Why All Nigerian States Should Ban Non-Reusable Textbooks

As schools across the country reopen this September, parents in Imo, Benue, Anambra, and Ondo States are breathing a little easier thanks to a new policy banning the use of non-transferable textbooks. This move may appear small, but for families already struggling with the high cost of education, it is a major relief. The change means that textbooks can now be reused by younger siblings or passed down to other students instead of being discarded at the end of a school year.

The essence of the policy is straightforward: to make textbooks reusable and thereby reduce the financial strain on families. For years, many parents have been forced to purchase brand-new textbooks for their children each academic session, regardless of whether the older siblings had already used similar books. With this shift, households will now have the chance to cut down on school-related expenses, while students benefit from continuity and sustainability in their learning journey.

Benue State pioneered this initiative three weeks ago, with officials explaining that the decision was motivated by the growing economic hardship that makes it increasingly difficult for families to afford quality education. Helen Nambativ, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management, emphasized that the focus of the policy is not only to ease parents’ burden but also to ensure that children’s education does not suffer because of financial constraints. The new rule officially takes effect from the beginning of the 2025/2026 academic year.

Anambra quickly followed Benue’s lead. The state’s Commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, also announced the introduction of a capacity-building program for private school proprietors and teachers to help them transition smoothly into this system. The decision comes at a time when Nigerian families are facing mounting costs of living, and school expenses including books, uniforms, and levies are stretching household incomes to the breaking point.

The soaring price of textbooks has been particularly frustrating for many families. In some cases, the cost of required textbooks is almost as high as tuition fees. Parents who cannot immediately meet this demand are often left with difficult choices: either send their children to school without books or withdraw them temporarily until money is available. These gaps in learning not only disadvantage children academically but also discourage many families from keeping all their children enrolled in school.

Older generations remember a different time. In the 1980s, 1990s, and even the early 2000s, it was common to cover textbooks carefully in brown paper or plastic to keep them in good condition for younger siblings. There was a sense of shared responsibility and community in handing down books from one child to the next. But that tradition has been steadily eroded by publishers and school administrators who design textbooks with sections that require students to write directly into them. The merging of workbooks and textbooks has effectively made them one-time-use items, eliminating the possibility of reuse.

Another factor contributing to this problem is the practice of schools frequently switching publishers, even when the curriculum has not significantly changed. This means that older books—still accurate and relevant—are rendered obsolete, forcing parents to purchase new editions. In many schools, parents are even prohibited from buying textbooks from external vendors. Lists of required books are often withheld until the start of the term, ensuring that parents have no choice but to buy directly from school-authorized shops, where prices are often inflated.

This arrangement has become highly profitable for both schools and publishers, who benefit from the guaranteed annual demand. Unfortunately, it leaves parents with little bargaining power and fuels resentment toward the education system. Even worse, some schools rely on textbooks that have not been approved by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), the body responsible for regulating and standardizing educational materials. This lack of oversight not only burdens parents but also creates inconsistencies in learning, particularly when students transfer between schools that use different, unapproved books.

The ban introduced by these four states is therefore both timely and necessary. It challenges publishers and schools to rethink their business models and focus more on innovation than exploitation. Instead of depending on yearly textbook sales, publishers could invest in creative educational resources, such as supplementary learning materials, interactive digital tools, and educational apps that align with modern learning needs. Schools, on the other hand, should be encouraged to adopt teaching practices that make learning more affordable and accessible for families.

For Nigeria as a whole, expanding this policy nationwide would represent a significant step toward equity in education. Every child deserves access to quality learning, and no student should be left behind simply because their parents cannot afford a fresh set of books. Beyond financial relief, the shift also promotes sustainability by reducing waste, encouraging recycling, and restoring the valuable culture of preserving textbooks for future use.

The economic downturn in Nigeria has made it clear that families need all the support they can get. With multiple states now banning non-reusable textbooks, the momentum is building for a nationwide reform. If adopted across all 36 states, the policy could ease a major pressure point for millions of households, reinforce national educational standards, and restore trust in the fairness of the system.

The reality is that education is already expensive for many Nigerians. School fees, uniforms, transportation, and levies are heavy enough. Adding the unnecessary burden of mandatory new textbooks every year only widens inequality and prevents many children from reaching their full potential. By embracing reusable textbooks, Nigeria can return to a more inclusive and sustainable education model one that prioritizes learning over profit and ensures that no child is left behind.