UBEC develops curriculum for bilingual education

In collaboration with key stakeholders, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has commenced developing a “smart” curriculum for Bilingual Education in Nigeria.

Mr. David Apeh, Head of Public Relations and Protocol at the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), disclosed in a statement on Monday in Abuja that the Commission recently held a workshop for curriculum adaptation for Bilingual Schools. During this workshop, experts engaged in brainstorming sessions to develop the best curriculum for these unique schools.

Professor Bala Zakari, Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical) of UBEC and Project Supervisor for the Bilingual Education Programme in Nigeria, called for a standardized approach in developing the Bilingual Education curriculum. He explained UBEC’s role in ensuring the success of the bilingual education program, from the construction of schools in the nine focal states to engaging experts in various programs.

Zakari emphasized Nigeria’s uniqueness, particularly regarding the nation’s population, with over 7 million learners in Early Childhood Care Development Education (ECCDE) alone and more than 47 million at the primary level.

Mansir Idris, the project coordinator from the Islamic Development Bank, stated that the workshop aimed to examine the existing national curriculum, including Tsangaya, among others, to adapt them for the bilingual education program.

Dr. Ibrahim Bakari, Head of the ICT Unit at UBEC, noted gaps in the national curriculum, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, and coding, which could be incorporated into the new curriculum for bilingual education. He advocated for a “smart” bilingual education curriculum to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in line with global best practices.

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Recall that in 2012, the Board of Executive Directors of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) approved a multi-year financial facility program of $98 million to promote Bilingual Education in Nigeria. The project aimed to improve Nigeria’s socio-economic conditions, ensure inclusive education, and promote bilingual education.

The benefiting states, according to the Commission, are Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Osun.

UBEC outlined the major components of the project, including creating access to basic education, improving quality, and enhancing the management capacity of school administrators. The project involves constructing 30 bilingual education boarding schools in the benefiting states to increase enrollment and reduce the number of out-of-school children, among other objectives.

At the national level, UBEC coordinates the project, with supervision from the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Finance through the National Coordinating Unit (NCU).