NAE criticises FG’s mother tongue policy reversal, calls for immediate restoration
The Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) has condemned the federal government’s recent decision to scrap the national language policy, urging Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, to reinstate mother tongue instruction at the foundational levels of schooling.
In a position paper submitted to the minister on November 25 and shared with journalists on Friday, the NAE highlighted overwhelming research showing that early education in indigenous languages improves learning outcomes, strengthens cultural identity, and supports inclusive national development.
The statement, signed by NAE President Emeritus Olugbemiro Jegede and secretary general Chris Chukwurah, described the policy reversal as a “grave disservice” to Nigeria’s educational progress.
The academy warned that discontinuing mother tongue instruction without rigorous evaluation risks “permanent recolonisation and the burial of Nigeria’s future and pride.”
The federal government recently cancelled the 2022 national language policy, establishing English as the sole medium of instruction at all educational levels—a position reiterated by the minister at the 2025 language in education conference organised by the British Council in Abuja.
The NAE disputed claims that mother tongue instruction hinders academic performance, citing historic projects such as the Ife six-year project and recent bilingual education studies that show pupils taught in their native languages outperform peers academically, even in English.
The academy emphasised that indigenous language teaching in primary school, which ends at primary four, has no proven negative impact on national examination outcomes.
Calling for immediate policy reinstatement, the NAE urged the government to strengthen implementation through teacher training, improved learning materials, stakeholder engagement, and regular evidence-based reviews.
It stressed that safeguarding early-grade learning in Nigerian languages is crucial for preserving national heritage and improving literacy.
The academy also raised concerns over the resurgence of school attacks by terrorists, warning that Nigeria’s education system is “under siege.”
Since the 2014 Chibok abduction, at least 92 school invasions, 2,500 learner abductions, over 180 child fatalities, 90 injuries, and more than 90 missing children have been reported, including the recent St. Mary’s School attack in Niger State on November 21.
According to the NAE, over one million children now live in fear of attending school.
“These are not statistics but shattered dreams, grieving families, and a generation at risk,” the statement reads, lamenting that education—the foundation of national development—is being eroded by escalating violence.
While acknowledging initiatives such as the safe schools declaration and the national plan for financing safe schools, the NAE noted that these measures remain inadequate, leaving schools, particularly in the north-east and Middle Belt, vulnerable to attacks.
The academy highlighted the severe psychological toll on learners, teachers, and families, ranging from trauma and anxiety to burnout and emotional breakdown.
The NAE emphasised the broader socio-economic consequences, including destabilised communities and diminished long-term human capital.
It called for urgent action, including full protection for learners and school staff, stringent punishment for perpetrators, improved intelligence coordination, trauma care for victims, and compensation for bereaved families.
“Education is the lifeblood of any nation. If Nigeria fails to protect its schools and young ones, it fails to protect its future,” the statement concluded.
The Academy urged the government, security agencies, and civil society to move beyond rhetoric and deliver tangible results. “The time for promises has passed, the time for results is now.”
