The Federal Government has announced a new policy aimed at reducing the cost of education for parents while improving learning quality and promoting environmental sustainability in Nigerian schools.
Under the policy, schools will adopt durable, reusable textbooks designed to last four to six years, allowing books to be shared by siblings and reused across academic sessions.
The government has also banned the practice of attaching disposable workbooks to textbooks, a move officials say has forced parents to buy new books every year.
The policy was jointly unveiled by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suiwaba Sai’d, as part of broader reforms to ease the financial burden on families and reposition the education sector.
According to the ministers, the initiative will significantly lower recurring school expenses for parents, reduce waste in schools, and support sustainability efforts.
Beyond textbooks, the Federal Government has also introduced a uniform academic calendar to ensure consistency in teaching, learning, and school planning nationwide.
In another cost-cutting move, the government has restricted graduation ceremonies to only pupils and students completing Primary 6, JSS3, and SSS3, in order to curb unnecessary expenses placed on parents.
The ministers said the new framework strengthens textbook assessment and quality assurance, addressing concerns over frequent but superficial textbook revisions that offer little improvement in content yet force parents to make repeated purchases.
Under the revised guidelines, textbook updates must show clear and meaningful improvements, not just changes in layout or page numbers. The policy also limits the number of approved textbooks per subject and class, in line with international best practices.
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to oversee the evaluation and approval of textbooks to ensure they meet curriculum and quality standards.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to improving access to quality education, reducing costs for parents, and ensuring Nigerian learners have the tools they need to succeed.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
