Nigeria Sets 70% Benchmark for Textbook Quality Assessment

Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, announced a 70% minimum benchmark for textbooks to qualify for ranking, addressing the issue of substandard instructional materials in Nigeria. This declaration was made in Abuja during the reception of the report from the first national textbook assessment and ranking exercise.

Alausa emphasized that materials scoring below this threshold cannot compromise educational quality. The assessment, part of the Federal Government's broader quality assurance initiative under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, follows the introduction of a revised national curriculum in September 2025.

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) developed a standardized assessment toolkit to ensure textbooks align with the new curriculum. The assessment revealed significant quality variations, with some textbooks scoring as low as 25%.

Alausa urged publishers to address deficiencies and resubmit their materials, stating that the assessment is not meant to exclude them from the education system.