Education Minister Adamu Adamu has annouced the approval of the new framework ‘ National Language Policy’.
The policy states that the first six years of elementary school education must be delivered in the student’s mother tongue.
English is Nigeria’s official language and all learning institutions use it as the common language of teaching and learning.
But local languages will now take the centre stage, with the Education Minister saying “pupils learn much better” when they are taught in their own mother tongue.
He however acknowledged some challeges indicating that the implementation of the new policy would be challenging as it would “require a lot of work to develop materials to teach and get the teachers”.
Another challenge he mentioned is the number of languages spoken in Nigeria – more than 600.
Date for policy implamentation has therefore not been made public. They suggest to first provide teaching materials and teachers for the local languages before the implementation in earnest.
