The Federal Government has announced a new policy aimed at easing financial pressure on families, improving learning outcomes, and promoting sustainability in schools.
Under the new framework, only pupils completing Primary 6, Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3), and Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) are now permitted to hold graduation ceremonies.
The policy was unveiled on Friday by the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suiwaba Sai’d, as part of wider reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s education system.
According to the ministers, the initiative also mandates the use of durable, high-quality textbooks designed to last between four and six years. Schools are now prohibited from bundling disposable workbooks with textbooks, ensuring materials can be reused across multiple academic sessions.
“This measure allows siblings to share textbooks, significantly reduces recurring education costs for parents, and cuts down on waste in schools,” the ministers said.
The framework further introduces structured revision cycles, limiting updates to meaningful content improvements rather than cosmetic changes.
Additionally, the policy sets caps on the number of approved textbooks per subject and grade, aligning with international best practices observed in countries such as Japan, Kenya, and Tanzania.
“The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to assess and approve curriculum-aligned instructional materials for use in schools,” the ministers added.
The Federal Government commended technical partners, including the Universal Basic Education Commission and NERDC, for their contributions and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting equitable access to quality education while reducing the financial burden on parents.
