The Federal Authorities has unveiled a complete coverage framework geared toward lowering the price of schooling for fogeys, enhancing studying outcomes, and selling sustainability in faculties by means of the adoption of reusable, high-quality textbooks and strengthened high quality assurance mechanisms.
Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Schooling, Folasade Boriowo, in an announcement issued on Friday in Abuja, stated the coverage was collectively issued by the Minister of Schooling, Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Schooling, Suiwaba Sa’id.
She added that the brand new coverage types a part of ongoing reforms to reposition Nigeria’s schooling sector and ease the monetary burden on households.
The ministers defined that the coverage prioritises the usage of standardised, sturdy textbooks designed to final between 4 and 6 years, whereas expressly prohibiting the bundling of disposable workbooks with textbooks in faculties.
This method is meant to make sure that studying supplies may be reused throughout a number of tutorial classes.
In line with them, the initiative will enable siblings to share textbooks, considerably scale back recurring schooling prices for fogeys, and minimise waste inside the college system, thereby supporting environmental sustainability.
As a part of broader sector reforms, they famous that the Federal Authorities has launched a uniform tutorial calendar to advertise consistency in educating, studying, and college planning throughout the nation.
The schooling ministers additionally introduced the streamlining of commencement ceremonies to curb pointless monetary stress on mother and father.
Below the brand new pointers, solely pupils and college students finishing Major 6, Junior Secondary College 3 (JSS3), and Senior Secondary College 3 (SSS3) are permitted to carry commencement ceremonies.
The ministers additional emphasised that the coverage strengthens the evaluation, high quality assurance, choice, and use of textbooks and tutorial supplies nationwide.
In line with the assertion, the reforms reply to longstanding considerations over frequent however superficial textbook revisions, weak rating requirements, and practices that compel mother and father to buy new textbooks yearly with out corresponding enhancements in content material or studying outcomes.
“A key provision of the coverage is the introduction of structured and significant revision cycles. Below the brand new framework, textbook revisions should mirror substantive enhancements in content material slightly than minor modifications in structure or pagination, thereby extending the lifespan of accepted textbooks and guaranteeing higher worth for cash,” it added.
The ministers additionally highlighted that the coverage introduces limits on the variety of accepted textbooks per topic and grade stage, consistent with worldwide finest practices noticed in international locations comparable to Japan, Kenya, and Tanzania.
“This measure is anticipated to enhance high quality, scale back market saturation, and simplify textbook choice processes for faculties and schooling authorities.
“The Nigerian Instructional Analysis and Improvement Council (NERDC) will proceed to play a central position within the evaluation and high quality assurance of tutorial supplies, working carefully with related schooling businesses to make sure that solely high-quality, curriculum-aligned textbooks are accepted to be used in faculties nationwide.
“The Federal Ministry of Schooling reaffirms its dedication to schooling renewal and reform, and commends the Common Primary Schooling Fee, NERDC, and different technical companions for his or her contributions to the event of the brand new coverage framework.
“The ministers reaffirmed the Federal Authorities’s resolve to safeguard instructional requirements, promote fairness, scale back prices for fogeys, and be sure that learners throughout Nigeria have entry to high-quality tutorial supplies that help efficient educating and studying outcomes,” the assertion added.
