Publishers Sue FG, NERDC Over Textbook Ranking Policy

The Nigerian Publishers Association has taken the Federal Government and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council to the Federal High Court in Ibadan over a compulsory textbook ranking policy.

The suit, filed by the Registered Trustees of the association, is marked FHC/IB/CS/117/26. The defendants include the President, NERDC, the Minister of Education and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The association is challenging the Textbook Ranking Framework introduced by NERDC as part of education-sector reforms. Its case is that textbooks already assessed, approved and certified by NERDC should not face another compulsory ranking exercise before they can continue to be used, distributed, procured or sold.

The publishers are asking the court to decide whether NERDC’s legal powers under its enabling Act allow it to impose such a ranking system. They are also challenging the legal status of regulations said to have been made under Section 23 of the NERDC Act.

Among the reliefs sought is a declaration that a compulsory ranking fee is unlawful unless it is tied to a service NERDC is legally empowered to provide. Daily Trust’s report did not state a hearing date.

Source: Daily Trust