New NERDC Policy: Only Ranked Textbooks Allowed in Nigerian Classrooms

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A significant shift in educational material regulation has taken effect this September. The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), has enforced a new policy regarding textbooks used in basic and secondary schools.

What Changed
Previously, a textbook only needed an NERDC license or approval to be used in schools. Under the new policy, licensing alone is no longer sufficient. Every textbook must undergo a rigorous evaluation and receive an official NERDC ranking before it can be legally adopted for classroom use. Unranked textbooks are now considered non-compliant.

Who Is Affected

• School Proprietors and Headteachers: You are responsible for ensuring that all books on your school’s approved booklist meet this new standard.
• Parents: You need to be careful not to purchase substandard or unranked editions that your child’s school may soon be forced to discard.
• Teachers: Lesson planning and assignments must now rely strictly from the newly ranked materials.

What School Leaders and Parents Should Do Next

• Audit existing booklists: School administrators should cross-check their current textbook lists against the official NERDC ranked publications list.
• Communicate with parents: If your school is updating its booklist to comply with this policy, send a clear memo to parents explaining why the change is happening, to avoid accusations of arbitrary fee hikes.
• Check before you buy: Parents should ask the school for the specific ISBN or title of the ranked textbook before purchasing, rather than buying generic versions from roadside vendors.

Relevant Links

• Verify textbook status and access curriculum guides via the official NERDC website: https://www.nerdc.gov.ng