Mother tongue policy: Nigeria adopt English language for teaching in schools – BBC

Report on Nigerian Educational Policy Shift and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary

The Nigerian government has reversed a three-year-old educational policy that mandated indigenous languages as the medium of instruction in early schooling. Citing poor academic performance, the government has reinstated English as the primary language of instruction from the pre-primary level. This policy shift occurs within the context of significant challenges to Nigeria’s education sector and has profound implications for the nation’s progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

2.0 Policy Reversal and Official Rationale

The Federal Ministry of Education has announced the immediate cancellation of the National Language Policy. The key details of this reversal are:

• Previous Policy: Mandated the use of indigenous languages for instruction in the first years of primary education, a strategy supported by UN research for improving foundational learning.
• New Policy: Reinstates English as the sole medium of instruction across all educational levels, from pre-primary to tertiary.
• Stated Justification: Education Minister Tunji Alausa attributed the decision to a “mass failure rate” in national examinations within regions that had broadly adopted the mother-tongue instruction policy. Data from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (Neco), and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (Jamb) were cited as evidence of the policy’s failure.

3.0 Alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education

The policy debate directly engages with the core principles of SDG 4. The initial policy aligned with global best practices for foundational learning, as promoted by UN bodies, which advocate for mother-tongue instruction to improve comprehension and learning outcomes in early childhood, a key component of SDG Target 4.2 (ensure all children have access to quality early childhood development).

However, the government’s reversal, based on poor standardized test results, highlights a critical disconnect between policy intent and practical outcomes. This situation underscores the difficulty in achieving SDG Target 4.1 (ensure all children complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education) without adequate supporting infrastructure.

4.0 Systemic Challenges Impeding SDG Progress

The effectiveness of any language policy is contingent upon addressing deeper systemic issues within Nigeria’s education system. These challenges represent significant barriers to achieving SDG 4.

1. Lack of Qualified Teachers (SDG Target 4.c): Experts note a critical shortage of teachers trained to deliver curricula in Nigeria’s diverse indigenous languages. This lack of capacity was a primary factor in the policy’s implementation failure.
2. Inadequate Resources: The previous policy was not supported by sufficient investment in developing and distributing learning materials and textbooks in local languages, undermining its potential for success.
3. High Out-of-School Population: With an estimated 10 million children out of school, Nigeria faces a severe challenge in meeting the universal access goals of SDG 4.
4. Low Completion Rates: While primary school enrolment is 85%, less than half of students complete secondary education, indicating systemic failures in retention and quality that impact long-term educational attainment.

5.0 Stakeholder Perspectives and Analysis

The policy reversal has elicited varied responses, reflecting the complex trade-offs between cultural preservation, educational effectiveness, and global economic integration.

• Support for Reversal: Proponents argue that the reinstatement of English is a pragmatic decision. They emphasize that major national examinations are conducted in English and that proficiency in English is essential for global competitiveness. This view prioritizes immediate academic performance and future economic opportunity over pedagogical theories that were poorly implemented.
• Criticism of Reversal: Opponents contend that the indigenous language policy was abandoned prematurely. They argue that three years is an insufficient timeframe to evaluate such a significant educational reform, especially given the lack of requisite investment in teacher training and materials. This perspective suggests that the failure was not in the policy’s concept—which aligns with SDG principles of inclusive and culturally relevant education—but in its execution.

6.0 Conclusion: Balancing National Goals with SDG Commitments

Nigeria’s reversal of its language-in-education policy highlights the immense challenge of translating global educational goals into effective national practice. While the former policy was aligned with international evidence on foundational learning, its failure underscores that achieving SDG 4 requires more than policy directives. It demands substantial, sustained investment in teacher capacity (SDG 4.c), curriculum development, and learning resources. The current debate forces a critical evaluation of how to balance the promotion of linguistic heritage and equitable learning with the practical demands of a standardized curriculum and a globalized world.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The entire article is centered on the challenges within Nigeria’s education system. It discusses the quality of teaching, access to primary and secondary education, learning outcomes, and the foundational issue of the language of instruction in early childhood and pre-primary education. The debate over policy directly addresses the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 4.1: Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.

  The article directly relates to this target by highlighting significant challenges in Nigeria. It states that while 85% of children attend primary school, “less than half complete their secondary education.” Furthermore, the “10 million children are out of school” figure points to a major gap in ensuring universal access. The discussion about “poor academic results” and “mass failure rate” in national exams (WAEC, Neco, Jamb) is a direct reflection on the quality and effectiveness of learning outcomes.

• Target 4.2: Ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.

  The core policy discussed in the article—mandating the use of indigenous languages versus English—is specifically for “the earliest years of schooling” and from “pre-primary levels.” The debate is about what constitutes “quality” pre-primary education that best prepares children for subsequent schooling, with one side arguing for mother-tongue instruction and the other for early immersion in English.

• Target 4.c: Substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers.

  The article explicitly identifies a shortage of qualified teachers as a critical problem. Education expert Dr. Aliyu Tilde is quoted questioning if Nigeria has “trained teachers to teach in the dozens of indigenous languages” and concluding that “what’s needed to improve the quality of our schools is bringing in qualified teachers.” This points directly to the need to increase the supply of well-trained educators to improve the quality of the education system.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Secondary School Completion Rate: The article explicitly states that “less than half complete their secondary education.” This is a direct indicator used to measure progress towards Target 4.1.
• Out-of-School Children Numbers: The statistic that “Some 10 million children are out of school in Nigeria” is a key indicator related to Target 4.1, measuring the proportion of the population that is not enrolled in the education system.
• Academic Proficiency/Achievement Rates: The article refers to “poor academic results” and a “mass failure rate in WAEC, Neco, and Jamb.” The results from these national examinations serve as a direct indicator of learning outcomes and student proficiency, which is central to measuring the quality aspect of Target 4.1.
• Proportion of Qualified Teachers: The article implies this indicator is low by quoting an expert who states that Nigeria lacks “trained teachers” and needs more “qualified teachers.” While not providing a specific number, it highlights the supply of qualified teachers as a measurable factor in educational quality, relevant to Target 4.c.

SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

Source: bbc.com