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Review
Reform in
curriculum for basic education in Nigeria: the need for
character training curriculum
Dr (Mrs) Hanna Yusuf
Lecturer, curriculum section, faculty of education, Ahmadu
Bello University, Samaru – Zaria.
*Corresponding author E-mail:
hannayusuf@yahoo.com
: Tel: 08033207255
Received 02 October, 2010; Accepted 28 October, 2010
Nigeria educational system has gone through various
developments recently. The selection and organization of
curriculum contents distribution and use of teaching
materials and its relevance to the curriculum, the need and
aspirations of the society are problems associated with
Nigeria educational system. Therefore changes have become
imperative in the current curriculum for all the educational
levels in Nigeria. This is the crux of this paper. Children
and youths of today do not live in a “kid-friendly” world.
They face serious problems as never before: problems such as
substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and youth violence, among
others. These events therefore accentuate the fact that we
live in a terrible world. Now more than ever, it dawn on us
as educators to be diligent in our efforts to educate the
child wholly. Many claim it is no longer enough to simply
teach Math or Reading Social Studies or Music, effort should
be made in teaching “right from wrong”, hence the need for
character training curriculum. The benefits of character
training education as highlighted in this paper are immense.
It includes among others an admiration for quality of
character that assures the young that there is the need to
be responsible and to act right. The paper concludes with
the fact that the school can give a virtuous foundation
through the teaching of character training education as an
independent subject in primary, post primary and tertiary
levels.
Keyword: Character, Training, Reform, Curriculum,
Basic Education. |