A Parent’s Endorsement of Federal Education Reforms and a Call for Niger State Action
~ Isyaku Barau writes from Kontagora.
As a parent of five children currently enrolled in school, I speak from personal experience, not theory. In today’s Nigeria, where inflation severely impacts household budgets and families face difficult trade-offs daily, the rising costs of education have become increasingly burdensome.
Against this challenging economic background, I wholeheartedly commend the Federal Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and his Deputy, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, for their recent nationwide education policy reforms.
The initiatives to ban textbooks bundled with disposable workbooks, promote durable and reusable textbooks, streamline graduation ceremonies, and implement a uniform academic calendar demonstrate remarkable sensitivity to the realities Nigerian parents face.
These measures are practical, thoughtful, and timely. They address the unseen drain on household finances caused by unnecessary annual textbook replacements, superficial revisions, and ceremonial school practices that add no real educational value.
For years, parents have been compelled to buy new books each session simply because children were required to write inside them.
The new federal policy restores reason by separating textbooks from exercise books, encouraging reuse among siblings and across academic years, and emphasizing content over superficial changes. This reform is conscientious—and it warrants national recognition.
I respectfully urge the Niger State Government to adopt this commendable policy framework fully and without dilution. While the recent ban on the so-called “Signing Off” culture among students is commendable, it should be complemented by broader cost-reduction reforms championed at the federal level.
Specifically, Niger State must decisively prohibit unnecessary and unrealistic graduation ceremonies for students transitioning between classes within the same school. These ceremonies impose additional financial burdens on parents—such as fees, uniforms, souvenirs, and levies—without enhancing educational outcomes.
Education must remain a public good, not a commercial enterprise that burdens parents. Embracing the federal education policy comprehensively will ease parental hardship, promote sustainability, and refocus efforts on what truly matters: learning, character, and competence. Niger State must act—immediately
