The Impact of English-Medium Instruction on Igbo Language Competence Among Primary School Pupils in Rivers State

This study investigates the impact of English-medium instruction on Igbo language competence among primary school pupils in selected schools in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, South South Nigeria. Rivers State is a multilingual environment where English functions as the primary instructional medium from the earliest years of schooling, often at the expense of indigenous language development including Igbo, which is spoken by a significant population segment in the state. The research adopts a comparative design, assessing Igbo oral comprehension, spoken production, and reading proficiency across ninety pupils in English-only instruction schools and eighty pupils in schools implementing a transitional mother-tongue policy. Assessment instruments are administered at baseline and at the end of a one-year study period. Findings confirm that English-only instruction is associated with significantly lower Igbo language competence outcomes, with a mean proficiency score differential of twenty-eight percent relative to the transitional policy group. Teachers in English-only schools also demonstrate lower Igbo instructional confidence. The study supports the National Policy on Education's mother-tongue instruction provision and recommends its active enforcement in Rivers State primary schools through a structured monitoring and accountability framework. Keywords: English-medium instruction, Igbo language competence, primary education, Rivers State, mother-tongue policy.