The Anambra State Government has outlawed the practice of pupils writing their assignments directly in textbooks, describing it as a wasteful habit that undermines sustainability.
The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, made this known yesterday in Awka while addressing participants on the third day of a capacity-building workshop organised for private school proprietors and teachers at St. John of God Secondary School.
Chuma-Udeh explained that the decision was informed by the need to make learning materials reusable, especially for younger siblings who would require the same books in subsequent sessions.
“This practice of writing exercises inside textbooks wastes resources and denies other children the opportunity to use them later. Textbooks should serve multiple generations of learners,” she said.
The Commissioner further stressed that textbooks must reflect inclusivity by accommodating diversity, equality and the needs of all categories of learners.
Warning of consequences for erring schools, she said the state government would not tolerate non-compliance with the directive. She urged parents, teachers and school administrators to ensure strict adherence, adding that stakeholders should promptly report defaulters to the Ministry of Education.
Chuma-Udeh noted that the policy formed part of government’s broader strategy to reduce the financial burden on families while promoting quality and sustainable education across the state.
