FG Seeks Reversal of Mother Tongue Policy in Primary Schools

The federal government has urged the National Council on Education (NCE) to reverse its policy that mandates the use of mother tongue as the medium of instruction from Primary One to Six.

The appeal was made by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, during the 2025 Extraordinary National Council on Education Meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Prof. Ahmad also proposed a revision to the national policy on education, suggesting that the use of the mother tongue be restricted to Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) and Primary One. The current policy, which encourages the use of a child’s local language as the primary medium of instruction during the first three years of primary school, was approved by the Federal Executive Council in November 2022.

However, the Minister of State noted that the implementation of this policy has been challenging due to the vast number of languages spoken across Nigeria. With over 500 languages in use, the task of teaching in multiple mother tongues has proven difficult, leading to calls for a policy adjustment.

If the NCE approves the proposal, It could represent a major change in Nigeria’s educational approach, limiting mother tongue instruction to the early stages of a child’s education. The NCE is expected to deliberate on the matter in the coming weeks.