Igbo Language Proficiency and Academic Achievement Among JSS Students in Jos, Plateau State

This study investigates the relationship between Igbo language proficiency and overall academic achievement among Junior Secondary School students of Igbo heritage in Jos, Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. Jos's ethnically diverse and historically tense environment presents complex language socialisation conditions for Igbo diaspora children whose home language exposure may differ markedly from their school language environment. The research adopts a correlational survey design, assessing Igbo language proficiency using a validated oral and written proficiency instrument administered to one hundred and eighty Igbo heritage students in eight schools, alongside their end-of-year academic performance records across five subjects. Pearson correlation and regression analysis are employed. Findings reveal a moderate but statistically significant positive correlation between Igbo language proficiency and academic achievement in English language and social studies, suggesting shared underlying literacy transfer mechanisms. A weak negative correlation is found between Igbo proficiency and mathematics performance, indicating that this relationship is domain-specific. Students with active home Igbo use show stronger academic outcomes than peers from English-dominant homes. The study supports the bilingual education hypothesis that strong mother-tongue development facilitates cross-linguistic academic competence. Recommendations address heritage language support programming in diaspora school contexts. Keywords: Igbo proficiency, academic achievement, heritage students, Jos, bilingual education.