The Federal Government has approved a new set of textbooks for use in Nigerian schools from 2026 to 2028, covering four class levels in the first phase of its nationwide ranking exercise.
The approved materials are for Primary 1, Primary 4, Junior Secondary School 1 and Senior Secondary School 1, the Federal Ministry of Education announced on Monday.
The ministry said the exercise was concluded after the completion and validation of the first phase, with each selected textbook assigned a unique Ranking/QR Tracking Code to aid identification and monitoring.
The Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Boriowo Folasade, disclosed this in a statement, adding that the system would enable education authorities and other stakeholders to track approved books and improve accountability in their procurement and use.
According to the ministry, the ranking process was conducted under the supervision of the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, with Alausa giving final approval to the list.
The ministry explained that the introduction of the tracking codes contributed to the time taken to complete the exercise, as each approved title had to be assigned and validated before the final list was released.
It said the textbook ranking would continue in phases, with the next stage covering Primary 2, Primary 5, JSS 2 and SS 2.
The same tracking mechanism will also be applied to books approved under the subsequent phase.
The ministry directed publishers, schools, education authorities and procurement bodies to rely on the approved list when obtaining textbooks for the affected classes, stressing that the exercise was aimed at improving the quality of instructional materials and strengthening transparency in their provision and use.