By Taiwo Scholarstica
The Federal Government has approved a new National Textbook Ranking System (NTRS) aimed at improving the quality of learning materials used in public schools across the country.
The policy, which will take effect from September 2026, mandates that only nationally evaluated, ranked and approved textbooks will be used in public primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools.
Announcing the initiative in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the reform is designed to strengthen the education sector by ensuring that learners have access to credible and curriculum-compliant instructional materials.
“The new system establishes, for the first time, a transparent, merit-based and quality-driven national framework that aligns Nigeria’s textbook approval process with international best practices while guaranteeing every learner access to credible, curriculum-aligned and high-quality learning resources,” Alausa said.
Under the new arrangement, the Ministry has constituted a National Textbook Ranking and Selection Committee made up of education experts and representatives of relevant agencies. The committee will work with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to evaluate textbooks that have already met NERDC licensing requirements before recommending them for final approval.
The minister explained that NERDC licensing alone would no longer qualify a textbook for classroom use. Instead, every licensed title must pass a national assessment, score at least 70 per cent, and satisfy academic, technical and quality assurance standards before it can be approved. He added that only six to 10 top-performing textbooks would be selected for each subject, depending on curriculum needs.
To ease the financial burden on publishers, the government also reduced assessment and ranking fees. Assessment charges were cut from ₦2,000 to ₦1,500 per page, while ranking fees dropped from ₦1 million to ₦750,000 per title. Publishers who had already paid the previous rates will receive refunds.
“Beginning in September 2026, only textbooks evaluated, ranked and approved under the National Textbook Ranking System will be authorised for use in public schools nationwide,” the minister stated.
The Ministry said approved textbooks would remain valid for a minimum of three years, while schools, publishers and authors that fail to comply with the new policy risk sanctions, including blacklisting. It added that the reform reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to improving teaching standards and learning outcomes across Nigeria’s public education system.