Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa has announced the cancellation of the use of local languages to teach in primary schools instead of English.
According to Mr. Alausa the programme introduced three years ago has failed to make the desired impact. He said English remains the medium of teaching from primary to the university level.
Announcing the reversal of the language policy in the capital, Abuja, Dr Alausa pointed to poor academic results from those areas which had adopted mother-tongue teaching.
He cited data from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (Neco), and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (Jamb).
“We have seen a mass failure rate in WAEC, Neco, and Jamb in certain geo-political zones of the country, and those are the ones that adopted this mother tongue in an over-subscribed manner,” the minister stated.
Although 85% of children go to primary school, less than half complete their secondary education.
Some 10 million children are out of school in Nigeria, more than in any other country, according to the UN.
Teaching... English or mother tongue.