Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies: Home

Abstract:
Despite the fact that many researchers have highlighted the benefits of the use of mother-tongue for instruction, it is still observed that the policy implementation has not been adequately enforced in many lower schools. This research was therefore out to examine if the policy is being followed and what are the inhibiting factors to its full implementation. This is a survey research. Stratified sampling technique was used to select seventy one (71) Yoruba language teachers from eighteen public and nine private primary schools in one Local Government Area each from Oyo, Osun and Ekiti States. Four null hypotheses were posed. Yoruba language teachers questionnaire with Cronbach reliability co-efficient 0.71 was the only instrument used for data collection, 7 analysed using T-test and One-way ANOVA. Findings revealed that nearly all (95%) sampled schools deviated from the norm. However, there was no significant difference in the use of mother-tongue as a mode of instruction among male and female, public and private schools and varying ages of teachers. Teachers with teaching qualification, are significantly better in the policy implementation (t = 6.227, p<0.05). It was therefore suggested that the Federal Ministry of Education should enforce the policy implementation by appointing more professional teachers in different subject areas, more importantly Yoruba language teachers so as to enhance relevant teaching approaches and methodologies in the lower primary schools in the South-West Nigerian Schools. Also, school administrators should encourage the use of mother tongue in the teaching learning process to make the implementation reality.

Keywords: mother-tongue, language of instruction, primary school, policy statement, policy implementation

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