Tracking the Impact of Competency-Based Curriculum Reform in Nigerian Elementary School Practices (2015-2024)
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Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Auladuna: Journal of Teacher Training for Madrassa Ibtidaiyah Department
Abstract
In recent years, global educational discourse has shifted towards competency
based curriculum (CBC) models, advocating for learner-centred, skills-driven
instruction that prepares students for 21st-century realities. Nigeria, responding
to this momentum, initiated a reform of its basic education curriculum between
2015 and 2024. However, despite widespread policy revisions, questions remain
about how deeply these reforms have penetrated elementary school practices.
This research was conducted to critically assess the extent to which CBC
principles have been implemented in Nigerian primary schools and to examine
the systemic factors that influence or inhibit their success. To achieve this, the
research employed a qualitative secondary data analysis approach, drawing
from national curriculum documents, official policy briefs, education sector
reports, statistical bulletins, and peer-reviewed studies spanning nearly a
decade. Thematic content analysis was used to identify patterns in curriculum
alignment, pedagogical practice, teacher preparedness, and assessment
outcomes. The findings revealed a significant gap between policy aspirations
and classroom realities. While CBC-aligned documents articulate clear goals
such as critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving, practical
implementation has been marred by limited teacher training, infrastructural
inadequacies, and continued reliance on rote-based assessments. Teachers
often demonstrate surface-level compliance with CBC strategies without
meaningful instructional transformation. The research concludes that
meaningful reform requires more than policy innovation; it demands
investment in teacher capacity, assessment redesign, and system-wide
coherence. By providing a longitudinal and documentary synthesis, this
research contributes a grounded framework for understanding curriculum
reform in resource-constrained contexts and highlights pathways for
sustainable implementation in Nigerian basic education.