Dare Babalola
The Federal Government has launched a comprehensive policy initiative designed to alleviate the financial burden of education on parents, enhance academic performance, and foster sustainability in schools. The policy promotes the use of durable, high-quality textbooks and reinforces quality assurance measures.
The policy, launched by Education Minister Dr Maruf Alausa and Minister of State for Education Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, is part of ongoing efforts to revamp Nigeria’s education sector and reduce the financial strain on families.
This information was contained in a statement by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Education, on Friday.
The ministers stated that the policy prioritises standardised, durable textbooks designed to last four to six years and bans the practice of bundling disposable workbooks with textbooks in schools.
The statement quoted the ministers as saying, “Our goal is to ensure that education is both qualitative and affordable.
“By transitioning to durable, reusable textbooks, we are making it possible for siblings to share materials, significantly lowering recurring costs for parents and reducing waste within the school system.”
This approach is intended to ensure that learning materials can be reused across multiple academic sessions, thereby supporting environmental sustainability.
As part of broader sector reforms, the ministers noted that the Federal Government has introduced a uniform academic calendar to promote consistency in teaching, learning, and school planning across the country.
Additionally, graduation ceremonies have been streamlined to alleviate unnecessary financial pressure on parents.
Under the new guidelines, only pupils and students completing Primary 6, Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3), and Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) are permitted to hold graduation ceremonies.
The statement further said, “We must distinguish between milestones and routine transitions. By limiting formal graduations to exit classes, we are protecting parents from the frequent, high-cost celebrations that have become a burden rather than a joy.
“We must distinguish between milestones and routine transitions.
“By limiting formal graduations to exit classes, we are protecting parents from the frequent, high-cost celebrations that have become a burden rather than a joy.”
The ministers also emphasised that the policy strengthens the assessment, quality assurance, selection, and use of textbooks and instructional materials nationwide.
The reforms respond to longstanding concerns over frequent but cosmetic textbook revisions and weak ranking standards.
“We are putting an end to the era of frequent but superficial revisions that compel parents to purchase new books annually without any real improvement in learning outcomes.
“Nigerian students deserve instructional materials that meet international standards of quality and longevity,” the ministers emphasised.
A key aspect of the policy is the introduction of structured revision cycles, where textbook revisions must show significant content improvements, not just minor layout changes, to extend textbook lifespan and ensure value for money.
The ministers also highlighted that the policy introduces limits on the number of approved textbooks per subject and grade level, in line with international best practices observed in countries such as Japan, Kenya, and Tanzania.
“This measure is expected to improve quality, reduce market saturation, and simplify textbook selection processes for schools and education authorities”, the ministers added.
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council will continue to play a central role in the assessment and quality assurance of instructional materials, working closely with relevant education agencies to ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-aligned textbooks are approved for use in schools nationwide.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to education renewal and reform and commended the Universal Basic Education Commission, NERDC, and other technical partners for their contributions to the development of the new policy framework.
The ministers concluded by reaffirming the Federal Government’s resolve to safeguard educational standards, promote equity, and ensure that learners across Nigeria have access to high-quality instructional materials that support effective teaching and learning outcomes.
Historically, Nigerian families maintained a sustainable “hand-me-down” culture where textbooks were preserved and passed from older to younger siblings, significantly reducing the financial burden on the household.
However, this tradition has been systematically eroded over the last decade by the rise of integrated workbooks, where publishers produce “disposable” texts that require students to write directly in them, rendering the books useless for future learners.
This economic strain is further compounded by frequent, often superficial, revisions where minor changes to layout or pagination are marketed as mandatory new editions.
Additionally, the emergence of school monopolies, particularly in the private sector, has forced parents to purchase these materials exclusively through schools at inflated prices, necessitating Federal intervention to restore affordability and common-sense practices to the education system.
