For the background to the curriculum that originally introduced Religion and National Values, read our earlier explanation of Nigeria’s revised Basic Education Curriculum.
1. What RNV means
RNV means Religion and National Values. It was a composite subject that brought together Christian Religious Studies or Islamic Studies, Social Studies, Civic Education and Security Education under Nigeria’s Basic Education Curriculum.
Under the revised curriculum being introduced from the 2025/2026 academic year, RNV is no longer listed as one composite subject. CRS and Islamic Studies are listed separately, while Nigerian History and Social and Citizenship Studies appear as distinct subjects.2. Subjects formerly contained in RNV
- Christian Religious Studies;
- Islamic Studies;
- Social Studies;
- Civic Education;
- Security Education.
Christian and Muslim pupils were not expected to study both religions. Schools were required to organise separate Christian Religious Studies and Islamic Studies classes according to the pupils’ religious backgrounds.
3. Why RNV was introduced
RNV was introduced mainly to reduce subject overload by grouping related religion, citizenship, social and value-oriented subjects under one curriculum heading.
The arrangement reduced the number of subjects appearing on school timetables, although the different components were still expected to be taught by suitably qualified teachers.
4. Is RNV still a subject?
No. RNV does not appear as a composite subject in the revised Basic Education Curriculum.
Its former components have either been separated or reorganised. Religious education is now listed independently, while citizenship and social-learning content is taught through Social and Citizenship Studies.
Therefore, a school implementing the revised curriculum should no longer present Religion and National Values as one combined subject for the affected classes.
5. What replaced RNV?
| Former RNV component | Position in the revised curriculum |
|---|---|
| Christian Religious Studies | Listed separately for Christian pupils |
| Islamic Studies | Listed separately for Muslim pupils |
| Social Studies | Incorporated into Social and Citizenship Studies |
| Civic Education | Incorporated into Social and Citizenship Studies |
| Security Education | Not listed as a separate subject |
| Nigerian History | Introduced as a compulsory separate subject from Pri. 1 to JSS 3 |
The Federal Ministry of Education lists Nigerian History as compulsory from Primary 1 to JSS 3.
Security-related topics may still be incorporated into relevant subjects and learning activities even though Security Education is not listed as a separate subject.
6. What the change means for schools
Implications of this changes includes:
Timetable adjustments
Schools may need to revise their timetables to accommodate Nigerian History, Social and Citizenship Studies and separate religious-studies classes.
Teacher deployment
Competent teachers should be assigned to the newly separated subjects. A teacher previously responsible for the complete RNV package may not necessarily be qualified to teach every component.
Revision of lesson notes
Existing RNV lesson notes and lesson plans will need to be reviewed and reorganised according to the learning outcomes of the new subject curricula.
Older materials are not necessarily completely useless because some topics may remain relevant, but they should not be used as substitutes for the revised curriculum.
New instructional materials
Schools will need textbooks, schemes of work and teaching resources aligned with the revised subjects.
Parents and schools should confirm that a textbook follows the current curriculum before purchasing it merely because it carries the label “RNV.”
Clearer religious-studies arrangements
- Separation of CRS and Islamic Studies classes resolves the longstanding criticism of the old Basic Education Curriculum by parents and religious stakeholders.
7. Implementation timeline
The revised curriculum is being introduced in phases.
The official implementation strategy begins with:
- Primary 1;
- Primary 4; and
- JSS 1.
It then progresses to the next class levels each year, with full introduction across the basic education classes expected within three years. This phased approach gives schools and education authorities time to train teachers and provide suitable instructional resources.
Because implementation may differ in practice across states and schools, administrators should also follow directives from their State Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Board.
Conclusion
RNV means Religion and National Values, but it is no longer listed as one composite subject in Nigeria’s revised Basic Education Curriculum.
Its major components have been separated or reorganised into Christian Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, Nigerian History and Social and Citizenship Studies.
Schools should therefore update their timetables, lesson plans, report sheets and instructional materials according to the revised curriculum rather than continuing to treat RNV as one subject.
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