- The Health Emergency Initiative and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council concluded plans to embed Emergency Health Education into Nigeria’s primary and secondary school curriculum
- At the Emergency Health Education Curriculum Conference, stakeholders endorsed structured lessons in first aid, CPR, and emergency response to build resilience and preparedness among students
- HEI’s Executive Director Paschal Achunine disclosed that the programme would be integrated into core subjects and supported by a standalone module, pending formal approvals for nationwide rollout
The Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), in collaboration with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), has concluded plans to integrate Emergency Health Education into Nigeria’s primary and secondary school curriculum.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued following the recently concluded Emergency Health Education Curriculum Conference, which organisers described as a significant step towards strengthening health security and emergency preparedness within the education sector.
According to the statement, the conference brought together key stakeholders from the health, education, policy and emergency response sectors to deliberate on incorporating structured emergency health knowledge into the national academic framework for both public and private schools.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Salisu Shehu, underscored the urgency of institutionalising emergency health education within the school system. He described the initiative as a proactive strategy aimed at building resilient communities and fostering a culture of preparedness from an early age.
Shehu noted that embedding emergency health principles in the curriculum would equip pupils with essential life-saving knowledge and skills, positioning schools as foundational platforms for community safety and rapid response awareness.
Chairman of HEI’s Board of Trustees, Emmanuel Imafidon, characterised the collaboration with NERDC as a landmark achievement in aligning emergency health awareness with national educational standards. He reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child acquires practical competencies capable of saving lives in critical situations.
The conference featured expert-led presentations delivered by more than 20 scholars, medical consultants, emergency practitioners and certified trainers. Policy dialogues and strategic planning sessions were also conducted under the guidance of NERDC’s curriculum development team.
Participants observed practical demonstrations, including Basic First Aid management for road traffic accidents and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), highlighting the hands-on component of the proposed curriculum.
In his closing remarks, HEI’s Executive Director, Paschal Achunine, disclosed that Emergency Health Education would be integrated into relevant core subjects nationwide once formal approvals are secured. He further revealed that a standalone curriculum module would be developed to strengthen and standardise the programme.
Achunine added that the deployment of the Health Emergency Rapid Aid initiative would complement the nationwide rollout, enhancing rapid response capabilities and reinforcing practical learning outcomes.
Representatives of partner agencies commended the initiative, describing it as timely and essential in a country frequently confronted with public health emergencies and accident-related incidents.
The conference concluded with stakeholders pledging to accelerate policy adoption, deepen inter-sector collaboration and ensure the nationwide implementation of the Emergency Health Education curriculum, signalling a coordinated effort to embed life-saving knowledge at the heart of Nigeria’s education system.