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Nigeria abandons mother-tongue teaching policy, reverts to English in schools
The Nigerian government has terminated a three-year-old policy requiring primary schools to teach in indigenous languages, Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced Thursday in Abuja. English will now return as the sole medium of instruction from pre-primary through university levels, effective immediately.
Policy reversal follows exam failures
Alausa cited dismal academic performance in regions where mother-tongue instruction was implemented most aggressively. Data from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO), and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) showed "mass failure rates" in those zones, the minister stated without providing specific figures.
The abandoned programme, launched in 2022 under former Education Minister Adamu Adamu, had argued that children absorb concepts more effectively in their native languages-a position supported by UN research on early childhood education.
Mixed reactions from educators and parents
Education specialist Dr. Aliyu Tilde called the reversal "necessary," noting Nigeria's lack of trained teachers for its dozens of indigenous languages. "Major exams remain in English, not local languages," he told the BBC, emphasizing teacher quality as the system's core issue.
"Does Nigeria have trained teachers to teach in the dozens of indigenous languages in the country? The answer is no."
Dr. Aliyu Tilde, Education Expert
Parents like Hajara Musa, whose children attend early education schools, welcomed the change: "English is global-better to start early than wait." Social analyst Habu Dauda, however, called the cancellation "premature," arguing the policy needed more time and investment to succeed.
Broader education crisis persists
The debate underscores Nigeria's struggle to reconcile linguistic heritage with global demands. The country faces systemic challenges: 10 million out-of-school children (the world's highest, per UN data), teacher strikes, and secondary school completion rates below 50% despite 85% primary enrollment.
Critics of the reversal warn that without addressing teacher training, materials shortages, and low pay, simply switching back to English may fail to improve outcomes.
