An Empirical Investigation of the Effects of Mother Tongue Instruction on Hausa Language Literacy in Primary Schools in Kano

The debate over mother tongue instruction in early primary education has significant implications for Hausa language literacy outcomes in northern Nigerian schools, where policy provisions for Hausa-medium instruction in primary one to three have been inconsistently implemented. This study empirically investigates the effects of mother tongue Hausa instruction on literacy outcomes among primary school pupils in Kano State, employing a quasi-experimental design to compare literacy outcomes between schools implementing Hausa-medium instruction and those using English-medium from primary one. A sample of 300 primary three pupils from six matched pairs of schools implementing different instructional language policies was assessed using standardised Hausa reading fluency, comprehension, and writing assessments. Teacher interviews and classroom observation provided implementation fidelity data. Multilevel statistical models were estimated to account for school-level clustering in literacy outcomes. Findings demonstrate significantly higher Hausa reading fluency and comprehension scores among pupils in schools implementing consistent Hausa-medium instruction in primary one to three, with effect sizes suggesting practically significant literacy advantages. Writing skills show smaller but still positive effects. The study addresses the research gap regarding empirical effectiveness of mother tongue instruction specifically for Hausa language literacy in Kano's diverse schooling context. Recommendations argue for consistent policy implementation of Hausa-medium early primary instruction, teacher training in Hausa literacy pedagogy, and adequate supply of Hausa-language teaching and learning materials in Kano State primary schools. Keywords: Mother tongue instruction, Hausa literacy, Primary schools, Kano State, Empirical study.