FG moves to cut education costs, promote sustainability with reusable textbook policy
By Kunle Sanni –
The federal government has introduced a new policy aimed at reducing the cost of education for parents while improving learning outcomes and promoting environmental sustainability through the use of reusable, high-quality textbooks in schools.
The policy, unveiled by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaba Sai’d, is part of broader reforms targeted at repositioning Nigeria’s education sector and easing the financial burden on families.
Under the new framework, schools are required to adopt standardised and durable textbooks designed to last between four and six years. The policy expressly prohibits the practice of bundling disposable workbooks with textbooks, a move the government says has contributed to rising education costs and unnecessary waste.
According to the ministers, the reusable textbook initiative will allow siblings to share learning materials across academic sessions, significantly reduce recurring expenses for parents, and limit waste generation within the school system, thereby supporting sustainability goals.
As part of the wider reforms, the federal government has also introduced a uniform academic calendar to ensure consistency in teaching, learning and school planning nationwide.
The ministers further announced new guidelines on graduation ceremonies to curb excessive spending by parents. Under the policy, only pupils and students completing Primary 6, Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3) and Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) will be allowed to hold graduation ceremonies.
They explained that the policy strengthens the assessment, selection and quality assurance processes for textbooks and instructional materials across the country. This follows longstanding concerns over frequent but superficial textbook revisions, weak ranking standards and practices that force parents to purchase new textbooks annually without meaningful improvements in content.
