaidu dismissed the misconception that removing history from social studies would add a burden on students.

According to him, the introduction of history subject will not pose any problem as the council will develop effective ways to ensure smooth adjustment in the curriculum.

“I don’t think so in anyway. In fact let us say that the first thing you need to know as a human being is about yourself and the society,” Junaidu said.

“So even in the scale of what is important, I think history should occupy a prime position, getting to know ourselves and where we are coming from.”

“Don’t forget that there are people who, after primary school, may not continue to secondary school, and there are those whose education will terminate at the secondary school level.

“What we are advocating is, after the first nine years of education, a Nigerian child should have some good knowledge of Nigerian history.”