By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The 2026 edition of Akada Children’s Book Festival (ACBF) will take place on Saturday, May 23, at Rugby School Nigeria, Eko Atlantic, Lagos.

A statement from the organisers disclosed that this event, in its eighth year, will offer families a chance to engage their kids in fun, learning, and imagination all in one vibrant space.

The theme is Big Dreams, Brave Stories, and will feature different activities designed to move beyond passive participation, giving children the opportunity to engage actively with stories, explore their creativity, and connect with books in ways that feel natural and exciting.

Some of the rich and engaging line-up of activities designed to immerse children, parents, and educators in an interactive literary experience include author-led book readings, author meet-and-greet sessions, storytime sessions, book chats, book exhibitions and signings, workshops for children, workshops for parents and educators, writing and illustration competition announcements, scrabble and chess tournaments, theme song competition, sip and paint sessions, STEM activities, sensory play experiences, drama, music, and dance performances, and prizes and book giveaways.

The book festival encourages children to embrace courage, creativity, and self-expression. Through stories of adventure, bravery, and self-discovery, kids are inspired to dream boldly, ask questions, and see themselves as active participants in their own journeys.

As a result, some original children’s titles by Nigerian authors have been curated for the event. They include Lumi Drives from London to Lagos by Pelumi Nubi, Sim Sim Goes to the Salon by Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie, Amang Goes to the Village by Namse Udosen, and What Happened on Thursday? A Nigerian Civil War Story by Ayo Oyeku.

These books reflect diverse experiences and cultural contexts, allowing children to see themselves in the stories while exploring new worlds through literature.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Lagos State government has stressed that it did not approve the use of the controversial nursery school English language textbook in public and private schools in the state.

A mother had come online to criticise an alleged inappropriate content in her child’s textbook. It was claimed that the publisher of the book threatened to sue the woman.

Reacting to the development, the Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs Abisola Dokunmu-Adegbite, said the “textbook is not among the approved and recommended instructional materials authorised for use in public, or approved private schools across the state.”

According to her, the ministry maintains a strict policy on the selection and approval of educational materials to ensure that all learning resources are age-appropriate, morally sound, and align with the educational standards and values of the state.

She stated that based on preliminary findings, the “school featured in the video is located somewhere in Ojo Local Government, Lagos State.”

“The name of the school and publisher have been identified for further investigation and appropriate actions.  The public is hereby assured of qualitative foundational education for our children in the state,” the senior government official said in a statement on Tuesday.

Mrs Dokunmu-Adegbite reiterated that only government-approved textbooks and instructional materials are permitted for use in schools in Lagos State, advising school administrators, proprietors, and teachers “to adhere strictly to these guidelines to safeguard the moral and academic development of our learners.”

She assured parents, guardians, educators, and the general public that the state government will always work hard to ensure children get quality education.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government announces the introduction of a National Textbook Ranking System for Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools across the country as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen quality assurance and standardisation in Nigeria’s education sector.

The development was disclosed in a Monday statement signed by Mrs Folasade Boriowo, the Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, noting that the initiative is designed to address the growing proliferation of textbooks in schools and ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-compliant learning materials are approved for classroom use.

The Implementation of the National Textbook Ranking System will commence from the September 2026 academic session, following the establishment of the Standing Subject Committees and completion of the evaluation framework.

The statement disclosed that the Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suiwaba Sai’d Ahmad, stated that under the new system, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to exercise its statutory authority to approve textbooks for use in Nigerian schools.

The Ministry explained that the textbooks will now be ranked through a structured national evaluation process to determine the most suitable and highest-quality options for each subject and level of education.

The statement reads, “As part of the reform, NERDC will establish Standing Subject Committees comprising experts in relevant subject areas. These committees will conduct rigorous reviews of textbooks submitted by publishers and evaluate them based on clearly defined academic and pedagogical standards.

“Following this evaluation process, only a limited number of textbooks will be ranked and approved for use in schools for each subject, ensuring improved quality control and consistency in teaching and learning materials across the country.”

The Ministry explained that the introduction of the ranking system is expected to significantly reduce the excessive number of textbooks currently in circulation in many schools, which has often created confusion for teachers, students and parents.

The statement added, “The reform also aims to bring greater transparency, order and quality assurance into the textbook approval process while aligning Nigeria’s education system with international best practices in instructional material standardisation.

“Under the new policy, NERDC will continue its responsibility of licensing textbooks. However, any textbook that is not ranked under the new system will not be permitted for use in Nigerian schools, regardless of prior licensing status.”

The statement further revealed that the Education Ministry will communicate the new ranking policy to teachers and other key stakeholders in the education sector to ensure proper awareness and compliance with the new framework.

The federal government reaffirmed that the reform forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the quality of education delivery, enhance learning outcomes and ensure that Nigerian students are equipped with the best possible learning resources.