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Science EducationESUT · Faculty of Education
Research ArticleOpen Access

The Need for Adoption of Responsive Curriculum in Nigerian Secondary Schools

Bernardine N. Nweze1*, Emmanuel C. Obodo1

  1. 1Department of Science Education, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Enugu, Nigeria

* Corresponding author: Bernardine N. Nweze

Abstract

A responsive curriculum is a curriculum that is relevant to the current and anticipated needs, problems and aspirations of the learners. Unfortunately, the curriculum that is in use does not address the anticipated needs, problems and aspirations of the learners, or it is not responsive enough to meet the technological needs of the society. Therefore, a concerted effort and a total overhauling towards our education policy is imminent at this point in time. The present curriculum enthrones western culture in our land, thereby, undermining the culture and value of different states in this nation. Our educational system and value have been raped and murdered on the altar of modernization. The Nigeria education system is in trouble; and every day it continues to dwindle and deteriorate in essence, structure and purpose. The extent of damage that has been meted on our education is too alarming. The work revealed that in order to remedy the illness with Nigeria curriculum, there is need for the adoption of responsive curriculum development and employ this curriculum strictly in Nigerian education system. It showed that amongst other features, responsive curriculum should be: integrated and interdisciplinary, authentic, learner-centered and oriented to real life situations, utilizing materials from the learner's culture, assisting the learner to develop critical thinking ability. It also revealed that for the attainment of Nigeria's development through the instrumentality of curriculum, it is imperative that curriculum designers develop a responsive curriculum whose adoption in the Nigerian schools will develop valuable human capital that is needed for economic growth and human development. In view of the study, the researchers recommended that: curriculum experts should design a curriculum that is responsive to the current needs, aspirations and problems of the people, and in line with technological advancement, Government should motivate teachers through increase in salary and allowances so as tO encourage them in putting in their best in harnessing the potentials of our future generation and teachers should prepare their teaching contents/objectives by effectively utilizing materials/ideas from learner's culture.

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Publication history

Published
1 July 2024

Copyright & licence. © 2024 the author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 licence, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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