The Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) has urged the Federal Government to reverse its recent decision to discontinue the National Language Policy, warning that abandoning the use of indigenous languages at the foundational stages of schooling will have damaging consequences for education and national identity.
In a position paper submitted to the Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, on November 25 and made available to journalists on Friday, the Academy said research overwhelmingly supports early instruction in native languages. It argued that such an approach improves pupils’ comprehension, boosts academic performance, and strengthens cultural belonging.
The statement was issued by NAE President, Emeritus Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, and Secretary General, Prof. Chris Chukwurah. Both leaders described the government’s policy reversal as detrimental to Nigeria’s long-term development, warning that sidelining indigenous languages amounts to “permanent recolonisation” and could undermine the country’s future.
The Federal Government recently annulled the 2022 National Language Policy, reinstating English as the exclusive medium of instruction across all school levels. Minister Alausa defended the decision during the 2025 Language in Education Conference organised by the British Council in Abuja.
However, the NAE firmly rejected the argument that mother-tongue education contributes to poor examination outcomes. The body noted that indigenous language instruction ends at Primary Four and has not been proven responsible for students’ academic struggles. It added that no credible data supports claims that the policy has weakened learning results over the past 15 years.
Citing evidence from historic initiatives such as the Ife Six-Year Primary Project and more recent bilingual education studies, the Academy insisted that pupils initially taught in their native languages perform better academically—even in English—when compared to children introduced too early to foreign-language teaching.
The organisation called on the Federal Government to reinstate the mother-tongue policy, while enhancing its implementation through adequate teacher training, improved instructional materials, sustained stakeholder engagement, and continuous evidence-based evaluation.
The NAE stressed that protecting early-grade instruction in Nigerian languages is crucial to preserving cultural heritage, combating declining literacy levels, and fostering a functional education system. It also affirmed its readiness to collaborate with the government to build a more inclusive, culturally grounded framework for future generations.