“A barn is only full when the seed is sown.” However, in Nigeria, many children start school this year with hand-me-down textbooks that are torn and scribbled on by older siblings. States such as Benue, Edo, Imo, Anambra, and Ondo are promoting reuse as a cost-saving measure, while the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) plans to distribute 47 million tablets nationwide.
For many education experts, this is a worrying mismatch. Physical textbooks, research shows, remain crucial for learning, particularly in early years. UNESCO and the World Bank emphasise that children retain knowledge better when they can write, annotate, and engage directly with printed pages.
Even countries with advanced digital infrastructure are reconsidering early adoption of technology. Sweden invested billions in tablets, only to find students’ reading comprehension and handwriting skills declining. In response, the government is reinvesting over €104 million to restore printed textbooks, prioritising teacher-led instruction over screens.
In Nigeria, however, schools face persistent gaps in education. UNICEF reports that only 45% of primary schools have access to electricity. Tablets often arrive without training, infrastructure, or support. At the same time, textbook-to-pupil ratios in many schools remain as low as 1:4. Teachers like an Adamawa headmistress argue: “Give me chalk, a blackboard, and enough new textbooks, and I will teach wonders. Give me tablets without light or training, and I am helpless.”
Beyond learning outcomes, the reuse policy poses a threat to the local book industry, putting over 100,000 jobs at risk. While digital innovation is welcome, it cannot replace foundational tools. For Nigeria’s education system, quality textbooks remain the seeds of knowledge—without them, handing over fragile gadgets is not reform, but regression. If barns of knowledge are to be filled tomorrow, the right seeds must be sown today.
