Education
Government Seeks Reversal Of Mother Tongue As Medium Of Learning In Primary Schools
Government Seeks Reversal Of Mother Tongue As Medium Of Learning In Primary Schools
Government seeks reversal of mother tongue as medium of learning in primary schools. The policy aimed to preserve Nigerian languages and enhance foundational learning.
The federal government has urged the National Council on Education and stakeholders to approve the reversal of the use of mother tongue as the medium of instruction from primary one to six.
The Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, made the appeal at the 2025 Extraordinary National Council on Education Meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
Mr Ahmad also called on the council to approve the review of the national policy on education to restrict the use of mother tongue to Early Childhood Care Development and Education and primary one.
The NCE had previously advocated the use of the mother tongue of the immediate environment as the medium of instruction in the first three years of primary education.
The policy aimed to preserve Nigerian languages and enhance foundational learning.
However, the Federal Executive Council approved its implementation on November 30, 2022.
The minister of state highlighted several challenges hindering the implementation of the policy.
“Inconsistencies in policy execution, especially in urban areas and some parts of the country, impede implementation. We use English from the start, contradicting the policy.
With over 500 languages in Nigeria, implementation becomes complex, making it difficult to select a dominant language in multilingual communities. Limited availability of instructional materials and textbooks, among other factors, hinders implementation,” she said.
She added that the ministry and NCE must initiate a policy review to implement the necessary changes.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, also advocated integrating secondary education into basic education, extending it to 12 years.
Mr Alausa said this initiative aligned with global best practices and Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
“Subsuming secondary education into basic education is necessary to improve access, retention, and completion. By making secondary education a part of basic education, students will benefit from uninterrupted learning up to the age of 16.
This reform will also reduce dropout rates by eliminating financial and systemic barriers that currently prevent students from completing secondary education,” he said.
Mr Alausa further explained the importance of converting the Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTCs) into Federal Technical Colleges (FTCs).
According to him, technical education facilitates the acquisition of practical and applied skills, enabling young people to develop an intelligent understanding of the increasing complexity of technology.
He said, “This transformation is not just a policy shift; it is a crucial step towards realigning our education system with the demands of an evolving economy and a technologically driven world. Another major issue facing the nation is youth unemployment.
Nigeria’s youthful demographic has over 60 per cent of the population under 30. In tackling this pressing issue, my administration introduced the TVET initiative, which aims to restructure and enhance technical and vocational education in Nigeria. This will align educational outcomes with industry demands.’’

Primary Schools
Speaking on the incorporation of the 16-year minimum admission age policy for tertiary institutions into the NCE framework, the minister said this was necessary to standardise entry requirements for tertiary education.
The meeting brought together commissioners for education from the 36 states and the FCT, heads of agencies, international organisations, and the deputy governor of Kano State.
Economy
NTI Releases 13,710 Pending PGDE, NCE Certificates: Kaduna
NTI Releases 13,710 Pending PGDE, NCE Certificates: Kaduna
NTI releases 13,710 pending PGDE, NCE certificates: Kaduna. He said certificates for the Bachelor Degree programmes (BDPs) will also be available for collection next week.
The National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, has released 13,710 pending certificates for Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) and the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE).
This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Kaduna by Yusha’u Ahmed, the institute’s head of public relations and protocol unit.
He said, “Therefore, the Institute is calling those concerned to contact its offices in states across the country with the required documents and observed procedure for collection.
”The certificates for the Bachelor Degree programmes (BDPs) will also be available for collection next week.”
According to the break down from the Institute’s Academic Records Division of Registry Department, 6,954 PGDE certificates, covering the period 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, in affiliation with the National Open University of Nigeria(NOUN) had so far been released.
Mr Ahmed added, “There are also 445 PGDE certificates for Post-Graduate Diploma in Education, in affiliation with Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; 119 PGDE certificates in affiliation with the University of Ilorin.
“The Institute had in addition, released 6,192 NCE certificates for the year 2023.
“The Director and Chief Executive of the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna, Prof. Sadiya Sani-Daura, has expressed commitment and determination to solve the lingering pending certificates issue once and for all.
“The delay in the issuance of the certificates was due to challenges that have now been resolved.
“The National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna remains steadfast in the discharge of its mandate as a teacher education Institute and once again reiterates its commitment to serving its clientele, which are primarily the students of the Institute.”
According to Mr Ahmed, the Institute assures all the stakeholders, students, both graduates and those undergoing its programmes at various levels.

NTI Releases 13,710 Pending PGDE, NCE Certificates
He continued, “That it has renewed its responsibility of delivering quality and exceptional education through the distance learning technique and the use of modern technologies as obtained globally in similar institutions around the world.
“NTI wishes to appreciate all the stakeholders for their patience and support.”
Economy
Ebonyi: Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship
Ebonyi: Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship
Ebonyi: Government sends 47 students to UK on scholarship. The governor urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the state.
No fewer than 47 beneficiaries on Monday departed Ebonyi for the United Kingdom on scholarship with Governor Francis Nwifuru describing their sojourn as a bold step towards human capital investment.
Mr Nwifuru said during the beneficiaries’ departure from the Chuba Okadigbo airport, Ezza, that the prosperity of the state depended on deliberate commitment to youth development.
The governor urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the state to achieve the overall aim of the investment.
“This event is not just about boarding a flight but destiny taking flight.
“This is about hope leaving the shores of Ebonyi to soar into the future,” he said.
He noted that the scholarship scheme was one of the most financially demanding interventions of his administration, only next to major infrastructure projects.
“We faced strong opposition on it at inception due to its economic pressures.
“Several people called for its suspension, arguing that its resources should be channeled towards roads, hospitals construction among other pressing needs.
“We would however, be mortgaging the future of Ebonyi if we fail to invest in the youths,” he said.
Mr Nwifuru noted that that the programme aligned with his administration’s People’s Charter of Needs mantra which places human capital development at the peak of governance.
“This initiative is deeply personal as the beneficiaries are being offered opportunities I and many others never had.

Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship
“This venture is aimed at making the path easier for the next generation as every fund spent on it is a collective sacrifice of traders, civil servants, artisans and taxpayers,” he said.
The chairman of the Ebonyi Scholarship Board, Chaka Nweze, said the beneficiaries’ selection process was based strictly on merit.
“We concentrated on first class but due to prevailing developments, considered those with Second Class Upper classification (2:1) CGPA 3.0 and above.
“43 other beneficiaries would travel later as they are still awaiting visa clearance.
‘”The beneficiaries signed a bond to return to Nigeria and serve Ebonyi for five years,” he said.
He noted that the beneficiaries would work at the educational institutions being inaugurated in the state and can pursue personal sojourns after the five years.
Education
Bandit Attacks: Government Reopens Schools In Kwara State
Bandit Attacks: Government Reopens Schools In Kwara State
Bandit Attacks: Government reopens schools in Kwara state. The Kwara government has directed all schools that were closed due to insecurity in some parts of the state to reopen.
The Kwara government has directed all schools that were closed due to insecurity in some parts of the state to reopen.
The announcement was made in a statement by the commissioner for education and human capital development, Lawal Olohungbebe, on Sunday.
Mr Olohungbebe said school authorities had been notified of the decision amid continuous security operations to neutralise marauding bandits in the state.

AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
“The government deems the situation now to be a lot better than it was before. Even so, we continue to maintain vigilance,” the commissioner stated.
The development came amid recent operations by the troops of the Nigerian Army against the terrorists in Ifelodun, Edu and Patigi local governments.
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