Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a comprehensive policy framework designed to ease the financial burden of education on families while strengthening learning outcomes and promoting sustainability across the nation’s basic and secondary school systems. The new policy was jointly unveiled by Education Minister Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa and his deputy, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, during a briefing in Abuja, signalling a major reform aimed at repositioning the education sector.
At the heart of the policy is a shift toward standardised, reusable textbooks. Under the new framework, textbooks must be high‑quality and durable enough to last between four and six years, and schools are prohibited from bundling disposable workbooks with textbook purchases. The intent is to allow books to be used across several academic sessions, shared among siblings, and ultimately lower recurring costs for parents, who often face steep annual expenses for educational materials.
The introduction of reusable textbooks also aligns with sustainability goals by reducing waste in the school system, a point emphasised by ministry officials as part of broader efforts to modernise and standardise educational resources nationwide.
The new policy also introduces a uniform academic calendar that will apply to schools across the country. The Ministry of Education says the uniform calendar is intended to promote greater consistency in teaching, learning and school planning nationwide, addressing long‑standing irregularities in academic schedules from state to state.
Addressing other areas of financial strain on families, the framework streamlines graduation ceremonies so that only students completing key terminal classes — Primary Six, Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3), and Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) — will hold formal ceremonies. Government officials said this measure will help curb unnecessary spending commonly associated with school celebrations that often impose extra costs on parents.
In addition to these core elements, the policy strengthens standards of assessment, quality assurance and textbook selection, seeking to eliminate frequent, minor, cosmetic textbook revisions that have previously forced parents to buy new editions with little substantive content change. The framework requires that future textbook revisions be meaningful and reflective of real improvements in curriculum content, a move aimed at enhancing value for money and stabilising learning materials over time.
The reforms also set limits on the number of approved textbooks per subject and grade level, a strategy modelled on international best practices observed in education systems elsewhere, such as Japan and Kenya, and intended to reduce confusion and simplify textbook selection for schools.
Under the new framework, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will retain its central role in evaluating and approving instructional materials, working in collaboration with other agencies such as the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to ensure only curriculum‑aligned, high‑quality textbooks are sanctioned for use nationwide.
Government officials have emphasised that the policy is part of a broader suite of reforms to improve Nigeria’s education system, with measures also underway to revise the national curriculum, improve teacher development and expand access to educational opportunities. While challenges remain — including infrastructure deficits and regional disparities in education delivery — authorities say the new framework represents a step toward more equitable, affordable and sustainable schooling for millions of Nigerian children and families.
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