TOWARDS A PAPERLESS BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM IN NIGERIA: ADDRESSING ADMINISTRATIVE, ACADEMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

Abstract

The persistent reliance on paper-based processes in Nigeria’s basic education system continues to generate administrative inefficiencies, constrain academic effectiveness, and exacerbate environmental challenges. Despite rapid global advancements in information and communication technologies (ICTs), many primary and junior secondary schools in Nigeria still depend heavily on manual documentation for record-keeping, instructional delivery, assessment, and communication. This position paper examines the imperative of transitioning towards a paperless basic education system in Nigeria, with specific attention to administrative, academic, and environmental dimensions. Adopting a qualitative, analytical, and argumentative design, the study synthesizes evidence from academic literature, policy documents, and international reports to interrogate the limitations of paper-based practices and justify the adoption of digital alternatives. The analysis reveals that a paperless system can significantly enhance administrative efficiency through improved data management, transparency, and decision-making; promote academic effectiveness by supporting interactive, learner-centered instruction and early digital literacy; and advance environmental sustainability by reducing paper consumption, waste generation, and ecological degradation. The paper argues that transitioning to a paperless basic education system is not merely a technological option but a strategic necessity for achieving quality, inclusive, and sustainable education in line with national development priorities and Sustainable Development Goal 4. Policy-oriented recommendations are advanced to support context-sensitive implementation, equitable access, capacity building, and long-term sustainability of paperless initiatives in Nigeria’s basic education sector.