A Reversal With Serious Consequences
The Federal Government’s plan to scrap the 2022 National Language Policy has sparked deep national concern. Many literacy and language experts argue that this reversal threatens the educational, cultural and economic future of Nigerian children.
The Minister of Education recently claimed that mother-tongue instruction “destroyed education” and caused “mass failure rate” in national exams. These claims are sweeping. Yet they lack credible evidence and stand against decades of research.
Mother-tongue instruction remains one of the strongest foundations for early learning. Children process information better in a familiar language. This foundation supports long-term academic growth. Removing it may create deeper problems than the Minister suggests.
Decades of Evidence Cannot Be Ignored
Extensive research supports mother-tongue instruction. Studies show better literacy, stronger comprehension and more confident learners. More importantly, children who start in their own language transition smoothly to English and other languages.
UNESCO has long maintained that children learn best in a language they understand. Its 2008 report confirms that skills gained in a familiar language transfer to new languages. UNICEF’s 2022 Policy Note also highlights reduced dropout rates and stronger learning when early instruction begins in a familiar tongue. The World Bank’s 2021 report, “Loud and Clear,” reaches similar conclusions.
Nigeria has strong local evidence as well. A major study by the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) showed that pupils taught in Yoruba for six years outperformed peers taught only in English. This included performance in English itself. Many Nigerian scholars have reported similar results, noting better reasoning, retention and confidence.
Some defenders of the Minister argue that “English is the language of opportunity.” That claim is true. But opportunity grows when understanding is strong. Children cannot master English if they cannot first comprehend the concepts taught.
Unverified Data and a Troubling U-Turn
At the 2025 Language in Education International Conference, the Minister reportedly declared that “English is now the language of instruction in Nigerian schools from primary to tertiary levels.” He also claimed that “data gathered from schools across the country revealed that students taught primarily in indigenous languages recorded higher failure rates in national examinations and struggled with basic English comprehension.”
However, neither the data nor any independent analysis has been released. There is no breakdown by region, school quality or teacher training. There are no peer-reviewed reports. A national policy cannot rely on unverified claims. Evidence must be transparent, especially when the future of millions of children is at stake.
Implementation Flaws, Not Policy Failure
Mother-tongue instruction works. It succeeds globally when implementation is strong. Nigeria faces challenges with materials, teacher training and funding. These weaknesses harm outcomes. But the policy itself is not the problem. The system is.
The solution is clear. Improve teacher capacity. Provide high-quality materials. Strengthen training and monitoring. Many multilingual nations have taken this path and succeeded. Nigeria can too.
Abandoning the policy will not fix these structural problems. It will worsen them.
Conclusion: Where Do We Go From Here?
Nigeria stands at a decisive moment. Scrapping the 2022 policy could shape the destiny of millions of learners. But we must ask ourselves: Are we ready to trade proven research for an unverified narrative?
Should our children learn in confusion?
Should they be forced to decode a new language before they understand basic ideas?
Should evidence be ignored because implementation was weak?
These questions matter. They touch every family. They shape every classroom. They determine whether future generations will read, reason and thrive.
So, what is your take on this? Should Nigeria strengthen the 2022 National Language Policy or discard it completely? Should we demand transparent evidence before such a major shift?
Your voice is essential. Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Join the conversation. Let policymakers know what Nigerians truly want for their children.
The future of our education system is not a closed-door decision. It is a national dialogue and your voice could shape the next chapter.