The Federal Government has announced the introduction of a National Textbook Ranking System for Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools nationwide, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen quality assurance and standardisation in Nigeria’s education sector.
The initiative aims to tackle the growing proliferation of textbooks in schools and ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-compliant learning materials are approved for classroom use.
The development was disclosed by the Honourable Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, alongside the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Suiwaba Sai'd Ahmad. They explained that under the new system, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to exercise its statutory responsibility of approving textbooks for use in Nigerian schools.
However, beyond approval, textbooks will now be ranked through a structured national evaluation process to determine the most suitable and highest-quality options for each subject and level of education.
As part of the reform, NERDC will establish Standing Subject Committees made up of experts in various disciplines. These committees will conduct detailed assessments of textbooks submitted by publishers, using clearly defined academic and pedagogical criteria.
Following the evaluation process, only a limited number of textbooks will be ranked and approved for each subject, ensuring improved quality control and consistency in teaching and learning materials across schools.
The new ranking system is expected to significantly reduce the excessive number of textbooks currently in circulation, which has often created confusion for teachers, students and parents. It will also introduce greater transparency, order and quality assurance into the approval process while aligning Nigeria’s education system with global best practices in instructional material standardisation.
Under the policy, NERDC will continue licensing textbooks. However, any textbook that does not receive a ranking under the new system will not be allowed for use in Nigerian schools, regardless of its previous licensing status.
The Federal Government said it will engage teachers and other key stakeholders to ensure awareness and compliance with the new framework.
Implementation of the National Textbook Ranking System is scheduled to commence from the September 2026 academic session, following the establishment of the Standing Subject Committees and completion of the evaluation framework.
The government reaffirmed that the reform is part of broader efforts to improve education delivery, enhance learning outcomes, and ensure Nigerian students have access to the best possible learning resources.
Elijah Adeyemi
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