FG to introduce plumbing, digital literacy, others in primary and junior secondary school curriculum in 2025  

This new policy, set to begin in the 2025 academic year, will enable students to choose and specialize in one of these skills, gaining both theoretical and practical knowledge throughout their nine years of schooling, from Primary 1 to JSS 3.

According to a statement by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) via their official X account, “Students will choose a particular skill out of the 15 and obtain both theoretical and practical knowledge before promotion to another class.”  

NBTE added that “Students will be able to choose one skill from Primary 1 to JSS 3, starting from 2025.”

Here are the 15 skills that will be introduced into the curriculum: 

NBTE highlighted the critical role of teacher preparation in the successful implementation of this policy shift.

According to the board, one of the key priorities will be to ensure that educators are not only trained but also retrained periodically to stay updated with the evolving demands of the various skill areas being introduced.

“Teachers will be trained, retrained and employed in both public and private schools all over the Country.” They said. 

This extensive teacher development program will be rolled out across both public and private schools nationwide.

NBTE noted that having well-prepared instructors is essential to delivering the practical and theoretical knowledge students will require over the nine-year span of their skill acquisition journey.

The introduction of skill acquisition into the school curriculum aligns with Nigeria’s focus on fostering entrepreneurship and self-reliance among its youth, especially in light of the country’s rising unemployment challenges.

Nigeria’s unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2024 rose to 5.3%, reflecting a 0.3-percentage point increase from 5.0% in the third quarter of 2023, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

This move aims to tackle the high unemployment rate and reduce dependence on white-collar jobs by equipping students with hands-on skills in demand in today’s economy.