The genesis of a formal gifted education program in Nigeria is traced from the period of the articulation of a national policy on education, through the pioneer magnet school approach, to the establishment of an academy for gifted children in 1987. Issues and problems besetting gifted education are recounted. (Author/CR)

This paper describes two Department of Education reports on gifted education--1972's Marland Report and 1993's "National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent." It relates report findings to findings from a survey of states' policies. The paper calls for states to design programs that nurture talent potential of all students…