The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has concluded the first batch of the 2026 National Book Assessment and Ranking Exercise, marking a key milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the quality of instructional materials used in schools across the country.
The exercise, brought together panels of subject specialists, curriculum experts, language professionals and other education stakeholders to assess textbooks submitted for Primary One, Primary Four, Junior Secondary School One (JSS I) and Senior Secondary School One (SSS I).
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The assessment aligns with the phased implementation of Nigeria’s new national curriculum.
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The exercise forms part of the Federal Ministry of Education’s quality assurance framework, which requires all textbooks to undergo a comprehensive evaluation before they are ranked for possible recommendation and adoption in schools.
The initiative is designed to ensure that learners and teachers have access to curriculum-compliant, academically sound, inclusive and pedagogically appropriate instructional materials.
Speaking on the successful completion of the first phase, the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof. Salisu Shehu, commended the assessment panels for their professionalism, dedication and commitment throughout the exercise.
He described the assessment as a critical component of efforts to strengthen quality assurance in educational publishing and improve learning outcomes nationwide.
Prof. Shehu said the introduction of the national textbook ranking system represents a major reform in the evaluation and approval of instructional materials, aimed at promoting excellence, transparency and healthy competition among publishers.
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According to him, the initiative will ensure that only textbooks that meet approved quality standards are recommended for use in Nigerian schools.
“The integrity of the assessment process remains paramount. Every textbook was assessed using approved guidelines and established quality benchmarks to ensure fairness, objectivity and consistency. Our goal is to provide Nigerian learners and teachers with textbooks that effectively support the implementation of the national curriculum and contribute to improved educational outcomes,” he said.
The Executive Secretary also expressed appreciation to the assessors for contributing their expertise to the rigorous evaluation process, describing their role as vital to improving the quality of educational resources in the country.
He disclosed that reports from the first batch of assessments would proceed to the next stage of the ranking process in line with the approved Book Quality Guidelines and Ranking Framework.
Prof. Shehu reaffirmed NERDC’s commitment to maintaining a transparent, credible and evidence-based textbook assessment system that reflects international best practices.
Also speaking, the Director of the Book Development Centre (BDC), Dr. Judith Kanu, praised the commitment of the assessment panels and reiterated the Council’s resolve to uphold the integrity of the ranking process.
She explained that every submitted textbook underwent a comprehensive assessment based on established criteria to ensure that only books meeting the required quality standards would be recommended for use in schools.
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Dr. Kanu described the completion of the first batch as another significant step in NERDC’s efforts to institutionalise a transparent and credible textbook assessment system capable of enhancing curriculum implementation and improving learning outcomes across Nigeria.