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| Tunji Alausa. |
The Federal Government has officially scrapped the 2022 National Language Policy, which required the use of indigenous languages or community dialects as the medium of instruction from early childhood to Primary Six.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the Language in Education International Conference 2025 organised by the British Council.
Alausa announced that English will now serve as the sole language of instruction from the primary level through tertiary education, stressing that the mother tongue policy had contributed to students’ poor academic performance.
He explained that research conducted by the ministry showed that the policy had “severely damaged” the education system, with many pupils progressing through classes without mastering basic reading and writing skills.
“The National Policy on Language has been cancelled. English is now the language of instruction in our schools from primary to tertiary levels,” he said. “Language remains one of the most powerful tools in education, and it must enhance learning in all subjects.”
The minister also cited the practical difficulties of implementing the previous policy due to Nigeria’s linguistic diversity. “The mother tongue policy was meant for early primary education, but its application varied across regions, with some areas not implementing it at all,” he noted.
According to Alausa, data from the ministry indicated that prolonged use of mother tongues as instructional languages hindered students’ ability to perform well in national exams. “We found that the overuse of mother tongue from Primary One to JSS Three led to a total breakdown in learning. Many students get to SS3 without being able to read or write properly, and this reflects in their poor performance in WAEC, JAMB, and NECO,” he said.
He further highlighted regional disparities, saying, “Examinations are written in English, yet pupils are taught in their native languages. In Borno, while Hausa is widely spoken, Kanuri is dominant. In Lagos, areas like Ajegunle have many southeastern residents, but most teachers are Yoruba. We need a single, unified instructional language to maintain consistency.”
British Council Country Director in Nigeria, Donna McGowan, said the conference would help enhance English language proficiency and introduce innovative testing solutions to improve learning outcomes. She added that the event brings together educators, policymakers, and researchers from Africa, South Asia, and the UK to examine how language can promote inclusion and quality education.
The repealed 2022 policy was initially introduced to preserve indigenous languages and cultural heritage, recognising over 600 Nigerian languages — 29 of which have gone extinct. However, the initiative faced obstacles such as lack of teaching materials, untrained teachers, and the challenge of linguistic diversity.
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