For Years, Nigerian parents have groaned under the weight of rising education costs, with textbooks often topping the list of expenses. Now, a new federal government policy promises relief.

In Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suiwaba Sai’d, unveiled a sweeping reform that will see schools adopt durable, reusable textbooks designed to last four to six years. The move, they said, will ease financial pressure on families, promote sustainability, and restore quality to classroom learning.

“This reform allows textbooks to be reused across multiple academic sessions. Siblings can now share books, significantly reducing recurrent expenses for families while cutting down waste in the education system,” the ministers explained.

Parents across the country welcomed the announcement, seeing it as a lifeline in tough economic times. The policy also bans the controversial practice of bundling disposable workbooks with textbooks, a system that forced families to buy new sets every year.

Beyond textbooks, the reforms introduce a uniform academic calendar nationwide to ensure consistency in teaching and planning. Graduation ceremonies have also been streamlined—only pupils completing Primary 6, JSS3, and SSS3 will now hold ceremonies, curbing unnecessary spending.

The ministers stressed that the policy addresses long-standing concerns about cosmetic textbook revisions that added little value but drained parents’ pockets.

“Textbook revisions must now reflect substantive improvements in content, not minor changes in layout or pagination,” they said.

To raise standards, the policy limits the number of approved textbooks per subject and grade level, aligning Nigeria with international best practices in countries such as Japan, Kenya, and Tanzania.

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will oversee quality assurance, ensuring only curriculum-aligned, high-quality materials reach classrooms.

Reaffirming its commitment, the government praised UBEC, NERDC, and other partners for their role in shaping the reforms.

“The federal government remains resolute in safeguarding educational standards, promoting equity, reducing costs for parents, and ensuring that learners across Nigeria have access to high-quality instructional materials,” the ministers said.