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History and National Development: The Challenge of 21st Century Curriculum

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 HISTORY AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE CHALLENGE
OF 21ST CENTURY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Akah, Pius Odey*1, Emogo, Bassey Awara2

1, 2
Department of History, School of Arts and Social Science programmes
1, 2
Cross River State College of Education, Akamkpa

Corresponding author‘s email: [email protected]

Abstract
The study examines the challenges of history curriculum and national development in Nigeria. It
provided an overview of the history curriculum in Nigeria, how it has evolved over the years, and the
current challenges it is facing, as well as the way forward for history education in Nigeria. A careful
evaluation of data from the field was supplemented with a desk review of secondary sources and
integrated into the content analysis of the issues that arose from the subject under study. Findings
indicates that the neglect of history at basic and post basic levels of education has undermined the peace
and cohesion as well as triggered mutual distrust among the many ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. Results
further indicates that the loss created by the absence of history in the school curriculum for over a
decade has led to a fall in moral value, erosion of civic values, and a disconnect from the past. The study
concludes that the inclusion of history as a core component of the national curriculum will help equip
students with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to the future economic and social progress
of Nigeria. The study recommends among others, the revision of existing history curricula, incorporation
of information and communication technology (ICT) into the curriculum, and the development of relevant
teacher training initiatives that will strengthen the history subject curriculum, and ultimately improve its
effectiveness as a tool for national unity and development in Nigeria.

Keywords: History, Curriculum, Development, Education, Challenges

Introduction
The status of History as a school subject has continued to decline since the early 1980s. Whereas
during the colonial and post-colonial era, the traditional status of history as an important subject
flourished and the teaching of history was given adequate space in the school curriculum. History was
among the subjects selected for examination by the British boards invited to assess secondary school
performance in Nigeria from the University of London in 1887, Cambridge University in 1910, and
Oxford University in 1929 (Iyabo 2018). Similarly, the number of Nigeria candidates taking history at
the School Certificate Examinations was well over ninety percent in the early 1980s (Fubara 1990).
History examination questions were aimed at examining the student‘s ability to explain policies, discuss
events, describe major reforms, compare personalities and identify major problems confronting leaders to
help the learners acquire critical spirit, (Iyabo 2018). Thus, History became one of the important subjects
on the school‘s curriculum in Nigeria.
However, the teaching and learning of History in schools was adversely affected by the events
which followed the convening of the 1969 National Curriculum Conference, later by the adoption of a
National Policy of Education, and then the subsequent arrival of 6-3-3-4 educational system in Nigeria.
The conference which was expected to bring hope to the country‘s educational system, turned out to be
the beginning of the decline of History teaching/ learning in schools. In the end, the curriculum reform,
which grew from that conference, led to the reduction of the status of History, and which later led to its
removal as a subject in Primary and Junior Secondary curriculum in 1982, and later at the Senior school
level in 2008 (Iyabo, 2018).
National appeal for History to be brought back into the school curriculum informed the
administration of the former President Muhammadu Buhari‘s decision to reintroduce the teaching of
History in Nigeria‘s Primary and Secondary Schools in 2019 (Iyabo, 2018). Following this development,
the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) was directed by the Federal
Ministry of Education to carry out the disarticulation of History from social science curriculum. In 2018,
the Federal Government unveiled a new curriculum for the teaching and learning of History in basic
schools across the country. The curriculum was designed to expose pupils and students to a body of
knowledge that would enable them appreciate the subject as an instrument of national integration and

1
nation building in the 21st century and beyond (Iyabo, 2018). Though the battle to resuscitate the teaching
of History in Nigerian schools has been fought and won, the challenge now is that of rethinking the
teaching of History in a manner that can become essentially enlightening outside normal academic
necessities but most importantly too, for national development. This paper therefore examines the
challenges in the teaching and learning of History education in Nigeria, and then proferred some
solutions to the problems.

Conceptual Explication
History
The subject matter of history has sometimes appeared so controversial that some scholars,
presumably out of desperation, have made remarks which tend to give the impression that History has
either no definite meaning, or that it has a multiple of equally valid meanings, (Ifemeji, 1988).
Nevertheless, this paper presents some of the definitions of History by scholars and professional
historians. Gardiner (1980) is of the view that the term ―history‖ is used in two different senses. It may
mean the objective past, that is, the events and actions that made up the human past. Secondly, it may
mean those account given about the past and the methods of investigations whereby those account are
arrived at. A closer look at Gardiner‘s definition simply reveal that History is the events and actions that
have taken place in the past, the information given about those past events as well as the methods of
investigations by which that information is gathered (Majuk, 2001). Commager (1977), also shares this
similar views of history; he defines history as the past or record of the past. Carr (1964), on the other
hand talks of two meaning of History; the inquiry conducted by the historian; and the series of past
events into which he inquires.
However, some scholars have rejected the notion that History refers to the objective past or a
series of past events. Ifemeje (1988), however noted that History is not the past but a study of the past.
Marwick (1970) also noted that, the idea that History is the ―reconstruction‖ of the past is misleading. He
noted that, what historians do is to produce knowledge about the past, or with respect to each individual
historian contributions to knowledge about the past. Marwick (1970) therefore defines History as the
bodies of knowledge about the past, produced by historians, together with everything that is involved in
the production, communication of, and teaching about the knowledge.
The definitions of History attempted above require further clarifications. First, despite the
divergent views of scholars on the subject, it is obvious that History is concerned with the activities of
man in the past. The past refers to the time span beginning from the present backward. Secondly, that
historical knowledge is concerned with the past as informed by the fact that history is based on evidence
because only events that have already happened that leaves evidence (Majuk, 2021). Thirdly, history is
based on research or inquiry. This means that what the historian does is try to get an idea of what
happened in the past on the basis of the evidence that exist. He must, therefore, look for sources that can
yield the evidence on which his work is based. This involves going to the archives or libraries or
conducting interviews in relevant communities and making use of data generated in other disciplines. To
do this effectively, the historian must be trained in the arts or science of gathering information,
interpreting the information gathered, as well as reporting his findings in a clear imaginative style
(Majuk, 2021)

Curriculum
It is not easy to define the term Curriculum. This difficulty stems from the fact that there are
many experts in the field whose views about Curriculum differs remarkably. Historically, Curriculum
originated from the Latin word ―curro” or ―curee,” which means ―running course‖ a course through
which one runs to reach his goals‖. The modern meaning of Curriculum as a set of courses and learning
experience has its roots in the idea of a ―running course‖ or ―career‖. The original meaning of
Curriculum has completely undergone series of changes from one age to another. These changes and
varying definitions reflect the changing nature of society over time (Mulenga, 2006)
A Curriculum is what is taught in school. In other words, a curriculum is a collection of subjects.
Mulenga (2006) noted that to define a Curriculum as what is taught in school is indeed very vague. It is
for this reason that some people talk about school Curriculum in this general term and tend to mean by
this, a range of subjects taught, and the number of teaching time given to each subject. Such an approach
to education, he noted, seems to limit learning to the school and also limiting a Curriculum to academic
subjects.
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 Tanner & Tanner (1980), define Curriculum as a planned and guided experiences and intended
learning outcomes, formulated through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experience under
the auspices of the school, for the learners‘ continuous and skillful growth in personal and social
competences. In the above definition, the focus is on the individual learner needs and the need for the
Curriculum to be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances. Both defined Curriculum as an
incidental learning that is concerned with the purpose of education being first and foremost, the
transmission of values of what to do with our lives in order to solve our individual and societal problems.
An analysis of the above meaning of Curriculum captured above, may make one argue that some
writers and Curriculum thinkers advocate for their own preferred definitions of Curriculum, which may
emphasize other connotations and meaning. However nebulous the definition of Curriculum is, it serves
as a roadmap for educators and students that guides the teaching and learning process. It is also a
standard by educators to measure their efforts and achievements.

History Subject Curriculum Development in Nigeria

The study of History as a subject in Primary and Secondary Schools in Nigeria originates from
the colonial period prior to the amalgamation in 1914. Colonial Education Ordinance made provision for
the study and teaching of History at the Primary and Secondary school levels, but the Curriculum was
purely about the history of Rome, Greece and England (Bown, 2014). This was largely due to the climate
of opinion at the time by Eurocentric scholars and colonialists who out of prejudice concluded that
Africans had no history worthy of study in schools and colleges. But with the ranging sense of their own
history, professional historian trained in western scholarship challenged the absence of African history in
the school Curriculum. The new historiography championed by pioneering academic historians at the
University of Ibadan then set the stage for the development of African history Curriculum in Nigeria. The
department of History, under the sterling leadership of Professor K.O. Dike, the first indigenous Vice
Chancellor began to review the Curriculum to introduce aspects of Nigerian and African history in the
school Curriculum for effective teaching and learning of the subject. Bown (2014) noted that the Ibadan
History School, was dedicated in formulating an Afro-centric vie of the continent‘s past in the minds of
young Africans.
The Ibadan school of History also promoted the study of History in Nigeria and encouraged
research which produced well known historians like J. F. Ade Ajayi, S. Biobaku, A.E. Afigbo, E.A.
Ayandele, E. J. Alagoa, O.E. Uya, among others who were at the forefront in reforming history
Curriculum in schools to reflect Africa focused research (Bown 2014). Also working with government
Education policy makers, they helped to produce appropriate History textbooks for secondary school
pupils such as: J.F. Ade Ajayi‘s celebrated A Thousand Years of West African History (1969) and
Milestone in Nigerian History (1962), Adu Boahen‘s Topics in West African History (1966), S. O.
Biobaku‘s Sources of Yoruba History (1973). These books covered topics in the History syllabus for the
West Africa School Certificate Examinations (WAEC) established in 1952. History as a subject later
featured prominently at the Higher School Certificate (HSC) which sought to prepare students for
admission into the universities. By 1966, it was among the most favoured subjects at the HSC
examinations (Iyabo, 2018).

However, the teaching and learning of history nosedived in the early 1980s when the subject was
merged with some related subjects at the Primary and Junior Secondary School under the name social
studies. It led to the under achievement in the teaching and learning of history. Learners went through
school without adequate understanding of the history of their own country. However in 2018, the
Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) was directed to re-introduce history
as a subject into the Basic Education. This demonstrated the conviction about the importance of history
as a tool for nation building and national development (NERDC, 2018)

Overview of the new History Curriculum Structure

Following the reintroduction of history in the school Curriculum in 2018, the Federal
Government, through the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) unveiled a
new Curriculum for the teaching and learning of the subject in basic schools across the country. The
focus of the new History Curriculum is on various aspects of the Nigerian history with emphasis on the
bonds of unity across time and space in the country. The Council noted that history is committed to
interrogating the past as it relates to the present. That this will enrich younger generation of Nigerians
3
with the knowledge of the past that relates to the present and empower them to understand the forces that
shape the affairs of the world and their critical place in it (NERDC 2018)
The new curriculum was therefore designed to achieve the following objectives:
 To expose pupils and students to a body of knowledge that would enable them appreciate
History as an instrument of national integration and nation building in the 21st century and
beyond.
 To promote the study of Nigerian and African History as a requisite for better understanding and
appreciation of the challenges of globalization.
 To deepen the understanding of the similarities and differences between the various Nigerian
peoples as a basis for appreciating our unity in diversity.

The new Curriculum is divided into three: Lower Basic (Primary 1-3) Middle Basic (Primary 4-
6) and upper Basic (JSS 1-3). The contents of the Curriculum focus on the meaning of History, origin of
History, migrations and settlement pattern of the people of Nigeria, local heroes and heroines, local
Political development, the Nigerian geography and environment, major historical sites and civilization
centers, economic activities, centralized and non-centralized polities, patterns of inter-group relations
between the people of Nigeria and British colonization of the Nigerian territories (NERDC, 2018). The
contents of the curriculum are further divided into topics, some of the themes captured in these topics
include: Concept of History, Origins and Peopling, Heroes and Heroines in Nigeria, Political
Development in Nigeria, Geography and Environment, Economic Trade and Commerce, Culture and
Customs as well as External Contacts (NERDC, 2018) The Curriculum was distributed across the
country and the teaching of History as a compulsory subject in Primary and Secondary schools
commenced in the 2018/2019 academic session across the country.

Historical Knowledge and National Development

The relevance of History education in the society cannot be overemphasized. It is important to
state right away that historical knowledge is indispensable in our daily lives, whether or not the
individual studies History in school. On a daily basis we as individuals, society or nation, are confronted
with problems, situations and happenings which force us to seek explanations. In seeking explanations to
the myriad of these problems, we are forced to find out what happened in the past. This is because what
exists today is the result of what existed in the past. Consequently, even if History is removed from the
school Curriculum and all department of history in our tertiary institutions scraped, historical knowledge
will still be relevant and sought after one way or another (Majuk, 2001).
Historical knowledge enables students to appreciate the fact that man does not operate in a
vacuum. This understanding enables them to appreciate the behaviour of other people both in their own
society and that of other people. This reduces ethnocentrism and promotes intergroup relations. By
understanding the nation‘s history, students can better appreciate the diversity of the country and its
people, and thus develop a sense of shared identity. The history of inter-group relations in Nigeria has
confirmed the extent of interactions among Nigeria ethnic nationalities long before imposition of colonial
rule. It is the duty of history as a subject in schools to bring this truth to young Nigerians to influence
their understanding of life and what role they could play in cementing the relationship among the various
ethnic groups (Iyabo, 2018). The National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC)
also captured this as one of the core objectives of the new history Curriculum which is to expose pupils
and students to a body of knowledge that would enable them appreciate history as an instrument of
national integration and nation building in the 21st century and beyond.
The knowledge of history can also help students develop a healthy approach to problem solving.
This is because society is perpetually undergoing a process of change. Institutions, ideas and other
aspects of society as there are today, have evolved over the years. That is why history is said to be a
study of changes. Because of this, the historian is humble enough to appreciate the facts that he does not
know all, that there is a possibility that the other person may be right and that no side in a dispute is
without a point. With such an attitude, the historian appreciates the importance of a reasoned
accommodation of opposing points of view, commonly known as compromise in conflict resolution
(Majuk, 2021)
History educations also train students to think critically and analytically and to have a power of
sound judgment over facts available to them. Invariably by studying history, the student is provided with
4
a foundation for critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential for national
development.
History education can help to promote economic development. By studying the nation economic
history, students can gain insights into the factors that have contributed to the economic growth or
stagnation, and develop a better understanding of the economic challenges facing the country.
The knowledge of history also helps to promote social justice and human right. By studying the
history of oppression and injustice in Nigeria, students can develop a commitment to promoting equality
and social justice for all.

Challenges of History Subject Curriculum Development in Nigeria

Despite the importance of History as a subject, there are several challenges that have hindered
the development of a comprehensive History subject Curriculum in Nigeria. Some of the challenges of
history curriculum development in Nigeria include the following:

Government policy
Government policy towards the teaching and learning of history in Nigeria has been very
frustrating. Attempts by successive governments to revitalize the education sector through aligning the
Curriculum with the country development needs have often been informed by the notion that certain
courses are irrelevant to the country‘s need. During the military dictatorship of General Ibrahim
Babangida (1986-93), some university lecturers were harassed for teaching ―what they were not supposed
to teach‖. A few years later, history was removed from the secondary school curriculum. It was obvious,
someone in government must have had believe that History is a useless subject. That unfortunately
became a state policy (Adesina, 2006)
In the 1980s, history was replaced at the Primary and Secondary Schools with Social studies.
This left the Department of History in Nigeria universities in a dilemma. Candidates for admission into
the History Departments through the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination
inevitably trickle (Adesina, 2006). The trickle-down effect of this was that students in Secondary Schools
also stopped taking history as one of the subjects in the West Africa School Certificate Examination
(WASCE). As an emerging expression of discontent with the position of the discipline, enrolment of
history students declined significantly. History was no longer seen as a discipline capable of granting a
meal ticket outside formal but non-existent white-collar employment.

Dearth of qualified History Teachers

Generally, the country lacks trained teachers in almost all disciplines for effective Curriculum
implementation. The situation is worst with History as an academic discipline. How to come by the
required number of qualified history teachers and or educationist, who can be tested to be intellectually
equipped for their instructional task, has become a major challenge to the profession. More so, not many
people who choose history as a discipline would even want to teach it. With the introduction of
International Studies in most History Departments in Nigerian universities, undergraduates who choose
to study History and International studies in the universities do so with the view of pursuing a career in
diplomatic mission, international or regional organization and not to end up as history teachers in
secondary schools. The few who go into teaching, probably do so due to lack of job opportunities in other
sectors.

Lack of Teachers’ Interest in the Subject

Interest in teaching a particular subject is a powerful motivational process that energizes
learning, guide academic and career trajectories, and is essential to academic success (Harackiewicz,
Smith & Priniski, 2016). Interest in History is one of the central factors in a teacher‘s decision to become
History teachers and consequently impact on the student interest on the subject (Ekawu, 1992). A teacher
who lacks interest in his subject area will not deliver the goods to students effectively. This may scare
students intending to do such course or courses. This becomes complicated when in some schools,
especially secondary schools in rural communities, teachers are made to teach a non-professional course
on the grounds that his or her discipline is not offered in such schools. For instance, a graduate of
Mathematics may teach History, and History graduate may teach Economics. The end result is lack of
interest and poor performance (Ekawu, 1992) Furthermore, because majority of History teachers are not

5
qualified to teach the subject the result is a downward trend in the number of students offering History at
the senior secondary school level.

Lack of Students’ Interest in the Subject

Lack of students' interest in History as a subject is also a major challenge facing the development
of History Curriculum for the teaching and learning of history in schools and colleges in Nigeria.
History as noted earlier was expunged from the school Curriculum in Nigeria for over two decade, and
when the subject was reintroduced in 2018, both teachers and students had lost interest in the subject.
Student‘s interest had shifted to other subjects such as Government, Geography and Civic Education. The
result is a downward trend in the number of students offering History at the Senior secondary school
level ( Obasa, 2023)

Parent attitude towards History

In recent times, parents seem to decide what courses or programme their children or wards study
in schools. In deciding on the choice of a course or programme of study, the primary consideration for
most parent nowadays is the immediate material benefits derivable from such a programme. This is not
unconnected to the general ―bread and butter‖ attitude to education in Nigeria. This attitude to education
in Nigeria is rooted in the history of Western education in Nigeria. The colonial government and their
missionary counterpart provided education primarily to produce catechist, teachers, clerks and
administrators who would serve in the colonial civil service, European commercial firms and missionary
establishment. Consequently, Western education came to be seen, and continues to be seen as a passport
to working in government and private establishments (Majuk, 2001). The clamour now is for courses that
offer better opportunities of getting white- collar jobs after graduation and not whatever discipline for
which the individual has the highest ability to work hard and excel in order to be properly equipped
intellectually. This explains why we have thousands of graduates who are feeling entitled to white-collar
jobs from government than getting the needed skills to add value to society. This also explain why
parents discouraged their children from studying or pursuing a programme in History, because they feel
they are no jobs for graduates who major in History.

Conclusion
This paper discussed the challenges of History Curriculum development in Nigeria. The paper
argues that regardless of the government and stakeholders‘ attitude towards the teaching and learning of
history in Nigeria, historical knowledge is indispensable in our everyday life. Thus, it is the positions of
the researcher that the inclusion of history as a core component of the national curriculum will help equip
students with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to the future economic and social progress
of Nigeria.

Recommendations
The following recommendations would no doubt strengthen the History Curriculum and ultimately,
improve its effectiveness as a tool for national development.
1. First, urgent and practical steps should be taken to critically review and overhaul history
education curricular at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels with a view of making history
more responsive to the challenges of national integration and nation building in Nigeria. Thus,
the current effort by the National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) in
collaboration with the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN) in reviewing the history subject
curriculum in primary and secondary schools is a welcome development. However, the efforts
must be sustained and extended to colleges of education and universities.
2. Separate text should be developed for primaries 1-3, primaries 4-6 and junior secondary school
1-3. Each text should be produced to suit the peculiarities of the learning stage of the users, both
students and teachers, including illustrations and sample questions as appropriate. Education
history graduates should work out the pedagogy, while core Historians should produce the
content
3. Recruitment of History trained teachers across the federation through the Universal Basic
Education Commission (UBEC) should be done systematically and in phases, as the subject is
injected into the different levels of schooling. Candidates who obtained a minimum of SSCE

6
 credit pass in History should be given priority in admission into NCE and degree programmes in
Education History to remedy the dearth of history teachers.
4. Furthermore, regular on-the-job training should be conducted to improve teaching skills with the
incorporation of information and communication technology (ICT) into the curriculum. The need
to have a train the trainer workshop in the six geopolitical zones that will help in the
implementation of the new History curriculum is imperative in this regard.
5. Government should provide scholarships, bursaries, and other incentives to students willing to
study History and take up teaching as was done for education science students. Similarly, History
teachers should be provided with the requisite skills needed to teach the subject, the techniques,
methodology which will eventually give the subject a didactic outlook that will arouse the
interest of the children to listen with rapt attention and remove barriers that have inhibited the
teaching and learning of history.
6. Government should make History a compulsory subject for all secondary schools‘ students as
other core subjects such as Mathematics and English Language, so that they can have adequate
knowledge of the Nigerian History, learn from the past mistakes of our leaders in order to correct
the future.

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