By Joseph Erunke, Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Education has introduced a new QR-based tracking system for textbooks approved for use in Nigerian schools, in a move aimed at tightening control over instructional materials and improving transparency in their selection, procurement and distribution.
The ministry, in a statement issued Monday night by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, announced the release of the final 2026–2028 Ranked and Approved Textbooks following the completion of the first phase of the national textbook ranking exercise.
Under the new system, every approved textbook carries a unique Ranking/QR Tracking Code, alongside details of the title, author or authors, publisher and year of publication.
The ministry said the codes would facilitate the identification, monitoring and accountability of approved textbooks and provide a mechanism for tracking instructional materials used in schools.
The first phase of the exercise covers textbooks for Primary 1, Primary 4, Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) and Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1).
The exercise was conducted under the guidance of the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, with the final list approved by the Minister of Education.
According to the Ministry, the introduction of the QR tracking mechanism formed part of measures to strengthen monitoring and control of approved instructional materials.
It explained that the additional process of generating and assigning unique codes to every ranked textbook contributed to the time required to complete and validate the final lists.
The Federal Government is, however, not stopping with the first batch, as the ranking exercise is being implemented in phases.
The second phase will cover textbooks for Primary 2, Primary 5, JSS2 and SS2, with the same identification and tracking measures expected to be applied.
The ministry urged publishers, schools, education authorities, procurement agencies and other stakeholders to rely strictly on the official approved list when selecting and procuring textbooks for the affected classes.
It warned stakeholders, in effect, against departing from the approved titles, stressing that the exercise was designed to ensure that learners and teachers have access to quality, relevant and curriculum-aligned instructional materials.
The initiative, the Ministry said, was also part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to strengthen transparency and accountability in textbook provision across Nigerian schools.
It urged all stakeholders to adhere to the approved list in the provision and use of textbooks for the specified classes.
The complete 2026–2028 Ranked and Approved Textbooks, including the unique Ranking/QR Tracking Code assigned to each approved title, has been made available by the ministry.
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