The Federal Government has reaffirmed English as the official language of instruction across all levels of Nigeria’s education system while introducing a new Inclusive Language Policy aimed at promoting national unity and improving learning outcomes.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during the unveiling of the new policy, which he said aligns with the ongoing education reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Dr. Alausa explained that reaffirming English as the medium of instruction would help standardise communication, enhance the quality of education nationwide, and ensure that Nigeria’s education system remains globally competitive.
The new directive marks a departure from the previous National Language Policy, which encouraged multilingualism by stipulating that the mother tongue or local language be used as the medium of instruction for the first four years of primary education, after which English would take over.
Under that old policy, pupils were to continue learning English, major Nigerian languages (Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba), and French as separate subjects.
In her remarks, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmed, noted that the new policy still promotes the teaching and learning of at least one Nigerian language alongside English.
She explained that this approach seeks to preserve the nation’s rich cultural heritage while fostering unity among Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups.
Prof. Ahmed added that the Ministry remains committed to advancing innovation and skill acquisition, citing the recent six-day Robotics, Coding, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) training for students of Federal Technical Colleges as part of efforts to equip young Nigerians with 21st-century competencies.
She reaffirmed that the Ministry will continue to implement programmes that strengthen inclusivity, technological advancement, and quality education across the country.
