• Policy includes standard calendar, fewer textbooks per subject, curriculum alignment

• Reform targets affordability amid 18.3M out-of-school children, rising expenses

The Nigerian federal government introduced a new education policy last week aimed at reducing the cost of schooling. Local media reported that schools will be required to use long-lasting, reusable textbooks designed to remain in use for several years, while single-use workbooks routinely sold alongside textbooks will be banned.

The reform also introduces a standard school calendar and limits the number of textbooks per subject, in a move officials say will simplify choices and curb unnecessary spending.

Announcing the policy, Education Minister Maruf Tunji Alausa and Minister of State for Education Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad said the measures were part of broader reforms intended to overhaul the education sector and ease the financial burden on parents.

Textbooks approved by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will be standardised, durable and designed to be shared among siblings. Authorities said major revisions would be scheduled to prevent minor changes from forcing families to buy new editions every year.

Officials said the new textbooks would allow learning materials to be used over several years, reduce recurring household costs and cut waste linked to single-use workbooks. They added that the policy would improve alignment with the national curriculum and support efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of the education system.

The initiative comes as Nigeria’s education sector continues to face deep challenges. UNICEF estimates that about 18.3 million children were out of school in 2024-2025, nearly one in three children of primary or lower secondary school age.

Although basic education is officially free, many families still face high additional costs for textbooks, notebooks, uniforms and transportation. Investigations by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) published in 2023 found that these expenses often remain unaffordable for low-income households. In some regions, the cost of books and supplies has risen by double digits, while higher fuel prices have also pushed up transport costs, limiting regular school attendance for many children.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou