The Federal Government of Nigeria has unveiled a new policy mandating schools to use standardized, durable textbooks designed to remain in circulation for four to six years, and officially banned the use of the long-criticized practice of attaching disposable workbooks to textbooks.
The new framework, issued jointly by the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suiwaba Sai’d, seeks to reduce the financial strain on Nigerian families and improve educational standards, as well as curb the escalating cost of schooling, encourage sustainability, and enhance the quality and relevance of classroom learning materials.
The ministers stated that “This reform allows textbooks to be reused across multiple academic sessions,” emphasizing that the policy will allow siblings to share textbooks, greatly lowering recurring costs for households and reducing waste within the education sector.
Additionally, the policy introduced a standardized academic calendar to promote uniformity in instruction, learning activities, and school planning across the country.
The new policy also simplified graduation ceremonies, specifying that only students finishing from Primary 6, JSS3, and SSS3 will be allowed to hold such events. This measure, intended to reduce unnecessary and excessive expenses, has been widely commended by parents and guardians.
The Ministers emphasized that the policy addresses ongoing issues such as constant but superficial textbook updates, low-quality standards, and practices that compel parents to purchase new textbooks annually without meaningful improvements in the content.
“A major pillar of the reform is the introduction of structured and meaningful revision cycles,” they explained.
“Textbook revisions must now reflect substantive improvements in content, not minor changes in layout or pagination.”
To improve standards, the policy controls the number of approved textbooks for each subject and grade, conforming to global best practices in countries like Japan, Kenya, and Tanzania.
This approach is expected to enhance quality, curtail market overcrowding, and ease the burden of textbook selection for schools.
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to play a key role in evaluating and ensuring the quality of instructional materials, collaborating with relevant agencies to approve only high-standard textbooks that align with the national curriculum for use in the country.
Reiterating the government’s dedication to education reform, the ministry applauded the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), NERDC, and other technical partners for their contributions to the development of the policy.
“The federal government remains resolute in safeguarding educational standards, promoting equity, reducing costs for parents, and ensuring that learners across Nigeria have access to high-quality instructional materials that support effective teaching and learning,” the ministers stated.