Nigeria Approves New Language Policy To Teach Primary School Pupils In Their Mother Tongue

The approval was issued at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

Sahara Reporters

Abuja, November 30, 2022

The Nigerian government has approved a new National Language Policy which makes the mother tongue a compulsory medium of instruction from Primary 1 to 6.

The approval was issued at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcomes of the council meeting, said though the government is aware that implementation will be challenging, the government has made the mother tongue the only medium of instruction for the first six years of education.

He explained that after primary education, English and mother tongue will be combined from the start of junior secondary school.

According to the minister, though the policy has officially taken effect, it can only be fully implemented when the government has developed instructional materials and made provisions for qualified teachers.

Adamu explained that the mother tongue to be used in each school will be the dominant language spoken by the community where it is located, Daily Sun reports.

So much has been lost owing to the extinction of some local languages, he said, adding that the federal government is determined to preserve Nigerian cultures.

He noted that all Nigerian languages are equal and will be treated as such.

He said, “A memo on national policy was approved by the council. So, Nigeria now has a National Language Policy and the details will be given later by the ministry.''

“One of the highlights is that the government has agreed now that henceforth, instruction in primary schools; the first six years of learning will be in the mother tongue."

The minister said the decision is only in principle for now because it will require a lot of work to implement it.

“Theoretically, this policy starts from today and the use of mother tongue is exclusive but we need time to develop the material, get the teachers and so on. Since the first six years of school should be in the mother tongue where the pupil is, the language of the host community is what will be used.''

“Because we have 625 languages at the last count and the objective of this policy is to promote and enhance the cultivation and use of all Nigerian languages,” he added.

Adamu said the council also approved a consultancy services agreement between Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and a private company, for the upgrade of the portal on which the board inputs records of candidates seeking admission into higher institutions of learning.

https://saharareporters.com/2022/11/30/nigeria-approves-new-language-policy-teach-primary-school-pupils-their-mother-tongue

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Absolutely brilliant!

The best thing is that the policy is based on emperical evidence. A study done in Ile Ife some years ago proved that students taught in Yoruba performed better than those taught in English language. Another thing is that this policy has helped nations like India greatly.

In few years, it will be extended to SSS3.

God bless Nigeria!

A worst case challenge is a situation in Cross River, were boys in tender ages speak a different language from girls in one particular community. So which of the mother tongues will they adopt?

Child’s intelligence should not be based on he’s or her her ability to speak English

FreeStuffsNG:
Absolutely brilliant!

The best thing is that the policy is based on emperical evidence. A study done in Ile Ife some years ago proved that students taught in Yoruba performed better than those taught in English language. Another thing is that this policy has helped nations like India greatly.

In few years, it will be extended to SSS3.

God bless Nigeria!

I cannot tell you how much joy this development brings to my soul.

This is what we call indigenous industrialisation.

Now, we will have to gather our linguists and similar professionals to devise indigenous words for some of these scientific terminologies, for the new textbooks that will be published, in biology, chemistry, physics, economics, etc, in the years ahead.

What will be the Igbo word for photosynthesis?

The Yoruba word for metamorphosis?

The Hausa word for discombobulation?

It's such an exciting development that takes modernity straight to the grassroots, and goodness know where the high intelligence of our people will go with this..?

The effects of this will be felt long after our generation has left this Earth.

Imagine in 50, 60 years time, we'll have Nigerian professors of astrophysics who only speak Igbo or Yoruba or Ijaw.

Just like you have Chinese professors of astrophysics today who only speak Chinese, and are winning Nobel prize speaking that Chinese!

We will have university science faculties, whose instructional language is Yoruba.

Nobel-winning scientific treatises penned in Edo language, or Efik. Or Kanuri.

It's the ultimate democratization of knowledge, African pride, and prosperity.

When is History coming back, dear politicians?