Keypoints:
- English restored as teaching language
- Govt blames mass exam failures
- Experts divided over reversal
NIGERIA has abandoned a three-year-old policy requiring early-years teaching to be delivered in indigenous languages, reinstating English as the medium of instruction from pre-primary to university level. Education Minister Tunji Alausa confirmed the reversal in Abuja on Monday, describing the initiative as unsuccessful and ‘over-subscribed’ in the regions that implemented it most enthusiastically.
The programme, launched under former Education Minister Adamu Adamu, was originally promoted as a way of improving children’s comprehension. Adamu argued at the time that pupils absorbed lessons more effectively when taught in ‘their own mother tongue’, citing research widely supported by UN agencies working on early childhood development.
Govt cites alarming exam failures
Dr Alausa said performance data from the West African Examinations Council, the National Examinations Council and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board revealed worrying trends. According to him, failure rates had surged in some geo-political zones where mother-tongue instruction was introduced more extensively.
‘We have seen a mass failure rate in WAEC, Neco, and Jamb in certain geo-political zones of the country, and those are the ones that adopted this mother tongue in an over-subscribed manner,’ he said.
The minister stressed that while the philosophy behind the policy had merit, its implementation had been uneven and lacked the required resources.
Experts split over the U-turn
Reactions have been mixed among educators, analysts and parents. Some welcomed the reversal, arguing that Nigeria’s education system was already under intense pressure from underfunding, intermittent strikes, poor-quality teaching and limited learning materials. Critics of the earlier policy said it risked compounding structural weaknesses.
Education expert Dr Aliyu Tilde argued that the country was not ready for such an ambitious shift. He questioned whether Nigeria had sufficient trained teachers able to teach in the dozens of indigenous languages across the country. He also pointed out that major examinations remain exclusively in English.
‘The answer is no,’ he told the BBC when asked if schools were adequately staffed for the policy. ‘I think what’s needed to improve the quality of our schools is bringing in qualified teachers.’
Parents have also weighed in. Hajara Musa, who has two children in early-years schooling, said she supported the government’s decision. For her, early exposure to English gives children a better foundation. ‘English is a global language that is used everywhere and I feel it’s better these kids start using it from the start of their schooling,’ she said.
However, others argue the government acted too hastily. Social affairs analyst Habu Dauda said the short trial period did not offer a fair assessment. ‘Three years is too little to judge a big shift such as this,’ he noted, adding that the government should have backed the policy with stronger investment in teacher training and learning resources.
Balancing heritage with global realities
The dispute underscores a longstanding tension in Nigeria’s education system: how to promote the country’s linguistic diversity while ensuring pupils meet the demands of a national curriculum and an increasingly globalised economy. English proficiency remains essential for major examinations, tertiary education and professional mobility, leaving policymakers torn between cultural preservation and practical necessity.
For now, English will once again be the foundation of classroom instruction nationwide—leaving open the broader debate over how Nigeria can strengthen its schools while honouring its cultural heritage.
