The Federal Government has rolled out a new National Textbook Ranking System for primary, junior, and senior secondary schools across the country. The policy signals a major overhaul in how learning materials are selected and used in Nigerian classrooms.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the initiative alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaba Sai’d Ahmad. The reform aims to address the widespread use of substandard textbooks and ensure that only materials that meet curriculum standards are approved for schools.
Under the new arrangement, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue its role of approving textbooks. However, the agency will now also rank them through a comprehensive national assessment process. Authorities explained that the ranking will identify the most appropriate and high-quality textbooks for each subject and level.
As part of the process, NERDC will set up standing subject committees made up of specialists from different academic fields. These committees will review submitted textbooks and assess their quality, clarity, and alignment with national educational standards before assigning rankings.
The government said only a limited number of top-rated textbooks will be approved for each subject. This step is expected to reduce the excess number of books currently in circulation, which has created confusion among teachers, students, and parents.
Officials also made it clear that any textbook that does not pass through the ranking system will no longer be allowed in classrooms, regardless of previous approval status. The move reflects the government’s effort to strengthen quality control in the education sector.
The policy will take effect from the September 2026 academic session. Authorities plan to carry out nationwide awareness campaigns for teachers and other stakeholders to support compliance.
According to the government, the reform aligns Nigeria’s education system with global standards in textbook regulation. It also forms part of broader efforts to improve learning outcomes, enhance quality assurance, and provide students with reliable educational materials.
