The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has initiated a comprehensive review of the nation's textbook evaluation system. Publishers and relevant stakeholders are now required to submit school textbooks for a new phase of assessment, re-evaluation, and ranking under a recently introduced quality assurance framework.
New Ranking Mechanism
In a public notice signed by the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Professor Salisu Shehu, the Council announced the commencement of the 2026 Phase 1 textbook evaluation and ranking exercise. This initiative is part of broader efforts to improve educational quality and ensure that learners have access to credible and high-standard instructional materials. The ranking mechanism is expected to promote healthy competition among publishers and elevate quality standards for teaching and learning resources used across schools in the country.
Resubmission Required
According to the notice, all textbooks, including those previously assessed and approved for the targeted class levels, must be resubmitted for evaluation due to the introduction of new standards, benchmarks, and ranking requirements. NERDC stated that the assessment exercise will be conducted in three phases. Phase 1 will cover textbooks and instructional resources for Primary 1, Primary 4, Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1, and Senior Secondary School (SSS) 1. Subsequent phases will focus on other class levels.
Submission Deadlines
The Council announced that submissions for Phase 1 will begin on June 8, 2026, and close on June 19, 2026, warning that late submissions will not be entertained. “Assessment and ranking of books and other resources for the 2026 cycle shall be conducted in three phases,” the notice stated. All materials intended for ranking must first pass through an enhanced assessment process based on newly approved quality benchmarks.
“Critical stakeholders, including publishers, authors, printers, distributors, and individuals in the book sector, are urged to take serious note of the guidelines and comply with the instructions and new requirements set out in the Book Quality Guidelines and Submission Procedure available on the NERDC website,” the statement reads.
Completion Timeline
The Council further stated that the evaluation and ranking of all submitted textbooks and instructional materials will be concluded by July 31, 2026. After this date, a list of approved and ranked learning resources will be made available for use in schools.
