Education
FG scraps indigenous language teaching in primary schools
By Son Tertsea
The 2022 National Language Policy, which stipulated that the language of instruction from early childhood to Primary Six should be the mother tongue or the language of the immediate community was yesterday reversed by the Federal Government.
Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education while speaking yesterday at the opening of the Language in Education International Conference 2025, organised by the British Council, in Abuja said English will now be the language of instruction in Nigerian schools from primary through tertiary levels.
Alausa attributed then policy change to the poor performance of Nigeria children in public examinations because they were taught in their mother tongues.
Citing evidence-based, data-driven research by the education ministry he said the policy had destroyed the education system, as pupils and students often advanced to higher classes without learning essential skills.
Accordingly, “The National Policy on Language has been cancelled. English is now the language of instruction in our schools, from primary to tertiary levels. As you know, one of the most important and powerful things in education is language. That’s how the role of language instruction is going to be developed in all subjects”, he stressed.
He added that the Nigerian languages diversity has not helped matters either, “The language policy in Nigeria states that mother tongue will be used in the early stage of primary school, Primary One. But we’ve seen significant over-supervision into geopolitical zones of the country, and no use of that policy in other zones”.
Alausa continued, “We reviewed the data available to us. Is teaching in the mother tongue really working for us? The unanimous outcome of our review, which is evidence-based, data-driven, and combined with real-life situations in the geopolitical zones, shows overuse of mother tongue from Primary One to Primary Six, and even from JSS One to JSS Three.
“We’ve seen total destruction of Nigeria’s system, where children graduate up to JSS Three or even SS Three without learning anything. They go on to sit national exams—WAEC, JAMB, NECO—and fail.”
The minister highlighted regional linguistic disparities, saying, “Exams are conducted in English, but we taught these kids through their mother tongue. In Borno State, the mother tongue is Hausa, but many speak Kanuri. In Lagos, areas like Ajegunle have predominantly southeastern populations, but 90% of teachers are from the southwest. This diversity requires a unified approach to language instruction.”
In his address at the occasion, Country Director of the British Council, Nigeria, Donna McGowan, said the conference would provide stakeholders the opportunity to improve English language proficiency and administer different English language testing solutions.
The aim of the conference, according to her, is to bring together policymakers, educators, researchers, and partners from across Africa, South Asia, and the UK to explore how language can support inclusion and improve learning outcomes across education systems.
Broadly, the 2022 National Language Policy was aimed at promoting indigenous languages and preserving cultural heritage, recognising the country’s over 600 languages, where about 29 are already extinct.
However, the policy faced different challenges including difficulty in developing teaching materials, issues with the training of teachers, and problems coming from the settlement of different ethnic groups together with such linguistic diversity posing challenges in impactful teaching of children.
Education
UBEC, JICA, UNICEF Jointly Expose BENUE Pupils To Environmental Restoration With Tree Planting
By Our Reporter
The collaborative efforts of the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, JICA and UNICEF in Benue State is set to lead a climate action drive among pupils at the basic school level with the kicks off of “Greening Clubs” in 20 schools and a tree-planting campaign that will see 40 schools plant 20 trees each.
The launch, held to mark 2026 World Environment Day, was done in partnership with UBEC, Benue State Council on Climate Change, and UN TER Limited. Representing Education Commissioner Dr. Margaret Adamu, Permanent Secretary Mrs. Bibiana Tyoishi said building climate resilience starts with children and pledged Governor Hyacinth Alia’s continued support for ecological restoration policies.
SUBEB Chairman Dr. Grace Adagba said the clubs will teach learners hands-on environmental stewardship. She also announced Governor Alia’s approval for fencing and renovation of RCM Primary School, Poor, Makurdi. UBEC’s Mr. Idzi Baba Emmanuel, Climate Change Council’s Dr. Daniel Mailumo, and UN TER’s Mrs. Stephen Ahile all praised the school-based initiative for instilling climate consciousness early.
On the same day, SUBEB deepened its basic education reforms with two partner engagements. UNICEF Education Specialist Mr. Believe Eke presented an Education Needs Assessment report that highlighted critical gaps and called for data-driven interventions. Stakeholders agreed on actionable steps to improve learning outcomes.
JICA Nigeria also visited to review its Grant Aid school rehabilitation project. Programme Coordinator Stephen Nwanya and Advisor Hikaru Kusakabe confirmed St. Theresa’s Primary School, Wurukum is among schools slated for comprehensive rehab under UBEC’s Direct Intervention. JICA donated 120 Mathematics Drill Textbooks to boost numeracy in beneficiary schools.
Dr. Adagba said the combination of green education, needs assessment, and infrastructure rehab shows Benue’s push to deliver quality basic education
Lecturers’ union says negotiations with state government and university management failed to yield binding agreement
By Felix Umande, Makurdi
Academic activities at Benue State University, Makurdi, have been disrupted as the Academic Staff Union of Universities, BSU branch, commenced an indefinite, comprehensive strike on Monday, 1st June 2026.
In a statement signed by branch chairman Dr. Ali Ako and secretary Prof. Daniel Chile, ASUU-BSU said the industrial action followed the collapse of sustained engagement with the university administration, Governing Council, and Benue State Government over unresolved welfare and governance issues.
The union said its congress resolved to down tools after “all efforts to produce meaningful and lasting solutions with the state government and school authorities had failed.”
“Despite all efforts, the Benue State Government, the University Administration and relevant authorities failed to engage the union through a formal Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of Action containing clear commitments and implementation,” the statement read. “Instead, the university administration resorted to isolated and uncoordinated payments without any negotiated framework. These actions neither addressed the underlying issues nor provided a credible roadmap for resolution.”
ASUU-BSU declared that the strike “shall remain in full force until substantial progress is made and binding agreements are reached on the issues in dispute.”
The union listed its grievances to include:
- Non-payment of pension and gratuity to retired staff
- Absence of an effective Health Insurance Scheme
- Irregular pension remittances
- Non-payment of promotion arrears
- Outstanding 25% / 35% wage award arrears
- Incomplete implementation of the Consequential Adjustment to Academic Salaries agreement
- Unresolved taxation issues
- Rejection of the Senate-Nominated Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
The strike is expected to affect teaching, supervision, and other academic activities at the university until negotiations resume and commitments are formalized.
Students, parents, and stakeholders are now awaiting the response of the Benue State Government and BSU management to the union’s demands, with hopes for a swift resolution to minimize disruption to the academic calendar.
–Unpaid Entitlements –Management’s lack of respect for Senate decisions
–Non payment of pension for retired staff
–Eroding Autonomy cited
By Our Reporter
Academic activities at the Benue State University (BSU), now Rev Fr Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi have been halted indefinitely due to the commencement of a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), BSU Branch, over unresolved welfare and governance issues.
The union on Monday broke the news of the commencement of the industrial action shortly after its Congress meeting where the Benue State government and the university’s management was blamed for failing to address longstanding grievances despite years of negotiations and interventions.
The Chairperson of ASUU-BSU, Dr. Ali Sule Ako, and the Secretary, Prof. Daniel Chile, in a communique which they signed stated that the union’s decision became inevitable following the continued non-payment of pension and gratuity to retired staff, irregular remittance of pension contributions, unpaid promotion arrears dating back to 2018, and the failure to fully implement salary adjustments and wage awards owed to lecturers.
The union lamented that several retired staff members had died without receiving their entitlements, while others continue to endure hardship years after leaving service.
The union further decried the absence of an effective health insurance scheme for workers, despite directives for staff enrollment, government counterpart funding has not been provided, rendering the programme ineffective.
Other issues cited include the accumulation of about 22 months of 25 and 35 percent wage award arrears, incomplete implementation of the Consequential Adjustment to Academic Salaries (CATA), and what the union termed “excessive taxation” that has reduced staff earnings.
The ASUU-BSU further accused university authorities of undermining due process and institutional autonomy through the rejection of the Senate-nominated candidate for Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Ebute Agaba, without explanation.
The union added that repeated efforts by the branch, the ASUU zone and the National Executive Council (NEC) to secure a negotiated settlement failed to yield results, alleging that authorities instead resorted to isolated payments without committing to a formal agreement or clear implementation framework.
“The welfare of staff, the integrity of university governance and the future of BSU cannot continue to be subjected to endless promises and unfulfilled commitments,” the union stated.
The union has also vowed that the strike would remain in force until substantial progress is made and or binding agreements are reached on all issues in dispute.
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