By Uzair Adam
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has concluded the first batch of textbook assessments for the 2026 National Book Assessment and Ranking Exercise, a key initiative aimed at improving the quality of instructional materials used in schools across Nigeria.
The Daily Reality reports that the development was announced in a statement by NERDC following the completion of the exercise, which forms part of the Federal Government’s quality assurance measures for educational resources.
The assessment, conducted from July 23 to 27, brought together panels of subject specialists, curriculum experts, language professionals and other education stakeholders to evaluate textbooks submitted for Primary One, Primary Four, Junior Secondary School One (JSS I) and Senior Secondary School One (SSS I).
The exercise aligns with the phased implementation of the new national curriculum.
According to NERDC, the assessment is a key component of the Federal Ministry of Education’s quality assurance framework, which requires all textbooks to undergo a rigorous evaluation before being ranked for possible recommendation and use in schools.
The Council said the initiative is designed to ensure that teachers and learners have access to instructional materials that are curriculum-compliant, academically sound, inclusive and pedagogically appropriate.
Speaking on the successful completion of the first phase, the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof. Salisu Shehu, commended the assessors for their professionalism, dedication and commitment throughout the exercise.
He described the assessment as a critical step toward strengthening quality assurance in educational publishing and improving learning outcomes nationwide.
According to Shehu, the introduction of the national book ranking system represents a major reform in the assessment and approval of textbooks, as it is intended to promote excellence, transparency and healthy competition among publishers while ensuring that only quality instructional materials are recommended for use in Nigerian schools.
“The integrity of the assessment process remains paramount. Every textbook was assessed using approved assessment 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 NERDC boss also expressed appreciation to members of the assessment panels for dedicating their expertise and time to the exercise, describing their contributions as invaluable to improving the quality of educational resources in the country.
He disclosed that assessment reports from the first batch would proceed to the next stage of the ranking process in line with the approved Book Quality Guidelines and Ranking Framework.
Shehu reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to maintaining a transparent, credible and evidence-based evaluation process that reflects international best practices in textbook assessment.
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 said every submitted textbook underwent a comprehensive evaluation using established criteria to ensure that only books meeting the required quality standards would be recommended for use in schools.
Kanu added that the completion of the first batch marks another important milestone in NERDC’s efforts to institutionalise a transparent and credible textbook assessment system capable of strengthening curriculum delivery and enhancing learning outcomes across the country.
