Tinubu Has Not Banned Indigenous Languages in Schools, Says FG
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has clarified claims that the government of President Bola Tinubu has banned the use of indigenous languages in Nigerian schools.
Speaking in an interview on Arise News, Alausa said the government did not ban indigenous languages but acted to address what he described as their overuse in some regions.
“The policy, which has existed for many years, mandates the use of indigenous languages up to Primary Three, after which instruction should switch to English. However, Southeast, South-South, Southwest, and North Central did not implement it, while Northwest and Northeast over-implemented it, teaching in mother tongue up to Primary Six and even Senior Secondary School Three,” he explained.
Alausa said the overuse was a concern because pupils must take national examinations—NECO, WAEC, and JAMB—in English.
He added that many schools lacked sufficient instructional materials in local languages, leaving students poorly educated.
“Our analysis showed that regions that over-implemented the policy had much lower literacy rates than those that did not,” he said.
The minister stressed that English will now be standardised as the language of instruction, while students will still study one indigenous language as part of their curriculum in primary, junior, and senior secondary schools to ensure they are globally competitive.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
