By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
EFFORTS TO sanitise and standardise textbooks and instructional materials used in Nigerian schools have led to the inauguration of a standing committee focused on book ranking and selection at the basic and senior secondary education levels.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the Federal Government has inaugurated the High-Level Standing Committee on Book Ranking and Selection, with the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, saying the initiative aims to restore integrity, credibility and value to Nigeria’s textbook ecosystem, which he said plays a critical role in teaching, learning and curriculum delivery.
Dr Alausa said gaps exist in the current textbook approval process, citing the absence of a robust ranking and benchmarking system, frequent cosmetic revisions, the bundling of consumable workbooks with core textbooks and high costs that place unnecessary financial burdens on parents.
He said such practices undermine affordability, equity and public confidence in the education sector.
He added that the committee will develop clear quality benchmarks, introduce a transparent and evidence based ranking framework, separate textbooks from consumable workbooks, promote pricing transparency and ensure that new editions demonstrate substantive content improvement before approval.
The committee, chaired by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, also includes members drawn from the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) and the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), while the NERDC will serve as the Secretariat.
Professor Ahmad said the initiative will deploy a transparent, technology driven framework to eliminate substandard materials, protect learners and parents, empower teachers and ensure value for public investment.
JKNewsMedia.com notes that stakeholders have already commended the reform as a major step towards restoring quality, integrity and accountability in textbook development, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
