The Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) has issued a strong warning that the Federal Government's decision to cancel the National Language Policy could lead to the complete collapse of Nigeria's education system.
Grave Diservice to Educational Progress
In a powerful position paper submitted to Education Minister Maruf Alausa on November 25 and made public on Friday, the NAE described the policy reversal as a "grave disservice" to Nigeria's educational advancement. The academy demanded immediate reinstatement of mother tongue as the primary language of instruction during early schooling years.
The statement, endorsed by NAE President Emeritus Professor Olugbemiro Jegede and Secretary-General Professor Chris Chukwurah, emphasized that discontinuing indigenous language instruction without proper evaluation amounts to "permanent recolonisation and the burial of Nigeria's future and pride."
Evidence Supports Indigenous Language Learning
The NAE challenged the Federal Government's recent decision to designate English as the sole medium of instruction at all educational levels. This position was reaffirmed by Minister Alausa during the 2025 Language in Education Conference organized by the British Council in Abuja.
According to the academy, both historical and contemporary research demonstrates that students who begin their education in native languages achieve better academic performance. The Ife Six-Year Project and recent bilingual education studies confirm that these students even excel in English compared to those introduced prematurely to foreign-language instruction.
The NAE specifically addressed the minister's rationale, noting that poor performance in public examinations cannot be blamed on mother tongue instruction, which typically concludes at primary four. The academy emphasized that no empirical data supports claims that indigenous language teaching has negatively impacted educational outcomes over the past 15 years.
Education System Under Siege
The warning extends beyond language policy, with the NAE highlighting the alarming resurgence of terrorist attacks on educational institutions. The academy described the education system as "under siege" and approaching collapse.
Since the infamous 2014 Chibok abduction, the situation has deteriorated dramatically. The statement revealed shocking statistics:
- At least 92 school invasions
- 2,500 learners abducted
- Over 180 children killed
- 90 injured students
- More than 90 children still missing
The recent attack on St. Mary's School in Niger State on November 21 represents the latest in this devastating trend. The NAE stressed that over one million children now live in fear of attending school, describing these figures as "not statistics but shattered dreams, grieving families, and a generation at risk."
Inadequate Security Measures
While acknowledging government initiatives like the Safe Schools Declaration and the National Plan for Financing Safe Schools, the NAE declared these measures "grossly inadequate." Schools in the North-East and Middle Belt regions remain particularly vulnerable as soft targets for attackers.
The academy identified multiple systemic failures including collapsed public confidence, absence of basic governance structures, inadequate emergency response systems, and lack of secure infrastructure. The psychological impact on learners, teachers, and families has been severe, manifesting as trauma, anxiety, burnout, and emotional breakdown.
The long-term consequences could devastate Nigeria's economic and human capital development, with millions of children out of school and communities destabilized.
Call to Action
The NAE issued an urgent call for decisive government intervention, demanding:
- Full protection for learners and school personnel
- Stringent punishment for perpetrators
- Improved intelligence coordination
- Trauma care for victims
- Compensation for bereaved families
The academy also urged strengthening policy implementation through comprehensive teacher training, improved learning materials, stakeholder engagement, and regular evidence-based reviews.
"Education is the lifeblood of any nation. If Nigeria fails to protect its schools and its young ones, it fails to protect its future," the statement concluded.
The NAE called on government agencies, security forces, and civil society to "rise above rhetoric and take bold, coordinated action. The time for promises has passed; the time for results is now."
