FG moves to rank school textbooks in new quality control push

The federal government has announced the introduction of a National Textbook Ranking System for primary, junior, and senior secondary schools across the country as part of efforts to strengthen quality assurance and standardisation in Nigeria’s education sector.

The initiative, disclosed in a statement signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, is aimed at addressing the growing proliferation of textbooks in schools and ensuring that only high-quality, curriculum-compliant learning materials are used in classrooms.

According to the statement, Maruf Tunji Alausa, minister of Education, alongside Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, minister of State for Education, explained that the new system would build on the existing statutory role of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), which currently approves textbooks for use in schools.

Under the new framework, however, textbook approval will go beyond basic certification, as approved materials will now be subjected to a structured national ranking process. This evaluation will determine the most suitable and highest-quality textbooks for each subject and level of education.

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To implement the reform, NERDC will establish standing subject committees made up of experts across various disciplines. These committees will conduct detailed reviews of textbooks submitted by publishers, assessing them against clearly defined academic and pedagogical standards.

Following the evaluation, only a limited number of top-ranked textbooks will be approved for use in schools per subject. The government said this measure would enhance quality control and ensure greater consistency in teaching and learning materials nationwide.

The federal government noted that the new system is expected to significantly reduce the excessive number of textbooks currently in circulation, a situation that has often created confusion for teachers, students and parents.

It added that the reform would also promote transparency and order in the textbook approval process, while aligning Nigeria’s education system with international best practices in instructional material standardisation.

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Under the policy, NERDC will continue to license textbooks. However, any textbook not ranked under the new system will no longer be permitted for use in schools, regardless of its previous licensing status.

The government further disclosed plans to engage teachers and other stakeholders to ensure proper awareness and compliance with the new policy framework.

Implementation of the National Textbook Ranking System is scheduled to commence in the September 2026 academic session, following the establishment of the Standing Subject Committees and completion of the evaluation guidelines.

The Federal Government reaffirmed that the initiative forms part of broader reforms aimed at improving the quality of education delivery, enhancing learning outcomes, and ensuring that Nigerian students have access to the best possible learning resources.