The Federal Government has officially scrapped the National Language Policy (NLP), which required schools to use indigenous languages as the primary medium of instruction.
The announcement was made by Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on Wednesday at the 2025 Language in Education International Conference, organized by the British Council in Abuja.
The now-cancelled policy, introduced in 2022, mandated that teaching from Early Child Care Education to Primary Six be conducted in the mother tongue or the language of the immediate community.
It aimed to promote indigenous languages, strengthen cultural identity, and improve early learning outcomes, while English was reserved for later stages of education.
However, Dr. Alausa explained that extensive data analysis revealed the policy had negatively impacted learning outcomes, particularly in regions where it was heavily implemented.
He noted that students taught primarily in indigenous languages recorded higher failure rates in national exams like WAEC, NECO, and JAMB, and struggled with basic English comprehension.
“Using the mother tongue language in Nigeria for the past 15 years has literally destroyed education in certain regions. We have to talk about evidence, not emotions,” Alausa stated.
He added that English will now serve as the medium of instruction across all levels of education, from pre-primary to tertiary institutions, to standardize learning and improve global competitiveness.
The minister urged stakeholders with differing opinions to present verifiable data to support their views, emphasizing that the government remains open to evidence-based dialogue.
He also commended the British Council for its continued collaboration with Nigeria in advancing education reforms and fostering inclusivity.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, announced a new initiative to address foundational learning challenges.
She revealed that a specialized training package for teachers is being developed to improve literacy and numeracy skills, focusing on educators at the pre-primary and early primary levels. “We are training them how best to teach literacy, how best to teach numeracy, and, of course, the approach,” she explained.
The British Council’s Country Director, Donna McGowan, reaffirmed the council’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s education sector.
“We’re committed to working hand-in-hand with the ministry, supporting teacher professional development, school leadership, and language proficiency,” McGowan said.
