The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council has begun a major reform of Nigeria’s textbook approval process, requiring publishers and other education stakeholders to resubmit instructional materials for reassessment and ranking under a revised quality assurance framework.
This was disclosed in a public notice signed by the Executive Secretary of the council, Salisu Shehu, who announced the start of the 2026 Phase 1 textbook evaluation and ranking exercise. He said the initiative is aimed at improving learning standards and ensuring that only high-quality materials are adopted in schools across the country.
Under the new policy, textbooks will not only be assessed but also ranked based on updated benchmarks, introducing a competitive structure expected to raise publishing standards nationwide. The council stated that all previously approved textbooks must undergo fresh review due to the introduction of revised criteria.
The assessment exercise will be carried out in three phases. Phase 1 will cover Primary 1 and 4, Junior Secondary School (JSS 1), and Senior Secondary School (SSS 1), while later phases will address remaining class levels.
Submissions for Phase 1 will open on June 8, 2026, and close on June 19, 2026. The council warned that late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.
“Assessment and ranking of books and other resources for the 2026 cycle shall be conducted in three phases,” the notice stated.
NERDC added that all submitted materials must meet newly established quality requirements before being eligible for ranking.
The council further disclosed that the entire process will be concluded by July 31, 2026, after which approved and ranked textbooks will be published for use in schools nationwide.
Shehu urged publishers, authors, and distributors to strictly adhere to the updated submission guidelines, noting that the reform is intended to strengthen curriculum delivery and improve educational outcomes across Nigeria.
