FG Scraps Mother Tongue Teaching Policy In Schools

The Federal Government has scrapped the 2022 National Language Policy, which required that pupils from early childhood to Primary Six be taught using their mother tongue or the language of their immediate environment.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the reversal on Wednesday in Abuja during the opening of the Language in Education International Conference 2025, organised by the British Council.

Alausa revealed that English will now serve as the language of instruction across all Nigerian schools, from the primary to tertiary levels. He attributed the poor performance of pupils in national examinations to the use of mother tongues as the main medium of instruction.

According to him, data-driven research by the ministry revealed that the policy had “destroyed” the education system, allowing pupils to advance through classes without acquiring essential literacy skills.

He declared, “The National Policy on Language has been cancelled. English is now the language of instruction in our schools, from primary to tertiary levels. Language is one of the most powerful tools in education, and we must ensure it enhances learning across all subjects.”

The Minister also pointed out the challenges created by Nigeria’s linguistic diversity. He said, “The policy stated that mother tongue would be used in early primary education, but its implementation varied widely across the geopolitical zones, and in many areas, it was not used at all.”

Alausa added that after reviewing extensive data, the government found that teaching in mother tongues had failed to yield positive results. “We discovered that overuse of mother tongue from Primary One to Primary Six, and even into JSS classes, has caused total collapse in learning outcomes. Many students reach SS3 and still cannot read or write properly. They eventually fail WAEC, JAMB, and NECO,” he said.

Highlighting regional differences, he noted that while English is the language of national examinations, pupils are often taught in local dialects. “In Borno, the mother tongue is Hausa, but many speak Kanuri. In Lagos, some communities like Ajegunle are dominated by southeastern residents, yet most teachers are Yoruba. We need a unified instructional language to bridge these gaps,” he added.

British Council Country Director, Donna McGowan, said the conference aims to strengthen English language proficiency and provide testing solutions to improve education outcomes. She added that it brings together educators, researchers, and policymakers from Africa, South Asia, and the UK to discuss how language can support inclusion and better learning results.

The now-abolished 2022 Language Policy had sought to promote indigenous languages and cultural heritage, recognising over 600 Nigerian languages—29 of which are already extinct. However, it struggled with challenges such as a lack of teaching materials, insufficient teacher training, and the nation’s linguistic complexity.