By
Fawaz Adebisi
According to the Federal Government of Nigeria, primary schools will now only teach in students’ mother tongues.
Following a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, made this statement to reporters.
President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the meeting.
According to Adamu, the federal government is aware that the implementation will be difficult, therefore starting that in junior secondary school, mother tongue instruction will be coupled with English language instruction.
Adamu said, “A memo on national policy was approved by the council. So, Nigeria now has a national language policy and the details will be given later by the ministry.
“One of the highlights is that the government has agreed now that henceforth, instruction in primary schools — the first six years of learning — will be in the mother tongue.
“Theoretically, this policy starts from today, but the use of mother tongue is exclusive. We need time to develop the material, get the teachers, and so on.
“Since the first six years of school should be in the mother tongue, the language of the host community is what will be used, because we have 625 languages at the last count and the objective of this policy is to promote, and enhance the cultivation and use of all Nigerian languages.”
According to Adamu, the government’s desire is to conserve cultures and the disappearance of some regional languages are the driving forces for the program.
All Nigerian languages will be given priority, he continued.
