The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) have announced that the mother tongue or language of the immediate environment will now be the primary medium of instruction for primary school pupils, with the English language becoming secondary....CONTINUE READING
The Executive Secretary of NERDC, Ismail Junaidu, made this announcement during a dialogue on reading initiative in the UBE program and the use of mother tongue/language of immediate environment as a medium of instruction, which was organized by UBEC in Abuja. The initiative aims to address fundamental issues involving the development of functional citizenry, as studies have shown that Nigeria is experiencing a severe learning crisis.
Junaidu also stated that Arabic language will be the medium of instruction for Islamic schools. He encouraged a combined use of English language and the mother tongue or language of immediate community. Junaidu added that the Natural Language Processing (NLP) seeks to promote the effective teaching and learning of Nigerian and foreign languages at all levels of the education system. The process also seeks to preserve Nigerian languages and save them from extinction through status recognition and inclusion in educational programs across all levels of the Nigerian education system.
Junaidu disclosed that the curriculum of over 60 languages is being developed now, and he called on communities to join hands, as they are the main custodians of the culture. Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, said that studies have shown that Nigeria is experiencing a severe learning crisis, citing that approximately three out of four children of basic education age (6 to 14 years) in Nigeria cannot read a text with understanding or solve simple mathematics problems.
The situation, if not immediately addressed, will hinder Nigeria from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Several interventions by the Federal Government, State Governments, and International Development Partners have been made to address the endemic issue. However, in spite of the huge resources expended, the challenge remains.
