Factors Affecting Quality of English Language Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools in Nigeria

Public secondary schools in Nigeria lag behind in teaching English as a second language. There has been a steady decline, with the percentage of students who failed English Language examinations fluctuating between 55 percent and 75 percent in the past decade. The authors examined factors responsible for the poor quality of the teaching of English as a second language in public secondary schools in Nigeria.

The study involved data collection through a survey as well as observation by trained research assistants. A questionnaire was distributed to 3000 senior secondary school students across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Results revealed that:

• English language teachers do not frequently use modern instructional technologies and teaching techniques in their English language lessons;
• Many schools have dilapidated buildings with leaking roofs and cracked walls;
• Majority of the schools had no electricity;
• Most of the schools have no adequate staff rooms and offices;
• Students learn under harsh environment, which is often rowdy, congested and noisy.