INFLUENCE OF LITERATURE IN ENGLISH GENDER AND ENVIRONMENT ON SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN NSUKKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE project (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
In Nigeria, English language is the medium of instruction in schools, medium for government administration, mass media, commerce, law and politics. Apart from being a core subject in the school curriculum, the Federal Republic of Nigeria National Policy on education (2004) has it that all school instructions from upper primary (4-6) to tertiary level will be carried out in English language.
The policy states:
a. for primary school, which lasts six years, each child must study two languages, namely his mother tongue (if available for study) or indigenous language of wider communication in his area of domicile and English language.
b. For junior secondary school (JSS) which is for three years? duration, the child must study three languages viz:
i. his mother tongue (where it has orthography and literature) or and indigenous language of wider communication in his area of domicile,
ii. English language, and
iii. Anyone of the three major indigenous languages in the country, namely, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba provided the language chosen is distinct from the child?s mother tongue.
c. In Senior Secondary School (SSS), which lasts three years, the child must study two languages; viz:
i. An indigenous language, and
ii. English language
Of all the subjects which Senior Secondary School students and other candidates take in West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), English has remained a core subject both in Junior and Senior Secondary classes. It is a subject which candidates must pass if their overall success in the examination is to have any value. Considering different universities? departmental requirements, a candidate who has ?A? grade pas in all subjects he/she offered in WASSCE but fails English language cannot gain admission into any university. A pass at credit level is an essential requirement for admission into any higher Institution of learning irrespective of the course of study. (JAMB 2009/2010 Brochure).
