The Federal Government of Nigeria has unveiled a comprehensive policy framework to reduce the cost of education for parents, improve learning outcomes, and promote sustainability in schools through the adoption of reusable, high-quality textbooks and strengthened quality assurance mechanisms.
The policy, jointly issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id, is part of ongoing reforms to reposition Nigeria’s education sector and ease financial pressure on families.
The Ministers explained that the policy prioritises standardised, durable textbooks designed to last four to six years and expressly prohibits the bundling of disposable workbooks with textbooks. This will allow textbooks to be reused across multiple academic sessions, enable siblings to share learning materials, significantly lower recurring costs for parents, and reduce waste, thereby supporting environmental sustainability.
They further noted that the Federal Government has introduced a uniform academic calendar to promote consistency in teaching, learning, and school planning nationwide. Graduation ceremonies have also been streamlined, with only pupils and students completing Primary 6, JSS3, and SSS3 permitted to hold such ceremonies.
The policy strengthens the assessment, selection, and quality assurance of instructional materials, addressing concerns over frequent cosmetic textbook revisions and practices that compel parents to purchase new books annually without improved content. Structured revision cycles now require substantive content improvements, while limits on the number of approved textbooks per subject and grade align with international best practices.
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to lead textbook quality assurance. The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to education reform, equity, and access to high-quality instructional materials nationwide.
