NATINAL POLICY ON EDUCATION 6TH EDITION

What Is This Policy?

The National Policy on Education (NPE) is Nigeria's foundational legal and operational guide for the organisation, delivery, and governance of education at every level, from pre-primary through basic, secondary, technical, tertiary, and non-formal education. All subsequent sector policies and education laws derive their authority from the NPE.

Who Does It Target?

All Nigerians from pre-school age through adulthood in both formal and non-formal settings Federal and state governments as providers and funders of public education Private school operators, religious and community school proprietors Teachers, school administrators, and education regulators at all levels

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Provide a free and compulsory basic education of nine years for every Nigerian child Develop the intellectual, social, cultural, and vocational capacities of Nigerians to meet the needs of the economy and society Promote unity, equity, and national integration through a common education framework across diverse ethnic and religious communities Build a sound moral foundation and produce citizens who are able to think critically and contribute productively to national development

Key Features

6-3-3-4 Structure: Nigeria's education ladder: 6 years primary, 3 years junior secondary, 3 years senior secondary, and 4 years tertiary Universal Basic Education: Free, compulsory nine-year basic education (primary plus junior secondary) for all Nigerian children, funded through the UBEC matching grant system Mother Tongue Instruction: Policy mandates use of mother tongue or language of the immediate community for instruction in the first three years of primary school TVET Integration: Technical and vocational education recognised as a core pathway alongside academic education at secondary and post-secondary levels Tertiary Sub-Sectors: Covers universities (regulated by NUC), polytechnics and monotechnics (NBTE), colleges of education (NCCE), and professional and postgraduate institutions Non-Formal Education: Adult and non-formal education included as a formal national responsibility, addressing Nigeria's adult literacy gap

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Active (6th Edition 2013); under revision as part of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) 2023 Implementing Body: Federal Ministry of Education; NERDC (curriculum); UBEC (basic education funding); NUC; NBTE; NCCE Coverage: National; all 36 states and FCT from pre-primary to postgraduate level Key Challenge: 18.3 million out-of-school children remain a major implementation gap; the 7th edition revision aims to address this directly Funding: Federal education budget, UBEC matching grants, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), state and LGA contributions

How to Access

Parents and Guardians: Enrol children in public primary schools free of charge; secondary school fees vary by state Teachers: Access the NPE and related curriculum frameworks from NERDC: nerdc.edu.ng School Proprietors: Register private schools with the State Ministry of Education in compliance with NPE minimum standards Contact: Federal Ministry of Education: education.gov.ng | UBEC: ubec.gov.ng | NERDC: nerdc.edu.ng

Official Resources

Website: education.gov.ng | ubec.gov.ng | nerdc.edu.ng Contact: Federal Ministry of Education, Block 5A Federal Secretariat, Shehu Shagari Way, Garki, Abuja Policy Summary | Source: FME, NERDC, UBEC, NUC, UNESCO IBE, World Bank Nigeria Education Review | February 2026

Legal Framework

The National Policy on Education (6th Edition) derives authority from Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels. It operates under the Federal Ministry of Education Act, the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act 2004, the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, and the National Universities Commission Act. The Universal Basic Education Commission provides the statutory implementing framework at the basic education level.