The Federal Government has announced a sweeping new policy aimed at reducing the cost of education for Nigerian families by introducing reusable, high-quality textbooks across schools nationwide.
The policy framework, jointly unveiled in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suiwaba Sai’d, is designed to ease financial pressure on parents, improve learning outcomes, and promote sustainability within the education system.
Under the new guidelines, schools will adopt standardised, durable textbooks built to last between four and six years. The long-standing practice of bundling disposable workbooks with textbooks has also been banned.
According to the ministers, the reform will allow textbooks to be reused across several academic sessions, enabling siblings to share books and significantly reducing recurring education expenses, while also cutting waste.
The policy goes beyond textbooks, introducing additional measures to lower costs and improve quality. A uniform academic calendar has been rolled out to ensure consistency in teaching and school planning nationwide.
Graduation ceremonies have also been streamlined. Only pupils completing Primary 6, JSS3, and SSS3 will be permitted to hold graduation events, a move aimed at curbing unnecessary spending by schools and parents.
The ministers explained that the policy addresses long-standing concerns over frequent but superficial textbook revisions, weak quality control, and practices that forced parents to purchase new books every year without meaningful content improvement.
They noted that textbook revisions will now follow structured and meaningful cycles, ensuring that changes reflect genuine updates in content rather than minor alterations in layout or pagination.
To further raise standards, the number of approved textbooks per subject and grade level will be limited, bringing Nigeria in line with international best practices seen in countries such as Japan, Kenya, and Tanzania. This is expected to improve quality, reduce market overcrowding, and simplify textbook selection for schools.
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council will continue to play a central role in evaluating and approving instructional materials, working alongside relevant agencies to ensure full alignment with the national curriculum.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to education reform, the ministers commended the Universal Basic Education Commission, the NERDC, and other technical partners for their contributions to the policy.
They stressed that the reform reflects the government’s determination to protect educational standards, promote fairness, reduce costs for parents, and ensure that learners across Nigeria have access to quality instructional materials that support effective teaching and learning.
