Nigeria’s Federal Government scraps the 2022 policy mandating mother tongue as the teaching language in primary schools.
In a major policy shift, the Federal Government of Nigeria has officially scrapped the 2022 National Language Policy, which mandated the use of mother tongue or the language of the immediate community as the medium of instruction from early childhood through Primary Six.
The reversal marks a significant departure from the previous administration’s drive to promote indigenous languages within the nation’s education system. The 2022 policy had aimed to strengthen cultural identity and improve comprehension among young learners by teaching in local languages before transitioning to English at higher levels.
However, government sources revealed that the policy faced implementation challenges, including the lack of qualified teachers, inadequate learning materials in indigenous languages, and Nigeria’s linguistic diversity with over 500 spoken languages nationwide.
Education stakeholders are now awaiting further directives from the Ministry of Education on the revised framework that will guide teaching and learning in primary schools.
The new development has sparked mixed reactions across the country. While some educators argue that reverting to English as the primary medium will promote uniformity and global competitiveness, others express concern that it could further erode Nigeria’s cultural heritage and local language preservation efforts.
More details are expected as the government releases its updated education strategy in the coming weeks.