NAL Criticizes Cancellation of National Language Policy in Nigeria

The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) has condemned the recent decision by the 69th National Council on Education (NCE) to cancel the National Language Policy (NLP 2022), which aimed to promote mother-tongue education across Nigeria. The Council’s move to adopt English as the sole medium of instruction at all educational levels has been described by NAL as a significant setback for both educational and cultural development in the country.

In a statement released on November 10, 2023, NAL President Prof. Andrew Haruna expressed “deep concern” over the reversal of the National Language Policy, which was discussed during the NCE meeting held in Akure from November 3 to 6. The Academy criticized the decision for disregarding decades of research and public advocacy supporting mother-tongue-based multilingual education.

The NLP 2022 was developed after over 40 years of gradual policy decisions and consultations aimed at ensuring that Nigerian children receive their foundational education in their mother tongue or the language of their immediate community. NAL highlighted that research, including studies supported by UNESCO, consistently demonstrates that mother-tongue instruction enhances literacy, cognitive development, and overall academic success while fostering cultural identity and social inclusion.

In reference to the esteemed Ife Six-Year Primary Education Study, led by the late Professor Babs Fafunwa, NAL noted that this research has influenced educational policies in other nations, including Bolivia and Ghana. The Academy remarked on the irony of Nigeria abandoning a policy that had garnered international attention while other African countries sought to adopt its framework.

NAL’s statement suggested that the Minister of Education may not be fully aware of the approved implementation framework for the NLP 2022, which already exists. The Academy warned that cancelling this policy poses significant risks, including the erosion of linguistic diversity, a weakening of national unity, and a violation of constitutional provisions regarding education. It further highlighted that this shift towards English-only instruction represents a return to “colonial linguistic domination and cultural alienation.”

“A country that deprives its young ones of education in their mother tongue has denied them access to the deepest and most authentic sources of knowledge,” the statement asserted. “To sever learners from the mother tongue is to impoverish their intellectual and imaginative potential.”

NAL stressed that the issue does not lie within the existence of the National Language Policy but rather in its lack of effective implementation. The Academy cautioned that removing Nigerian languages from the core curriculum would undermine children’s intellectual foundations, contradict global best practices, and ultimately jeopardize long-term national development.

The decision by the NCE raises important questions about the future of education in Nigeria and the role of cultural identity in shaping the nation’s youth. As discussions continue, the NAL advocates for a return to multilingual education policies that recognize and celebrate Nigeria’s rich linguistic heritage.