The Nigerian government has decided to cancel a policy that required the use of indigenous languages for early childhood education, replacing it with English as the medium of instruction. Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced the decision, stating that the program, introduced three years ago, had not met expectations and would be terminated effective immediately.
This policy was initially implemented under former Education Minister Adamu Adamu, who advocated for teaching in children’s mother tongues, citing that it would enhance learning effectiveness. While this approach received some support from various studies, it coincided with significant challenges within Nigeria’s education system, including poor teaching quality, insufficient learning materials, low teacher salaries, and frequent strikes.
Despite 85% of children enrolling in primary education, less than half complete secondary school, with around 10 million children currently out of school—more than any other country, according to the United Nations. Alausa underscored the need for this reversal by referencing poor academic performance in areas that had adopted mother-tongue instruction, based on data from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (NECO), and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The abrupt cancellation has elicited mixed reactions from educational professionals and parents. Some support the decision, suggesting that the implementation was flawed and contributed to declining education standards. Others, however, argue that the policy was halted too soon, emphasizing the need for additional investment in teacher training and educational materials before an assessment could be fairly made.
The debate raises questions about how to balance Nigeria’s diverse linguistic heritage with the necessity of a standardized education system that prepares students for a globalized economy, where English proficiency is often essential.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7rlrzq88wo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss