The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, has called on critical stakeholders in the book industry to submit textbooks for assessment, reassessment and ranking, under the first phase of the exercise in 2026.
Executive Secretary of the Council, Prof. Salisu Shehu, in a public notice issued on Thursday, said the move aligns with a new policy of the Federal Ministry of Education to streamline and enhance book selection and approval processes.
Shehu urged critical stakeholders, including publishers, authors, printers, distributors, and individuals in the book sector to take serious note of the guidelines and comply with the instructions and new requirements set out in the Book Quality Guidelines and Submission Procedure available on the Council’s website.
According to him, “Assessment and ranking of books and other resources for the 2026 circle shall be in three phases – Phase 1 (Pry 1, Pry 4, JSS 1 & SS1), Phase 2 (Pry 2, Pry 5, JSS 2 & SS2), and Phase 3 (Pry 3, Pry 6, JSS 3 & SS3).
“All textbooks, including those previously assessed for the target class levels mentioned above, are to be submitted for assessment or re-assessment. This is necessary given the new policy directions, which have introduced ranking in the book assessment and approval process.
“All textbooks that are to undergo the ranking process shall be assessed first based on the improved assessment process, standards, and newly approved benchmarks.”
Shehu further stated that submission of textbooks and other resources for phase 1, covering textbooks and other resources for Primary 1, Primary 4,, JS 1 and SS 1, in line with the new curriculum implementation process, will commence from June 8, 2026, and end on June 19, 2026.
He added that books submitted later than this date shall not be considered for assessment and ranking in this phase.
He noted that payment for assessment and ranking shall follow the newly approved process available in the Book Quality Guidelines and Submission Procedure on its website.
The NERDC stated that assessment and ranking of all submitted textbooks and other instructional resources shall be concluded by July 31, 2026.
