[rewrite_title]

June 16, () — The Federal Government has dismissed reports alleging plans to abolish the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), assuring Nigerians that there is no move by the administration to scrap the examination body or undermine its operations within the country’s education system.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Federal Ministry of Education described claims circulating on social media and other platforms suggesting that the Federal Government and the National Assembly were considering abolishing NBAIS as false, misleading, and entirely unfounded.

The ministry said the viral reports had generated unnecessary concern among stakeholders, prompting the government to issue a clarification to prevent the spread of misinformation capable of creating confusion across the education sector.

According to the statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Boriowo Folasade, the ministry has neither initiated nor sponsored any bill before the National Assembly seeking the abolition of the board.

It also stressed that the Federal Ministry of Education has not proposed, endorsed, or supported any policy aimed at scrapping NBAIS or weakening its statutory mandate as one of Nigeria’s recognised examination and certification bodies.

“The ministry wishes to categorically state that the claim is false, misleading, and entirely unfounded. For the avoidance of doubt, the ministry has not initiated any bill before the National Assembly seeking the abolition of NBAIS, nor has the Federal Ministry of Education proposed, initiated, endorsed, or supported any policy aimed at scrapping the board or undermining its statutory mandate,” the statement said.

The ministry expressed concern over what it described as the circulation of unverified information falsely portraying the existence of a government-backed effort against NBAIS, warning that such misinformation could create unnecessary anxiety among students, parents, educators, religious organisations, and other critical stakeholders.

Reaffirming the government’s position, the ministry stated that NBAIS remains a legally recognised examination and certification body operating fully within the framework of Nigeria’s educational system.

It added that the Federal Government remains committed to supporting all duly established educational institutions and examination bodies in line with extant laws, national education policies, and principles of inclusiveness, equity, and equal opportunity for all Nigerians.

The ministry urged members of the public to disregard the publication entirely and avoid sharing unverified claims capable of misleading citizens or undermining confidence in public institutions.

It further advised stakeholders to rely solely on official communications from the Ministry of Education and other authorised government channels for credible information regarding education policies, reforms, and programmes.

Reiterating its commitment to the sector, the ministry said it remains focused on promoting quality education, strengthening national cohesion, and sustaining constructive engagement with stakeholders in advancing Nigeria’s educational development objectives.