NBAIS official seeks curriculum review, wider acceptance of board’s certificates

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

Ustaz Abdul-Lateef Adekilekun, Special Assistant to the Registrar of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), Prof. Yahuza Imam, has called for a review of the board’s curriculum, urging the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) and NBAIS to update the syllabus that has been in use since 2011.

Speaking with journalists on Monday in Osogbo, Adekilekun said the review would make the curriculum more accessible to schools and further strengthen the quality of Arabic and Islamic education in the country.

He also urged tertiary institutions yet to recognise NBAIS certificates for admission to comply with the National Universities Commission (NUC) directive mandating their acceptance.

According to him, NBAIS, which conducts the Senior Arabic and Islamic Secondary School Certificate Examination (SAISSCE), is not a religious body but an examination body comparable to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).

He explained that the board integrates Arabic and Islamic education with conventional Western education, noting that candidates from 26 states currently sit for its examinations across about 1,600 affiliated schools nationwide.

He added that both Muslim and Christian students in these schools study Arabic and Islamic Studies alongside core subjects such as Mathematics and English.

The aide, who stressed that NBAIS certificates are not inferior to those issued by WAEC and NECO, noted that the board has existed since 1960, having been established initially as the Board of Arabic and Islamic Studies (BAIS) for Northern Nigeria, and therefore should not be regarded as a new institution.

“From about 20 schools in 1988, the board now supervises approximately 1,600 schools across the country,” he said.