FG Unveils National Textbook Ranking System

The Federal Government has introduced a new national textbook ranking system aimed at improving the quality and standardisation of instructional materials used in Nigerian schools.

The initiative was announced by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaba Sai’d Ahmad. It is designed to address the long-standing issue of unchecked proliferation of textbooks and ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-aligned materials are used in classrooms.

Under the new framework, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue its statutory role of approving textbooks but will now also rank them through a comprehensive national evaluation process. The ranking will identify the most suitable and highest-quality textbooks for each subject and level of education.

To implement the system, NERDC will establish standing subject committees comprising experts from various disciplines. These committees will rigorously assess submitted textbooks based on academic soundness, clarity, relevance, and alignment with national curriculum standards before assigning rankings.

As part of efforts to enforce quality control, only a limited number of top-ranked textbooks will be approved for use in schools for each subject. Officials say this measure will eliminate the excess of competing materials that have often created confusion among teachers, students, and parents.

The government also stated that any textbook not ranked under the new system will no longer be permitted in classrooms, regardless of prior approval status, signalling a stricter regulatory approach.

Meanwhile, the policy is scheduled to take effect from the September 2026 academic session and will be supported by nationwide sensitisation campaigns targeting educators and other key stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation.