The Senate has raised concerns over what it described as a looming national education crisis following the abrupt implementation of a new curriculum and registration guideline by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). The new policy compels current SS3 students to sit for examinations in subjects they have not been taught.
During plenary on Tuesday, lawmakers engaged in an extensive debate before resolving to summon the Minister of Education and heads of relevant agencies to justify the sudden policy shift and assess the country’s readiness for its implementation.
Leading the motion, Senator Karimi Sunday-Steve (Kogi West) revealed that the new curriculum, initially scheduled for implementation in two years had been unexpectedly applied to students preparing for the May/June and November/December 2026 WAEC examinations.
He warned that the policy amounted to “setting up millions of Nigerian children for mass failure.”
According to him, the guideline replaces core subjects such as Computer Studies, Civic Education, and other pre-Fourth Grade courses with new practical-based subjects including cosmetology, livestock farming, garment making, and solar installation.
This change leaves students across all subject areas with only six examinable subjects, below the eight-subject minimum required by WAEC.
Karimi argued that students would be forced to sit for two or three unfamiliar subjects without trained teachers, adequate classrooms, laboratories, or preparatory materials.
He urged WAEC and the Ministry of Education to exempt current SS3 students from the new policy and commence implementation with the 2027–2028 academic session, beginning with current SS1 students.
Seconding the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) criticised what he described as a “culture of anarchism” in policy execution.
He insisted that such a major shift required at least two to three years’ notice and adequate teacher training. “You cannot examine a child on a subject that was never taught,” he said.
Senator Idiat Oluranti (Lagos Central) stressed that the curriculum change could not originate solely from the Federal Ministry of Education, noting that approval from the National Council on Education which includes all state commissioners is required.
She called for a thorough investigation into the process that led to the abrupt curriculum overhaul.
Senator Solomon Adeola (Ogun West) added that most of the newly introduced subjects are practical and resource-intensive, validating the concerns raised by parents and school administrators.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the matter as “very weighty” and warned that the new policy could jeopardise the academic future of Nigerian students. He directed the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education to immediately summon the minister and other relevant officials and present its findings within two weeks.
“We cannot allow this policy to jeopardise the future of our children,” Akpabio stated.
The Senate is expected to revisit the matter before the end of the year after receiving the committee’s report.
