The recent decision of the National Council on Education to cancel the use of mother tongue as the medium of instruction in Nigeria’s basic schools has reignited debate over language policy and learning outcomes in the country.
The resolution was reached at the 69th meeting of the National Council on Education, which comprises the Minister of Education, Minister of State for Education, state commissioners for education, permanent secretaries and directors from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Also represented are examination bodies including JAMB, WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, NBTE, NUC and international partners such as the UNDP and GIZ.
Many education stakeholders had long predicted the collapse of the policy, citing Nigeria’s linguistic diversity with over 500 indigenous languages as a major obstacle to its effective implementation. Critics argued that the heterogeneous nature of the country made uniform application practically impossible, especially in urban areas where multiple ethnic groups coexist.
However, not all stakeholders supported the cancellation. The Nigerian Academy of Letters expressed strong reservations. In a statement endorsed by its President, Professor Andrew Haruna, the academy said Nigeria’s problem was not the policy itself but the failure of government to implement it effectively. The body called for a reversal of the decision.
The mother tongue policy originated from a major educational experiment led by the late former Minister of Education, Professor Babatunde Fafunwa, at the then University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University between 1970 and 1978. The pilot project was conducted at St Stephen’s Primary School, Modakeke in Osun State.
Using Yoruba as the language of instruction, the experiment sought to prove that indigenous languages enhanced early concept formation and learning. Findings from the study suggested that pupils taught in their native language demonstrated stronger cultural identity, improved cognitive development and better grasp of English when it was later introduced as a separate subject.
Despite the promising outcome, successive governments struggled to replicate the model nationwide due to shortage of trained teachers, lack of instructional materials and the sensitive politics of language identity.
With the policy now officially shelved, education experts warn that Nigeria may have lost a valuable opportunity to strengthen foundational learning through indigenous languages unless alternative reforms are urgently pursued.
