Language Policy Implementation in Federal Government Colleges: Challenges and Professional Responses in North West Nigeria

Federal Government Colleges in Nigeria are mandated to implement the national language policy specifying English as the medium of instruction from secondary level, alongside the teaching of at least one major Nigerian language, yet the practical implementation of this policy in North West Nigerian states encounters institutional, social, and pedagogical challenges that policy documents do not adequately address. This study examines language policy implementation challenges and professional responses at four Federal Government Colleges in Kano, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara states. A professional investigation combining policy document analysis, principal and language teacher interviews, classroom observation, and student focus groups was conducted across the four institutions. Policy-as-text and policy-as-practice divergences were mapped for both English medium of instruction and Nigerian language teaching provisions. Findings reveal that English medium instruction is formally observed in most classrooms but co-exists with extensive code-mixing into Hausa, particularly in mathematics, sciences, and during student group work, a practice teachers describe as educationally necessary rather than policy-violating. Nigerian language teaching compliance varies significantly, with Hausa instruction well-implemented but Arabic competing for teaching time in schools with Islamic Studies provision. Professional responses to implementation challenges identified in the study include creative timetabling, teacher-developed bilingual supplementary materials, and informal peer support networks among language teachers. The study recommends that the Federal Ministry of Education conduct a review of language policy implementation provisions that acknowledges the specific multilingual realities of North West Nigeria. Keywords: language policy, Federal Government Colleges, North West Nigeria, implementation challenges, professional practice.