- Rural pupils often memorize lessons without understanding, due to poor English proficiency and limited exposure outside school.
- Teachers in rural areas lack training and resources to teach effectively in both English and indigenous languages.
In many rural parts of Nigeria, the classroom has become a site of silent struggle. For millions of pupils, the language of instruction—English—is not only unfamiliar but often alien to their daily lives.
While Nigeria officially adopts English as the medium of instruction in schools, especially from upper primary onward, this policy continues to generate unintended consequences in rural education settings.
Nigeria is a linguistically diverse country with over 500 indigenous languages. Although English remains the official language and is used for government, legal proceedings, and formal education, it is not the first language for the vast majority of Nigerians.
This is particularly true in rural areas, where students typically grow up speaking local languages such as Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Tiv, Kanuri, or others specific to their communities.
The National Policy on Education (NPE) recommends the use of mother tongue or the language of the immediate community for teaching in the early years of schooling—particularly from Primary 1 to 3.
However, implementation has been inconsistent. In many rural schools, English is enforced as the primary medium of instruction even from the foundational stages, often due to lack of trained teachers in local languages, standardized learning materials, and policy enforcement mechanisms.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), children learn best when taught in their mother tongue, especially in early education.
Research also supports that mother-tongue instruction improves comprehension, reduces dropout rates, and enhances student engagement.
In contrast, children who cannot understand the language of instruction are likely to struggle with basic literacy and numeracy, leading to poor academic outcomes.
A 2018 study by the British Council found that students in rural Nigerian schools were significantly disadvantaged when instruction was delivered in English without adequate language support.
Many pupils were unable to follow lessons, and some teachers themselves had limited proficiency in English, further compounding the problem. The result is often a mechanical learning process, where students memorize content without true understanding.
The challenge is more acute in rural areas where exposure to English is limited outside of the classroom.
Unlike urban centers, rural communities often have minimal access to English-language media, reading materials, or environments where English is regularly spoken.
This puts additional pressure on pupils, who must bridge a linguistic gap while also grappling with limited educational infrastructure.
Teachers in these areas also face difficulties. Many are not adequately trained to deliver bilingual instruction, and few receive professional development in mother-tongue education.
The absence of learning materials in indigenous languages further limits their ability to use the recommended multilingual approach. As a result, teachers may revert to using English exclusively, regardless of the pupils’ level of comprehension.
Some states and organizations have attempted to address the issue. For example, the Ife Six-Year Primary Project, implemented decades ago in the former Western Region, demonstrated that children taught in Yoruba in the early years performed better across subjects than their peers taught solely in English. However, such initiatives have not been widely replicated or sustained.
The federal government’s 2022 directive mandating mother-tongue instruction at the basic education level sparked renewed debate about language policy in education.
Yet experts say implementation remains a challenge without proper investment in teacher training, curriculum development, and resource allocation.
In the absence of clear nationwide implementation, many rural schools continue to rely on English by default.
This not only widens the learning gap between rural and urban students but also contributes to higher repetition and dropout rates in the rural education system.
Furthermore, the disconnect between school language and home language affects parental involvement.
In many cases, parents are unable to support their children’s learning because they do not understand the language of instruction.
This limits the effectiveness of home-based reinforcement of schoolwork and reduces the role of the family in educational development.
The language barrier also has implications for national development. A large segment of Nigeria’s young population, especially in rural areas, may never reach their full potential because they are unable to access education in a language they understand.
This undermines efforts to achieve inclusive and equitable quality education, a key target under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Addressing the issue requires a multifaceted approach. Policymakers need to strengthen the implementation of existing language policies, invest in the development of teaching materials in indigenous languages, and expand teacher training programs to include multilingual education strategies.
Community engagement is also essential to ensure that parents and local stakeholders understand and support the role of mother-tongue education in early learning.
While English remains important for national unity and global competitiveness, ensuring that every child first learns in a language they understand may be the key to unlocking the potential of rural education in Nigeria.
Until then, millions of students will continue to sit in classrooms where the language of instruction is the first—and perhaps the biggest—barrier to learning.
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