The Federal Government has introduced a new policy designed to make education more affordable for parents, enhance learning standards and promote sustainability in schools through the use of durable, reusable textbooks.
The policy, jointly issued by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, is part of ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s education sector and reduce the financial strain on families. The development was disclosed in a statement released on Friday by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the ministers, the framework prioritises standardised, high-quality textbooks built to last between four and six years, while banning the practice of attaching disposable workbooks to textbooks in schools.
They explained that the shift to reusable learning materials would allow books to be shared among siblings and reused over several academic sessions, cutting repeated expenses for parents and reducing waste in the school system.
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Beyond textbooks, the policy also introduces a uniform academic calendar aimed at improving coordination in teaching, learning and school planning nationwide. In addition, graduation activities have been restructured to curb unnecessary spending by parents.
Under the new guidelines, only pupils and students in Primary 6, Junior Secondary School 3 and Senior Secondary School 3 will be allowed to hold graduation ceremonies. The ministers said this distinction between key milestones and routine class transitions would help eliminate frequent, costly celebrations that have become financially burdensome.
The policy further reinforces quality assurance processes by strengthening the evaluation, selection and use of textbooks and instructional materials across the country, with the goal of improving learning outcomes and ensuring value for money in Nigeria’s education system.
