The Federal Government has called on stakeholders in the National Council on Education (NCE) to approve the reversal of the policy mandating the use of mother tongue as the medium of instruction from Primary One to Six.

Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, made the appeal on Thursday during the 2025 Extraordinary NCE Meeting in Abuja.

She also urged the council to review the national education policy to limit the use of mother tongue to Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) and Primary One.

The NCE had previously endorsed the use of indigenous languages for instruction in the first three years of primary education, a move aimed at preserving local languages and strengthening foundational learning.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved this policy in November 2022.

However, Professor Ahmad highlighted several obstacles to its implementation, particularly in urban areas and multilingual communities.

“Inconsistencies in policy execution mean that in many schools, English is used from the start, contradicting the policy,” she said.

“With over 500 languages in Nigeria, selecting a dominant language in diverse communities is challenging. Additionally, there is a shortage of instructional materials and textbooks in many indigenous languages.”

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, also addressed the meeting, emphasizing the need to integrate secondary education into basic education, creating a 12-year uninterrupted system.

“By extending basic education to 12 years, students will benefit from continuous learning up to age 16,” he said.

“This will help reduce dropout rates by removing financial and systemic barriers that prevent many students from completing secondary education.”

Dr. Alausa further advocated for converting Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTCs) into Federal Technical Colleges (FTCs), aligning education with the demands of a technology-driven economy.

He emphasized that restructuring technical and vocational education (TVET) would help combat youth unemployment by equipping young Nigerians with practical skills.

He also reinforced the government’s push to set 16 years as the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions, arguing that standardizing entry requirements would improve educational quality.

The meeting brought together education commissioners from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside heads of agencies, international organizations, and the Deputy Governor of Kano State.

The Federal Government has scrapped the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) structure in Nigeria, replacing it with a compulsory 12-year uninterrupted basic education model.

This new system will allow students to complete their foundational education before progressing to higher institutions or vocational training.

With this reform, the government is moving away from the current 6-3-3-4 system and adopting a 12-4 structure.

Additionally, it is seeking approval from the National Council on Education (NCE) to set 16 years as the minimum age for entry into tertiary institutions.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this announcement on Thursday in Abuja during an extraordinary meeting of the NCE, the country’s highest policy-making body in the education sector.

The meeting was attended by education commissioners from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as representatives of agencies under the Education Ministry and development partners.

Dr. Alausa explained that merging secondary education into basic education will ensure continuous learning up to age 16, aligning Nigeria’s system with international best practices.

He emphasized that the reform aims to eliminate financial and systemic barriers that often lead to high dropout rates, thereby ensuring that more students complete their education.

“This policy will provide a standardized curriculum nationwide, offering early exposure to vocational and entrepreneurial skills. It will better prepare students for higher education and employment opportunities,” Alausa stated.

He pointed out that many developed countries follow similar models, ensuring that students acquire a solid foundation before specializing at tertiary levels.

According to him, the reform will enhance Nigeria’s global competitiveness and contribute to national development by equipping young people with relevant skills.

To implement the new system successfully, the government plans to focus on policy reforms, expanding infrastructure, training and recruiting teachers, securing funding, fostering partnerships, and enhancing the curriculum.

Alausa also noted that extending compulsory education to 12 years will have significant economic and social benefits, including reducing child labor and other social vices associated with early school dropouts.

Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi has been removed as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, now officially known as Yakubu Gowon University, just hours after presiding over the institution’s matriculation ceremony.

President Bola Tinubu also dissolved the university’s governing council, led by Air Vice-Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (Rtd).

The decision was announced in a statement on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Prof. Maikudi’s short-lived tenure less than six weeks had been marred by controversy.

Last month, 43 professors petitioned President Tinubu, opposing her appointment.

They alleged that the governing council had bypassed university regulations to impose an unqualified candidate on the institution.

In place of Maikudi, the President appointed Professor Lar Patricia Manko as Acting Vice Chancellor for a six-month term.

The statement clarified that Manko would not be eligible to contest for the substantive VC position when it becomes available.

Further restructuring at federal universities was also announced.

Senator Lanre Tejuoso, currently Pro-Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, has been reassigned as Pro-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, while Senator Joy Emordi will replace him in Makurdi.

Additionally, President Tinubu removed Professor Polycarp Emeka Chigbu from his role as Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), ahead of his tenure’s scheduled end on February 14.

Prof. Oguejiofor Ujam, a renowned scholar in Pure and Applied Chemistry, has been appointed as the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

DAILY GAZETTE reports that until his appointment, Ujam served as the Director of General Studies at the university, where he played a key role in academic administration and curriculum development.

A native of Akegbe-Ugwu in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Prof. Ujam brings extensive experience in research, teaching, and university governance to his new role.

His appointment follows the expiration of the tenure of the previous vice chancellor, as the university prepares for a substantive leadership transition..

The University of Nigeria, founded in 1960, remains one of Nigeria’s foremost institutions of higher learning.

Details shortly…