Education Reform: Nigeria Introduces Quality Ranking for School Books

Education Reform: Nigeria Introduces Quality Ranking for School Books

The Federal Government has introduced a National Textbook Ranking System for primary, junior, and senior secondary schools across Nigeria as part of ongoing education reforms aimed at improving quality assurance, curriculum standardisation, and learning outcomes.

The policy was announced by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, through a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, in Abuja.

According to the Ministry, the reform is designed to address the widespread issue of textbook proliferation in Nigerian schools, where multiple competing materials exist for the same subjects, often creating confusion for teachers, students, and parents while increasing education costs.

Alausa explained that while the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue its statutory role of approving textbooks, the new system introduces an additional layer of structured ranking and evaluation to determine the most suitable materials for classroom use.

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Under the framework, NERDC will establish Standing Subject Committees made up of subject-matter experts who will conduct detailed reviews of textbooks submitted by publishers. These committees will assess books based on academic accuracy, curriculum alignment, pedagogical quality, and usability in classrooms before assigning rankings.

The Minister said only a limited number of top-ranked textbooks per subject and class level will be recommended for use in schools nationwide, marking a shift from the current system where multiple approved books are available without clear quality hierarchy.

He further stated that textbooks not ranked under the new system will no longer be permitted for use in Nigerian schools, even if they had previously received approval under earlier guidelines.

According to him, the reform is aimed at introducing transparency, order, and international best practices into Nigeria’s instructional material system, while also improving consistency in teaching and learning across public and private schools.

The Federal Government also said the policy will help reduce the financial burden on parents by limiting frequent textbook changes and discouraging unnecessary annual revisions by publishers.

Alausa noted that stakeholders, including teachers, school administrators, and education experts, will be engaged ahead of implementation to ensure smooth adoption and compliance.

He confirmed that implementation of the textbook ranking system will begin from the September 2026 academic session, following the completion of committee setup and finalisation of evaluation guidelines.

Education analysts say the policy could significantly reshape Nigeria’s basic education system by standardising learning materials and improving accountability in textbook publishing.

Education Reform: Nigeria Introduces Quality Ranking for School Books