Curriculum Development Challenges in Islamic Education at the Basic Education Level in Taraba State

This study examines the challenges of curriculum development in Islamic education at the basic education level in Taraba State, North East Nigeria. Taraba State's ethno-religious diversity and the coexistence of government, missionary, and Islamic schools create a complex environment for curriculum planning in Islamic Studies. The study employs a descriptive survey design with questionnaires and interview guides administered to 60 curriculum developers, school inspectors, and Islamic Studies teachers across Jalingo, Zing, and Lau local government areas. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings reveal challenges including inadequate representation of northern Nigerian Muslim cultural heritage in nationally developed Islamic Studies curricula, a lack of trained Islamic curriculum specialists at the state level, limited community input into curriculum design processes, and insufficient instructional materials that reflect local Islamic educational traditions. The study recommends the constitution of a Taraba State Islamic Curriculum Development Committee inclusive of local scholars and community stakeholders, investment in state-level curriculum specialist training, and contextualisation of national Islamic Studies curricula to reflect regional Islamic knowledge traditions. These findings are relevant to the Taraba State Universal Basic Education Board, the National Educational Research and Development Council, and Islamic education reform bodies. Keywords: curriculum development, Islamic education, basic education, Taraba State, educational planning.