By Bala Ajayi

DAMATURU — The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has said it is working towards a smooth phasing out of the old school curriculum by 2011.

The council also plans to embark on capacity building of teachers in both private and public junior secondary schools.

At a press briefing on the 9-year basic education curriculum in Damaturu, organised by the governing board of the NERDC on Tuesday, team leader of the advocacy group Professor Fred Onyeoziri said, “The council, in collaboration with individual states is organising a two-day sensitisation workshop for teachers of primary and junior secondary schools just as the council is developing and printing teachers handbook on the 9-year basic education curriculum.”

He stressed that the 9-year curriculum is meant to cover all the basic education needed to function in the society. He emphasised that primary school certificate will cease to be valid as soon as the curriculum is fully implemented and that with the resources on ground no child will be allowed to terminate education at the primary school level.

Professor fred Onyeoziri informed the gathering that “ the 9 year basic education programme is not meant to replace the 6-3-3-4 system of education as the programme stands, but the first 9 years is meant for the basic education programme which is the major concern of the NERDC and the UBE”.