“Mummy, I need N85,000 for books this term.”
Does that sentence give you palpitations?
We’ve all been there—staring at a school booklist that looks more like a mortgage application. But wait! Before you start calling your “person” at the bank, there is some serious good news from the Federal Ministry of Education that will save your pocket this 2026 academic session.
The “Why it Matters”: For years, we’ve been forced to buy new textbooks every single year because “the edition changed” or “the child wrote inside the workbook.”
It was a cycle of “pay and cry.” But with the New Reusable Textbook Policy, the FG has finally put their foot down. Textbooks are now designed to last 4 to 6 years.
This means the book your daughter uses in JSS1 this year must be usable by her brother two years from now.
No more “disposable” education!
The Core Advice:
- Audit Before You Buy: Many schools still send out old lists out of habit. Check the new NERDC Approved List first. If a school insists on a “2026 Edition” for a subject where the content hasn’t changed, you have the right to question it.
- The “No-Writing” Rule: Train your children now. Tell them: “This book is a legacy.” Encourage them to use lead pencils lightly or, better yet, do their exercises in a separate 20-leaves exercise book. This keeps the textbook “clean” for resale or hand-me-downs.
- Say No to “Bundled” Workbooks: The new policy expressly prohibits schools from forcing you to buy textbooks that are permanently attached to workbooks. You can now buy the textbook once and only replace the cheaper workbook each year.
- The “Naija Book Swap” Circle: Since books are now standardized to last 6 years, start a WhatsApp group with parents in the class above your child. Swap your Primary 3 books for their Primary 4 books. Total cost? Zero Naira.
In our days, “Alawiye” and “Chike and the River” traveled through three generations of cousins and still looked brand new.
This 2026 policy is simply taking us back to that culture of value.
Remember, the money you save on books today is the money you’ll use to buy that extra crate of eggs or pay for the “Japa” English Test (IELTS) later. Common sense must win!
Is your child’s school following the new reusable policy, or are they still insisting everyone must buy “Brand New” everything? Let’s expose the “book list wahala” in the comments!
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