The federal government has unveiled a reusable textbook policy it says would slash the cost of education and improve learning outcomes across the country.
The policy mandates that textbooks be standardised to last between four and six years.
The education ministry, in a statement on Friday, also disclosed plans to introduce a uniform academic calendar for schools nationwide.
Under the new guidelines, the government has prohibited the use of disposable workbooks, ensuring that textbooks can be reused across academic sessions or passed down among siblings.
The ministry said this move is expected to significantly lower the recurring financial burden on Nigerian families.
As part of a broader suite of educational reforms, the ministry also reiterated that the government has now officially streamlined graduation ceremonies.
Schools, it said, are now only permitted to hold transition ceremonies for pupils finishing Primary 6, JSS3, and SSS3.
This effectively ends the practice of expensive graduation events for nursery and other intermediate classes.
The ministry said the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has been tasked with leading the quality assurance process for the new textbook regime.
A cap on the number of approved textbooks per subject, it added, would prevent curriculum overload.
The ministry said the implementation of meaningful revision cycles would also prevent frequent, unnecessary editions that force parents to buy new books.
The government stated that these changes align Nigeria with global best practices, ensuring “value for money” and a more sustainable approach to educational materials
