The Nigerian government has cancelled its three-year-old policy that required the use of indigenous languages as the medium of instruction in early childhood education. Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced in Abuja that the initiative had “failed to deliver” and would be discontinued immediately.
English will now be restored as the primary language of instruction from pre-primary school all the way to the university level.
The mother-tongue policy was introduced under former Education Minister Adamu Adamu, who argued echoing several UN-backed studies that children learn more effectively when taught in their first language. However, Alausa said academic performance in regions that implemented the policy had been poor, prompting the reversal.
The change comes amid broader challenges facing Nigeria’s education system, including under-resourced schools, low teacher pay, frequent strikes, and widespread learning gaps. While about 85% of children enrol in primary school, fewer than half go on to finish secondary education. The UN estimates that roughly 10 million Nigerian children remain out of school more than in any other country.
