Integrating Digital Literacy and National Values into Nigeria’s Basic Education Curriculum: Implications for Education Management and 21st-Century Citizenship

Abstract

This study examines the policy and pedagogical separation of digital literacy from national values in Nigeria’s basic education curriculum and tests an integrated solution. Employing a mixed-methods concurrent triangulation design, the research piloted a 12-week cross-curricular Digital Citizenship and Values (DCV) module in 36 public primary and junior secondary schools, involving 3,600 Grade 5 and Junior Secondary 2 learners and 216 teachers. The module deliberately merged technical digital skills with core national values (integrity, respect for diversity, patriotism, discipline, and anti-corruption) through authentic, value-laden digital tasks. Quantitative results from a validated 40-item Digital Literacy and Values Scale showed that the treatment group outperformed matched controls by 3.23 points (Hedges’ g = 0.42, p < 0.001), with the largest gains in ethical online behaviour and respectful digital communication. Teachers in the treatment group recorded a 0.68-point increase in technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) scores and 2.3 times more value-linked digital episodes per lesson. Qualitative findings from head-teacher interviews and School-Based Management Committee focus groups identified timetable congestion (72%), unreliable electricity (61%), need for continuous professional development (55%), and community scepticism (33%) as key governance barriers. The evidence demonstrates that integration is both feasible and effective when infrastructure, ongoing teacher support, and stakeholder engagement are synchronised. Policy recommendations target the 2026 Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) review, reallocation of existing UBEC grants, and establishment of national e-waste and child-data governance frameworks. The findings provide transferable insights for education systems aiming to produce digitally competent and socially cohesive 21st-century citizens.