The federal government has urged the National Council on Education and stakeholders to approve the reversal of the use of mother tongue as the medium of instruction from primary one to six.

The Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, made the appeal at the 2025 Extraordinary National Council on Education Meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Mr Ahmad also called on the council to approve the review of the national policy on education to restrict the use of mother tongue to Early Childhood Care Development and Education and primary one.

The NCE had previously advocated the use of the mother tongue of the immediate environment as the medium of instruction in the first three years of primary education.

The policy aimed to preserve Nigerian languages and enhance foundational learning.

However, the Federal Executive Council approved its implementation on November 30, 2022.

The minister of state highlighted several challenges hindering the implementation of the policy.

“Inconsistencies in policy execution, especially in urban areas and some parts of the country, impede implementation. We use English from the start, contradicting the policy. With over 500 languages in Nigeria, implementation becomes complex, making it difficult to select a dominant language in multilingual communities. Limited availability of instructional materials and textbooks, among other factors, hinders implementation,” she said.

She added that the ministry and NCE must initiate a policy review to implement the necessary changes.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, also advocated integrating secondary education into basic education, extending it to 12 years.

Mr Alausa said this initiative aligned with global best practices and Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

“Subsuming secondary education into basic education is necessary to improve access, retention, and completion.  By making secondary education a part of basic education, students will benefit from uninterrupted learning up to the age of 16. This reform will also reduce dropout rates by eliminating financial and systemic barriers that currently prevent students from completing secondary education,” he said.

Mr Alausa further explained the importance of converting the Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTCs) into Federal Technical Colleges (FTCs).

According to him, technical education facilitates the acquisition of practical and applied skills, enabling young people to develop an intelligent understanding of the increasing complexity of technology.

He said, “This transformation is not just a policy shift; it is a crucial step towards realigning our education system with the demands of an evolving economy and a technologically driven world. Another major issue facing the nation is youth unemployment. Nigeria’s youthful demographic has over 60 per cent of the population under 30. In tackling this pressing issue, my administration introduced the TVET initiative, which aims to restructure and enhance technical and vocational education in Nigeria. This will align educational outcomes with industry demands.’’

Speaking on the incorporation of the 16-year minimum admission age policy for tertiary institutions into the NCE framework, the minister said this was necessary to standardise entry requirements for tertiary education.

The meeting brought together commissioners for education from the 36 states and the FCT, heads of agencies, international organisations, and the deputy governor of Kano State. 

(NAN)