Academy of Education faults reversal of mother tongue policy, seeks restoration

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) has strongly criticised the Federal Government’s decision to scrap the National Language Policy, urging the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to reverse his decision and restore mother tongue as the language of instruction at foundational levels of schooling.

NAE, in a position paper submitted to the minister argued that overwhelming evidence supports early education in indigenous languages, which it said improves learning outcomes, strengthens cultural identity, and promotes inclusive national development.

The statement, signed by NAE President, Emeritus Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, and Secretary General, Prof. Chris Chukwurah, described the policy reversal as a “grave disservice” to Nigeria’s educational progress.

It warned that discontinuing mother tongue instruction without rigorous evaluation amounted to “permanent recolonisation and the burial of Nigeria’s future and pride.”

Recall that the Federal Government recently cancelled the 2022 National Language Policy, designating English as the sole medium of instruction at all levels, a position the Alausa restated at the 2025 Language in Education Conference organised by the British Council in Abuja.

But the NAE maintained that research, including historic programmes such as the Ife Six-Year Project and recent bilingual education studies, shows that pupils taught first in their native languages perform better academically, even in English, than those introduced prematurely to foreign-language instruction.

The Academy faulted the rationale provided by the minister, insisting that poor performance in public examinations cannot be attributed to mother tongue instruction, which ends at primary four.

It said no empirical data supports claims that indigenous language teaching has undermined educational outcomes in the past 15 years.

While calling for immediate reinstatement of the policy, the Academy urged the government to strengthen implementation through teacher training, improved learning materials, stakeholder engagement, and regular evidence-based reviews.

It said safeguarding early-grade learning in Nigerian languages is vital to preserving national heritage and preventing further decline in literacy.

The NAE reaffirmed its readiness to work with the Ministry to ensure a functional and culturally grounded education system for future generations.

Similarly, the Academy decried the resurgence of school attacks by terrorists, warning that Nigeria’s education system is “under siege” and edging toward collapse as relentless attacks on schools devastate learners, teachers and communities.

It disclosed that at least 92 school invasions, 2,500 abducted learners, over 180 children killed, 90 injured and more than 90 still missing have been recorded since the 2014 Chibok abduction, culminating in the latest attack at St. Mary’s School, Niger State, on November 21.

NAE also noted that over one million children now live in fear of going to school. “These are not statistics but shattered dreams, grieving families and a generation at risk.”

Tthe Academy lamented that education, the bedrock of national development, is being eroded by mounting violence, thus urging government, security agencies and civil society to rise above rhetoric and take bold, coordinated action.