Education Reform: FG Introduces National Academic Calendar, Bans Bundled Workbooks

The Federal Government has announced a new national education policy framework aimed at reducing the cost of education for parents while improving learning outcomes for students across the country.

The policy was unveiled on Friday by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, alongside his deputy, Suwaiba Ahmed, as part of broader reforms to reposition Nigeria’s education sector.

🔑 Key Highlights of the New Policy

📘 Ban on Bundled Workbooks

The FG has prohibited the sale of textbooks packaged together with disposable workbooks. Instead, schools are encouraged to adopt high-quality, reusable textbooks designed to last four to six years.

This move allows books to be reused across sessions, shared among siblings, and reduces repeated annual expenses for parents—while also supporting environmental sustainability.

🗓️ National Standardised Academic Calendar

A uniform academic calendar will now apply nationwide, helping to improve planning, consistency, and stability across public and private schools.

🎓 Streamlined Graduation Ceremonies

Official graduation ceremonies will now be limited to:

 • Primary Six

 • JSS 3

 • SS 3

This is to curb unnecessary costs imposed on parents through frequent celebrations.

📖 Stronger Quality Control

The framework strengthens assessment, quality assurance, and instructional material selection, addressing the problem of frequent “cosmetic” textbook revisions. Publishers are now required to ensure revisions reflect substantive content improvements, not minor layout changes.

🎯 Government’s Position

The ministers reaffirmed the FG’s commitment to:

 • Safeguarding educational standards

 • Promoting equity and nationwide access

 • Reducing the financial burden on families

They also acknowledged the roles of agencies such as the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) in supporting the reforms.

The policy is expected to bring long-term relief to parents while improving consistency and quality across Nigeria’s education system.