An Assessment of Levels of Bi-Literacy among Bilingual Learners at the Middle Basic Education: Cases of Imo and NASARAWA States of Nigeria and their Implications for the Nigerian Languages Education Policy

• Author(s): Enwere, Obioma Bibian, Ph.D ; Opara Modesta C
• Paper ID: 1708379
• Page: 1046-1057
• Published Date: 19-05-2025
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 8 Issue 11 May-2025

Abstract

The National Policy on Education (NPE) on languages, makes provisions for every Nigerian child in school to be bilingual; in the sense that the NPE provides for the use of the mother tongue (MT), or the language of the immediate environment/community (LIE/LIC), as a medium of instruction at the first three years of primary education, otherwise called the Early Basic, and transition to English language medium, at the Middle Basic, (i.e., from Primary 4). The implication is that, at the early basic, both the MT or the LIE/LIC as a subject and the other content subjects would be taught in the prescribed medium of MT/LIE, while English studies would be taught in English medium, and conversely, at the Middle Basic where English is the medium, except for MT/LIE as a subject. Some of the basic skills targeted at the primary education level are functional literacy and numerical skills. Literacy is simply the ability to read and write in a given language. This study, hence, aims to ascertain whether the bilingual pupils in Imo and Nassarawa States, of Nigeria, have achieved the bi-literacy of the NPE, (that is, acquired literacy skills/achieve proficiency in both Ìgbò/English and Hausa/English), as case may be. It also seeks to compare the learners’ level of literacy between Igbo and English and Hausa and English, respectively, between male and female bilinguals, and between Imo and Nasarawa states bilinguals. The study also compares the learners’ level of literacy between Ìgbò and English and Hausa and English, respectively, between male and female bilinguals, and Imo and Nasarawa bilinguals. The research was guided by three research questions and three hypotheses. The population of the study is purposively the Grade 5 of the Middle Basic while samples of 400 pupils were expected to be chosen randomly from 10 primary schools, proportionately selected (200 pupils from five (5) schools for each state). Data was collected through researchers-constructed tests of simple comprehension passages in English and its equivalents in Ìgbò and Hausa languages, as well as a simple wordlist of day-to-day vocabulary in English, Ìgbò and Hausa, rendered into the target relevant languages by the respondents/pupils. Data was collected through researcher-constructed tests titled - Bi-literacy Reading and Writing Test (BRWT), comprising simple comprehension passages in English and its equivalents in in Ìgbò and Hausa languages as well as translation exercises from English sentences into Ìgbò and Hausa, respectively. Data was analyzed using Mean and Standard Deviation and t-test. Findings showing the biliteracy levels point out that both the bilingual Basic 5 pupils in Imo and Nasarawa states are bi-literate in Igbo/English and Hausa/English, respectively. Nonetheless, there is a significant statistical difference in the biliteracy levels of bilingual Basic 5 pupils in Igbo/English and Hausa/English, respectively. The Imo bilinguals are more literate in English than in Igbo while the Nasarawa bilinguals are more literate in Hausa than they are in English language. Although, the female bilinguals in Imo and Nasarawa respectively, achieved slightly higher biliteracy Mean scores in English than their male counterparts, there is no significant statistical biliteracy difference between male and female Imo and Nasarawa bilingual Basic 5 pupils. Their mean scores difference is negligible. These findings will assist in pedagogical improvements in the NPE on language education. They will also enhance further research on the effective delivery of language in all levels of education. Language policy statements will be reached using these findings. Teachers in both states will make adjustments in their language classes where necessary, using these findings.

Keywords

Literacy skills, functional literacy, bi-literacy, bilingual, Middle-Basic Education

Citations

IRE Journals:
Enwere, Obioma Bibian, Ph.D , Opara Modesta C "An Assessment of Levels of Bi-Literacy among Bilingual Learners at the Middle Basic Education: Cases of Imo and NASARAWA States of Nigeria and their Implications for the Nigerian Languages Education Policy" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 8 Issue 11 2025 Page 1046-1057

IEEE:
Enwere, Obioma Bibian, Ph.D , Opara Modesta C "An Assessment of Levels of Bi-Literacy among Bilingual Learners at the Middle Basic Education: Cases of Imo and NASARAWA States of Nigeria and their Implications for the Nigerian Languages Education Policy" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 8(11)