The Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) on Monday appealed to Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo to reconsider what it described as an incessant review of books and academic materials for primary and secondary schools in the state. The association noted that the state government had already conducted a review of primary school books in 2021, which remains in effect, and carried out similar exercises for junior and senior secondary schools in 2022.
In a statement delivered by NPA President/Chairman‑in‑Council Uchenna Anioke in Ibadan, the association urged Governor Soludo to consider the financial burden these reviews place on both its members and on parents and guardians in Anambra. Anioke highlighted that the government’s actions contravene the National Education Research and Development Council (NERDC) policy, which recommends reviewing primary school books every six years and secondary school books every three years.
Anioke explained that after the 2021 and 2022 reviews, the state issued a fresh notice on 1 February 2023 titled “Guidelines to Publishers and Authors on the 2023‑2024 Primary and Secondary Education Book Review Exercise.” The NPA believes this timing is premature. “Our appeal to Governor Soludo is to reconsider this yearly review, which imposes huge financial costs on parents and publishers,” he said. “Despite lacking support from federal and state governments, our members bear the financial burden of reviewing academic materials.”
He added that, because of rising production costs, publishers submit at least six copies of each title to the authorities at no charge during each review. For a publisher submitting 100 titles, this represents a substantial expense with no incentive. Allowing reviews every three years for secondary schools and every six years for primary schools, as recommended by NERDC, would also reduce the cost for parents and guardians who otherwise must purchase new books annually, especially those with multiple children in school.
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