The Senate on Tuesday, the 9th of December, 2025, issued a mandate to its Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, instructing it to summon the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, along with the heads of other relevant agencies. This action was taken in response to what the Senate termed the “sudden implementation of a new curriculum and registration guideline” released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The decision followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi (APC Kogi West), who cautioned that the policy shift poses a significant risk of causing “widespread failure among students scheduled to sit for the 2026 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE).”
Senator Karimi presented the motion, highlighting an abrupt and “ill-prepared” policy change initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education and WAEC. He explained that the new guideline mandates all current Senior Secondary Three (SS3) students nationwide to adopt a curriculum that was originally intended for students currently in SS1, who are scheduled to sit for the WAEC examination in the 2027–2028 academic year.
He noted that this unexpected transition has resulted in the removal of established courses, such as Computer Studies and Civic Education, from the May/June 2026 WAEC syllabus, despite students having prepared for them for years. Senator Karimi warned that, as a result, most students would be left with only six examinable subjects, falling short of the mandated minimum of eight (and maximum of nine).
The Senator asserted that the Senate is obligated to act, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which prioritizes citizens’ welfare, and Section 18, which charges the government with ensuring “equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.”
Adding his voice to the debate, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC Edo North) strongly condemned what he called a “culture of anarchism” in policy execution. He criticized the introduction of a new curriculum without sufficient resources, including adequate teachers, laboratories, or proper notification to parents and schools.
He stressed the impracticality of the decision: “You cannot wake up overnight and say that in June students will be examined in a subject they have not been taught. Intentions are not enough. Proper homework must be done.”
Oshiomhole urged the Senate to invite the Minister and relevant agencies to demonstrate evidence of preparedness before any such significant policy shift is permitted.
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Similarly, Senator Idiat Adebule (APC Lagos Central) pointed out that crucial educational decisions must be approved by the National Council on Education, which involves all state commissioners. She called for a broader investigation into the entire proposed curriculum review.
In his closing remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, directed that the Minister of Education, the heads of relevant education agencies, and the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education must meet to resolve the concerns that have been raised.
Akpabio confirmed that the Senate had already approved one of the prayers concerning the immediate exclusion of current SS3 students from the new curriculum, but agreed that a comprehensive engagement with the Ministry was necessary before a final directive could be issued.
He emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating: “These are very weighty issues. We cannot risk mass failure in the 2026 WAEC examinations. The relevant committees should invite the Minister immediately and report back within two weeks.”