FG cancels mother-tongue instruction
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FG) has officially abandoned its policy of using indigenous languages as the medium of instruction in schools. At the 2025 Language in Education International Conference in Abuja, Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, announced that English will now be the sole language of instruction from pre-primary through tertiary levels.
This shift marks a reversal of the 2022 National Language Policy which mandated that children, from Early Childhood Education (ECCDE) to Primary Six, be taught in their mother tongue or the language of the immediate community. According to the minister, analysis of academic performance data revealed that in certain regions where mother-tongue instruction had been heavily adopted, students recorded higher failure rates in national examinations such as West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). This prompted the decision to cancel the policy in favour of an English-only medium of instruction.
Stakeholders and experts have expressed concern over the move. Anthony Otaigbe described the change as a backward step that undermines inclusive education and the preservation of Nigeria’s linguistic heritage. He pointed out that mother-tongue instruction is globally recognised as an effective means of boosting literacy and learning outcomes, especially in the foundational years.
The FG emphasises that the decision is rooted in evidence-based governance rather than sentiment, and that it will concurrently roll out new training packages for teachers focused on literacy and numeracy at the foundational levels.
