The Federal Government has reversed its 2022 National Language Policy, which stipulated that the language of instruction from early childhood to Primary Six should be the mother tongue or the language of the immediate community.
Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said English will now be the language of instruction in Nigerian schools from primary through tertiary levels.
Alausa, who spoke at the opening of the Language in Education International Conference 2025, organised by the British Council, said Nigerian children have been performing poorly in public examinations because they were taught in the mother tongue.
Citing evidence-based, data-driven research by his ministry, he said the policy had “destroyed” the education system, as pupils and students often advanced to higher classes without learning essential skills.
He stated, “The National Policy on Language has been cancelled. English is now the language of instruction in our schools, from primary to tertiary levels. As you know, one of the most important and powerful things in education is language. That’s how the role of language instruction is going to be developed in all subjects.”
Alausa explained the practical challenges posed by Nigeria’s linguistic diversity.
“The language policy in Nigeria states that mother tongue will be used in the early stage of primary school, Primary One. But we’ve seen significant over-supervision into geopolitical zones of the country, and no use of that policy in other zones,” he said.
He added, “We reviewed the data available to us. Is teaching in the mother tongue really working for us? The unanimous outcome of our review, which is evidence-based, data-driven, and combined with real-life situations in the geopolitical zones, shows overuse of mother tongue from Primary One to Primary Six, and even from JSS One to JSS Three.
“We’ve seen total destruction of Nigeria’s system, where children graduate up to JSS Three or even SS Three without learning anything. They go on to sit national exams—WAEC, JAMB, NECO—and fail.”
The minister highlighted regional linguistic disparities, saying, “Exams are conducted in English, but we taught these kids through their mother tongue. In Borno State, the mother tongue is Hausa, but many speak Kanuri. In Lagos, areas like Ajegunle have predominantly southeastern populations, but 90% of teachers are from the southwest. This diversity requires a unified approach to language instruction.”
Earlier, Country Director of the British Council, Nigeria, Donna McGowan, said the conference would provide stakeholders the opportunity to improve English language proficiency and administer different English language testing solutions.
She added that the conference brings together policymakers, educators, researchers, and partners from across Africa, South Asia, and the UK to explore how language can support inclusion and improve learning outcomes across education systems.
The 2022 National Language Policy sought to promote indigenous languages and preserve cultural heritage, recognising the country’s over 600 languages, 29 of which are already extinct.
The policy faced challenges including developing teaching materials, training teachers, and addressing linguistic diversity.
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