The Federal Government has rolled out a new policy that introduces a nationwide ranking system for textbooks used in primary and secondary schools across Nigeria. The aim is to raise the standard of learning materials and ensure students are taught with more accurate and well-structured content.

Under the new arrangement, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will still approve textbooks, but approved books will now be further assessed and ranked based on factors such as content quality, clarity, and how well they align with the national curriculum.

A major change in the policy is that only the highest-ranked textbooks will be officially recommended for use in schools for each subject and class level. This is intended to streamline learning resources and reduce the confusion caused by too many different textbooks on the same subject.

Evaluation will be carried out by panels of subject experts who will review textbooks for academic quality, teaching effectiveness, and compliance with curriculum standards.

The government has also indicated that textbooks not included in the approved ranking list will no longer be permitted for use in schools, even if they were previously accepted under older guidelines.

The rollout of the system is expected to begin in September 2026, following consultations with key stakeholders and the finalisation of assessment procedures.

In summary

This reform is designed to improve consistency in education materials across Nigeria, ensuring that students nationwide learn from more reliable and standardised textbooks while reducing inconsistencies in school curricula.