NPA, NERDC, Education Ministry Agree to Review Textbook Ranking Policy After Abuja Engagement

ABUJA — The Nigerian Publishers Association, NPA, and the Federal Ministry of Education have agreed to a constructive review of the new textbook ranking policy, with the Minister of State for Education acknowledging key oversights and opening the door to a transition period for publishers.

The June 26, 2026 engagement in Abuja involved NPA leadership, Prof. Salisu Shehu, Director-General of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, and the Minister of State for Education, Said Ahmed.

Key Outcomes of the Meeting

Need for a Transition Period
NPA President, Alhaji Lukman Dauda, stressed that publishers are responsible for developing textbook content based on the approved curriculum. With the new curriculum introduced only a month before demand for implementation, publishers were not given adequate time to revise and produce compliant materials. Many books were still not ready for the session, and production that started in January could not meet a September deadline.

The Minister acknowledged the oversight and agreed the concern was valid.

NPA Representation on the NERDC Board
NPA reminded the Ministry that it is statutory for NPA to hold one member seat on the NERDC Board to strengthen communication, policy coordination, and stakeholder participation. The seat has remained vacant.

The Minister agreed that the reminder merits serious consideration.

Clarification of the Policy’s Scope
The Minister clarified that the compulsory application of the textbook ranking policy is intended only for Federal Government schools and Federal Government procurement. State Governments and private schools are not automatically bound by the policy. This was a new clarification disclosed to NPA at the engagement.

Review of Implementation Issues
The Minister undertook to revisit key concerns raised by NPA, including cost implications, implementation timelines, page-count estimates, and other operational challenges. She noted that primary books are typically 70–100 pages, not 200, and said she would review the N500 per-page assessment fee if necessary. She also cited a provision to prevent a monopoly by capping the number of titles a publisher can hold at No. 1.

Greater Stakeholder Engagement Needed
The meeting highlighted the need for broader consultation with NPA before implementation. NPA noted that early engagement would have identified practical challenges. This corrected an earlier statement that consultation was not required before rollout. The Ministry admitted it had done extensive theoretical preparation, including benchmarking Kenya and four other countries, without involving NPA, who handle production realities. A 5-agency assessment team — Ministry, NTI, UBEC, TRCN, NSEC, and regulatory bodies — will use a published template, with the average score determining ranking.

Positive Way Forward
Both sides described the engagement as a constructive step in Government-industry relations. The Minister’s willingness to reconsider aspects of the policy provides room for further dialogue and a more practical implementation framework.

Context of the Dispute

Publishers’ Concerns
NPA warned that the rushed rollout risks book scarcity and piracy. The association calculated assessment fees at N500 per page for 88 subjects — 51 at Basic and 37 at SSS levels — totalling about N135M, which it said exceeds the working capital of many publishers. It also flagged that many subject books would require a second edition under the new curriculum.

NPA rejected “ranking in order,” arguing it creates a “winner-takes-all” system and perceptions of bias. “You’re a supervising agency and should not be dictating what schools buy based on ranking, like saying MTN is better than Glo,” NPA said. The association also asked that NERDC assess all books and publish a recommended list, not a ranked order.

NPA President added that “end users are not seeing it your way” due to poor communication and sensitisation. He questioned why Information Technology was dropped from the curriculum, who the books that “didn’t meet minimum standards” are, and why there is a rush. “This is political expediency… Implementation cannot be successful without us,” he said. NPA also noted “uncharitable comments” had been made against NERDC.

NERDC’s Position
Prof. Shehu said NERDC defended the policy but welcomes criticism. He stated that the basic curriculum was completed before September 2025. Only Primary 1, Primary 4 and JSS1 of the secondary cycle have been released “for security reasons and to prevent piracy and protect integrity, following distortions detected in previous editions.” He said NPA was not disregarded and that NERDC wrote to NPA about the ranking system. He also cited “poverty of learning” at the basic level, with over 70% of students struggling.

Minister’s Defence
The Minister of State for Education said the policy shifts Nigeria from “knowledge-based to competency-based education” and aligns with international practice. She said she reviewed many existing books and found spelling errors and missing solutions. The goal, she stated, is to certify minimum standards before ranking. Books scoring 70% and above will be ranked for Federal adoption; others may still go to market.

She maintained that submission for ranking is not compulsory, but regulation is needed because “man know man” practices have made the industry boomy and unregulated. “Printers are now publishers. NPA needs to regulate its industry. The Ministry wants to sanitise the system,” she said. She also noted that the assessment fee covers 6 agencies, subject experts, and practising teachers, and that “every naira submitted will be used for assessment.” She said the template will be released to NPA immediately. ITT and ESR have been used to make curriculum access possible.

Conclusion

The transition period remains NPA’s strongest argument. Since publishers produce textbooks from an approved curriculum, they cannot reasonably be expected to meet new ranking standards without sufficient time to revise or produce new materials. The Ministry also confirmed it is not exiting completely from the old curriculum.

With the Minister agreeing to review timelines, costs, NPA’s statutory board seat, and scope of implementation, the path now opens for a more practical, stakeholder-driven framework ahead of the 2026/2027 academic session.