FG launches new textbook ranking system and requires nationwide reassessment.

… publishers, authors face June 19 deadline as new approval regime takes effect

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has announced a comprehensive revision of the country’s textbook approval process. Publishers and other stakeholders are now required to submit school textbooks for a new cycle of assessment, re‑assessment, and ranking under a freshly introduced quality assurance framework.

In a public notice from NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Salisu Shehu, the council declared the start of the 2026 Phase 1 textbook assessment and ranking exercise. The notice described the initiative as a vital part of ongoing efforts to raise educational standards and ensure that only high‑quality learning materials reach Nigerian classrooms.

The new policy incorporates a ranking system into the approval process, a change that is expected to heighten competition among publishers and raise the benchmark for instructional materials used nationwide.

According to the notice, every textbook—including those that have already been assessed and approved for the relevant class levels—must be resubmitted for evaluation because of the introduction of new standards, benchmarks, and ranking requirements.

NERDC will carry out the assessment in three phases. Phase 1 will cover textbooks and instructional resources for Primary 1, Primary 4, Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1, and Senior Secondary School (SSS) 1. Subsequent phases will address other class levels.

Submissions for Phase 1 will open on 8 June 2026 and close on 19 June 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.

“Assessment and ranking of books and other resources for the 2026 cycle shall be conducted in three phases,” the notice added, noting that all materials intended for ranking must first pass through an enhanced assessment process based on newly approved quality benchmarks.

Publishers, authors, printers, distributors, and other participants in the book industry have been urged to review and comply with the revised Book Quality Guidelines and Submission Procedure available on the NERDC website.

The council also announced that the assessment and ranking of all submitted textbooks and instructional materials will be finished by 31 July 2026, after which approved and ranked educational resources will be published for schools.

Prof. Shehu called on all stakeholders to follow the new procedures strictly, stressing that the initiative is designed to improve educational outcomes and support the effective implementation of the national curriculum.

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