The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has announced the commencement of submissions for the 2026 Phase 1 assessment, reassessment and ranking of textbooks and other instructional resources.
In a public notice signed by the Executive Secretary of , , the council said the exercise follows a new policy introduced by the Federal Ministry of Education aimed at improving and streamlining the selection and approval of educational materials.
According to the notice, the 2026 assessment exercise will be conducted in three phases. Phase 1 will cover Primary 1, Primary 4, Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) and Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1), while subsequent phases will address the remaining class levels.
NERDC directed all publishers and other stakeholders in the book industry to submit textbooks for assessment or reassessment, including books that had previously undergone evaluation. The council explained that the requirement became necessary following the introduction of a ranking system in the approval process.
The council further stated that all textbooks intended for ranking must first pass through an enhanced assessment process based on newly approved standards and benchmarks.
Submission of textbooks and instructional materials for Phase 1 will commence on June 8, 2026, and close on June 19, 2026. NERDC warned that late submissions would not be considered for assessment and ranking during the phase.
The council noted that payment for assessment and ranking would follow newly approved procedures contained in the Book Quality Guidelines and Submission Procedure available on the NERDC website.
NERDC added that the assessment and ranking of all submitted materials for Phase 1 would be completed by July 31, 2026.
Publishers, authors, printers, distributors and other stakeholders were advised to familiarize themselves with the new guidelines and comply fully with the requirements outlined by the council.
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