FG’s Laudable Adoption of English for Teaching

With over 500 indigenous languages spoken in Nigeria, the recent federal government’s decision to cancel the use of mother tougue for teaching in schools across the country has shown that it is committed to an education system where no child is disadvantaged by language, Davidson Iriekpen writes 

The Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) last week called on the federal government to reverse its recent decision to suspend the use of indigenous languages as the language of instruction at foundational levels of schooling.  

In a position paper submitted to the Minister  of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on November 25, the academy argued that overwhelming evidence supports early education in indigenous languages, which it said improves learning outcomes, strengthens cultural identity, and promotes inclusive national development.

In a statement signed by NAE President, Emeritus Professor Olugbemiro Jegede and Secretary-General, Professor Chris Chukwurah, they maintained that research, including historic programmes such as the Ife Six-Year Project and the 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 insisted that poor performance in public examinations, often cited as justification, cannot be attributed to mother tongue instruction, which ends at primary four. It emphasised that no empirical data supported the claims that indigenous language teaching has undermined educational outcomes in the past 15 years.

While calling for the 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 was at the 2025 Language in Education International Conference, organised by the British Council in Abuja, that Dr. Alausa announced the scrapping of indigenous languages as the medium of instruction in Nigerian schools, reinstating English Language as the primary language for teaching and learning from pre-primary to tertiary levels.

The now-defunct programme was launched by former Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who had argued that children learnt more effectively in their mother tongue. At the time, Adamu argued that pupils grasped concepts more readily when taught in “their own mother tongue”.

But speaking at the conference, Alausa noted that English Language serves as a unifying tool across Nigeria’s diverse linguistic landscape, providing students with wider access to global knowledge, technology, and international opportunities.

The minister attributed the decision to a data showing poor academic performance in areas where mother-tongue instruction had been emphasised such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (NECO), and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). He explained that while preserving indigenous languages remains important for cultural identity, having English as the primary language enhances comprehension, learning outcomes, and global competitiveness. He therefore directed teachers to prioritise English as the medium of instruction. 

“Using the mother tongue language in Nigeria for the past 15 years has literally destroyed education in certain regions. We have to talk about evidence, not emotions. The national policy on language has been cancelled. English now stands as the medium of instruction across all levels of education,” he said.

The minister highlighted regional linguistic disparities, saying, “exams are conducted in English, but we taught these kids through their mother tongue. In Borno State, the mother tongue is Hausa, but many speak Kanuri. In Lagos, areas like Ajegunle have predominantly Southeastern populations, but 90 per cent of teachers are from the South-west. This diversity requires a unified approach to language instruction.”

The cancellation of the policy has drawn a mixed response from educationists, analysts and parents. While some hailed it, saying that the implementation was problematic and contributed to falling standards, others, however, argued that the policy was abandoned prematurely.

Many Nigerians need to understand that cancelling mother-tongue does not mean that Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and other languages will not be taught as subjects in schools. However, since Nigeria is an English-speaking country and it is a universal language, it is only proper for it to be adopted for teaching.

“It is unimaginable for primary and secondary schools to use mother-tongues to teach students, while WAEC, NOCO and JAMB will use English to set questions for them in the final examinations.

“Besides, those opposing the federal government’s decision need to know that when applying to study abroad, many Nigerians are made to undertake tests on proficiency in English not mother-tongue,” an educationist told THISDAY in confidence.

Despite high enrolment, 37 million of the 50.7 million children aged seven to 14 still cannot read a simple sentence, and learning outcomes remain unacceptably low. 

By Primary 6, only 39 per cent can read at the expected level, and just 35 per cent demonstrate basic numeracy, meaning three out of four learners do not have the foundational skills needed to progress, learn, or compete globally. The crisis is uneven across the country.

This demonstrates that Nigeria’s children are facing a severe and uneven learning crisis, with some regions lagging far behind in both literacy and numeracy. The gap between schooling and actual learning reflects a system-wide decline in education quality.

For instance, a recent UNICEF data in 2023 evealed that the North-west bears the largest burden with a literacy rate of 9.4 per cent and Numeracy rate of 8.3 per cent rating, followed by the North-east with 12 per cent and 10.7 per cent respectively.

Besides, North-central has a literacy and numeracy rates of 24.3 per cent and 22.7 per cent respectively, while the South-west has 45.8 per cent and 46.7 per cent rates. The South-east has the highest literacy and numeracy rates at 55.8 per cent and 52 per cent, while the South-south has 37 per cent and 34 per cent respectively.

The language policy review is one component of this broader effort, designed to help children learn effectively. It is not the sole focus but one of many measures aimed at ensuring children acquire real learning and foundational skills, equipping them with a competitive advantage for future success.

Nigeria’s National Policy on Education (NPE 1977, 1981, 1998, 2004, 2007 and 2013) articulates that the mother tongue or language of the immediate community should be the language of instruction in pre-primary and lower primary education. This policy framework is theoretically sound, rooted in constructivist principles and aligned with international best practices. However, gaps in implementation remain substantial.

Besides, with over 500 indigenous languages spoken, Nigeria is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world and has English as an official language. While this richness offers cultural strength, it presents operational complexity in educational planning. For example, a teacher posted or employed to public and private schools in the Northern part of Nigeria who cannot speak the local language cannot implement the policy of using the mother tongue. Likewise, someone from the North, East or South posted to any of the regions will not be able to teach the learners in that regard.

Another example is the learners themselves who come from different backgrounds and converge in the same class. It will be difficult to use the mother tongue of that area to teach them. If mother tongue is used, then there will be no inclusivity thereby depriving other students from learning.

Meaningful learning begins with understanding. Whether it is a girl in Sokoto, a boy in Borno, a nomadic child in Plateau, or learners in Rivers, Ekiti, or Enugu, education in a language they comprehend builds confidence, dignity, and agency. Thoughtful English-medium instruction ensures all learners can engage with the curriculum, perform in national examinations, and access jobs and opportunities fairly, reducing linguistic or regional exclusion.

Nigeria must be committed to an education system where no child is disadvantaged by language, supported by political will, partnerships, funding, and regional collaboration.

What the federal government needs to do going forward, is to review and harmonise existing language-in-education policies across federal, state, and local levels. This includes a clear roadmap for the use of the English language through basic and secondary levels.