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FEC approves teaching in mother tongue

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Federal Executive Council
The Federal Executive Council (FEC)
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The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved a new National Language Policy which will make it possible for children in primaries one to six to be taught in local languages (mother tongue) in their communities

Minister of education, Adamu Adamu disclosed this while briefing State House journalists, after the weekly FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He disclosed that the Federal Government has agreed that henceforth, instructions for the first six years in primary schools will be in mother tongue.

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“In principle, it has been agreed. And I know, implementing it will require a lot of work to develop materials to teach and get the teachers and so on. But the policy has been approved.

“What do you mean by mother tongue? Mother tongue is mother tongue. There are 625 languages in Nigeria. If we have the instructional materials and teachers, the community will teach the children in its own language.

“It is not restricted to the three languages that we have promoted: Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. When the policy is fully operational, each locality will teach children from primary one up to six in their own mother tongue.

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He noted that the pupils learn much better when instructions are in their own mother tongue at that level.

“But while getting instructions in their mother tongue, they will be taught other Nigerian languages of their choice and they will be taught international languages at certain stages: English, French, Arabic, and so on.

“Mother tongue is mother tongue, don’t think when we say mother tongue, pupils will be taught in Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba only.

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The FEC also approved a memo for engagement of consultants to upgrade the portal for the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB).

According to the minister, the approval “is for consultancy services agreement with Sigmac Technologies for the upgrade of the portal on which JAMB records the candidates. What we are looking for is the approval for the rate because in 2022, the amount was N352,280,600 for 1,761,403 candidates. But for 2023/2024, we don’t know. It could be much higher than this.

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