In a landmark move set to transform the nation’s classrooms, the Federal Government has approved a radical new system to rank and vet all textbooks used in public schools, declaring war on poor-quality learning materials.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, unveiled the National Textbook Ranking System (NTRS) in Abuja today. Describing it as a “game-changer,” the Minister confirmed the policy will take effect from September 2026, applying to all public primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary schools across Nigeria.
Under the new framework, having a licence from the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will no longer be an automatic ticket into the classroom . Every textbook must now undergo a rigorous national assessment, scoring at least 70 per cent against strict academic, pedagogical, and production benchmarks to gain final approval from the Minister.
Only the top-performing titles—between six and ten per subject—will make the final cut.
The initiative, which ties directly into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is designed to tighten curriculum delivery, boost student performance, and restore public trust in the education system . “This establishes a transparent, merit-based and quality-driven national framework that aligns Nigeria’s textbook approval process with international best practices,” Dr. Alausa stated.
To drive the process, the Ministry has constituted a National Textbook Ranking and Selection Committee, including experts who will work hand-in-hand with the NERDC.
In a significant concession to the publishing industry, the government has slashed assessment fees from ₦2,000 to ₦1,500 per page, while the ranking fee drops from ₦1 million to ₦750,000 per title, with refunds promised for those who paid the old rates.
The Minister issued a stark warning to publishers and schools: from September 2026, only approved titles will be permitted.
Any author, publisher, or school found using unranked books will face severe penalties, including blacklisting.
Once approved, a textbook will remain valid for at least three years to ensure stability in teaching.
