The Federal Government has unveiled a new policy framework aimed at reducing the cost of education for parents while improving learning outcomes and promoting sustainability in schools across the country.
The policy, jointly issued by Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, and Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, Minister of State for Education, was released to journalists in Abuja on Friday amid growing concerns over rising education expenses, frequent textbook changes, and declining learning outcomes in primary and secondary schools.
According to the ministers, the framework is part of ongoing reforms to reposition Nigeria’s education sector and ease the financial burden on families. A key feature of the policy is the introduction of standardised, high-quality textbooks designed to last between four and six years.
Under the new rules, schools are prohibited from bundling disposable workbooks with textbooks. This, the ministers said, will allow learning materials to be reused across multiple academic sessions, enable siblings to share textbooks, and significantly reduce recurring costs for parents, while also cutting waste and supporting environmental sustainability.
The policy also addresses longstanding complaints about frequent textbook revisions that offer little or no improvement in content. The ministers noted that many parents are forced to buy new books annually due to minor layout or design changes rather than meaningful updates.
Under the framework, textbook revisions must follow structured and clearly defined cycles, with changes reflecting substantive improvements in content and learning outcomes rather than cosmetic alterations.
To strengthen quality control, the policy limits the number of approved textbooks per subject and grade level. This approach, the ministry said, aligns with international best practices seen in countries such as Japan, Kenya, and Tanzania, and is expected to reduce confusion in classrooms, improve teaching consistency, and ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-aligned materials are used.
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to play a central role in assessing and approving instructional materials. Working with other education agencies, the council will ensure that only textbooks aligned with the national curriculum are authorised for use in schools nationwide.
Beyond textbooks, the policy introduces a uniform academic calendar to promote consistency in teaching, learning, and school planning across the country.
Graduation ceremonies have also been streamlined to reduce financial pressure on parents. Under the new guidelines, only pupils and students completing Primary Six, Junior Secondary School Three, and Senior Secondary School Three will be permitted to hold graduation ceremonies.
The initiative builds on a series of recent reforms in the education sector, including a comprehensive review of the national curriculum to reduce content overload and align learning with modern skills demands, new admission guidelines to expand access to tertiary education, and the rollout of a digital portal for teachers’ registration and certification.
The Federal Government has also moved to curb examination malpractice through new measures in WAEC and NECO exams, including enhanced question randomisation, unique learner identifiers, and strengthened supervision, as part of efforts to restore confidence in national assessments.
