Poor English Language Usage among Fresh Undergraduate Students in Nigerian North-East Universities: Causes and Solutions

Abstract

Poor English language usage in both oral and written communication has been observed among Nigerian fresh university undergraduate students, particularly in the North-East. While existing studies on English language usage in Nigeria have largely focused on its teaching and learning in secondary schools, little attention has been paid to addressing the problem among fresh university undergraduate students in the North-East. This paper examines the causes and challenges associated with poor English language usage among fresh undergraduate students of Federal University, Gashua, and selected universities in the North-East. It also offers solutions to these identified issues. The study adopted a quantitative research method, employing frequency and simple percentage analysis for data interpretation.

Questionnaires were distributed to 400 fresh undergraduate students, comprising both males and females, from diverse courses across four North-East universities: Federal University, Gashua; Federal University, Kukari; Gombe State University; Yobe State University; and University of Maiduguri, Borno State. One hundred (100) respondents were randomly selected from each university. The collected data were analyzed using frequency and simple percentages, and the results were presented in tabulated formats and charts to provide a clear pictorial representation. The findings revealed that a majority of the respondents reported limited exposure to learning and using the English language in various communicative settings. A smaller number indicated that they were exposed to linguistic features of the language. The study showed that the lack of exposure to essential aspects of English language learning and communicative usage significantly contributed to the poor usage of English among fresh undergraduate students in the North-East. The study recommends prioritizing the development of language skills—speaking, writing, reading, and listening—from the basic school level, as these skills are critical for improving students’ performance in the English language.