Aug 2026· International journal of assessment and evaluation in education· 0 citations
Abstract
The medium of instruction remains one of the most critical determinants of learners' cognitive development, literacy acquisition, and educational achievement, particularly within multilingual societies. In Nigeria, the National Policy on Education prescribes the use of the child's mother tongue or the language of the immediate environment during the first three years of primary education before a gradual transition to English language. Despite this policy provision, implementation across states, including Kogi State, has remained inconsistent due to sociolinguistic diversity, inadequate teacher preparation, insufficient instructional resources, and parental preference for English-medium education. This paper evaluates the extent to which the prescribed language policy has been translated into classroom practice in Kogi State and examines its implications for effective and sustainable basic education. Drawing on policy documents, empirical studies, theoretical literature, and international best practices, the study adopts a qualitative review methodology anchored on language planning and sociocultural theories of learning. Findings indicate a significant disconnect between policy intentions and classroom realities, resulting in reduced learning outcomes, poor literacy development, and widening educational inequalities among learners from different linguistic backgrounds. The study further reveals that effective implementation of mother tongue-based multilingual education has the potential to improve foundational literacy, classroom participation, learner retention, and educational sustainability when supported by adequate teacher training, curriculum development, and community engagement. The paper concludes that strengthening policy implementation requires coordinated efforts among government agencies, educational institutions, teachers, communities, and development partners. It recommends enhanced investment in indigenous language materials, continuous professional development for teachers, improved monitoring mechanisms, and stronger stakeholder advocacy to ensure that language policy contributes meaningfully to quality basic education and sustainable national development in Kogi State and Nigeria at large.
Language plays a pivotal role in shaping educational access, participation, and success, particularly in multilingual societies where the language of instruction often determines learners' opportunities for academic achievement and social mobility. In Nigeria, the National Policy on Education advocates the use of the mother tongue or the language of the immediate environment during the early years of basic education, followed by a gradual transition to English. However, widespread reliance on English as the dominant medium of instruction has created significant barriers for learners from marginalized linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds. This paper critically examines how the medium of instruction functions as a gatekeeper that either facilitates or restricts educational opportunities for marginalized learners in Nigeria. Adopting a systematic literature review methodology, the study synthesizes evidence from peer-reviewed journal articles, government policy documents, UNESCO reports, and empirical studies on language-in-education policies. The review reveals that the dominance of English in classroom instruction often disadvantages children from rural communities, minority language groups, nomadic populations, internally displaced communities, and economically disadvantaged households by limiting classroom participation, literacy development, academic achievement, and cultural affirmation. The paper further argues that language is not merely a medium of communication but also a mechanism through which social power, identity, and educational inequality are reproduced. Effective implementation of multilingual and mother tongue-based education is identified as a critical strategy for promoting inclusive, equitable, and sustainable education in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4. The study concludes that achieving educational justice in Nigeria requires stronger implementation of language policy, investment in indigenous language development, enhanced teacher preparation, and sustained stakeholder engagement. These measures will help transform language from a gatekeeping mechanism into an instrument of inclusion, empowerment, and national development.
MOSES, GIDEON ODIBAH, ADEYEMI, ADERINSOLA HELEN, MOSES, VALENTINA OGU· International Journal of Hum...· 0 citations
This paper examines Universal Basic Education (UBE) as a framework for actualising the right to education for learners with disabilities in Nigeria within the context of sustainable development. The study adopts a historical method of inquiry, drawing evidence from relevant policy documents, international conventions, and educational reports, including UNESCO frameworks. The analysis is anchored on the Social Model of Disability and Inclusive Education Theory, which provide a conceptual basis for understanding the relationship between UBE implementation, special education provision, and sustainable development goals. The study traces the historical evolution of special education in Nigeria, examines provisions of the National Policy on Education and the National Policy on Special Needs Education, and reviews the objectives of the UBE programme. Findings reveal that special education in Nigeria has progressed from missionary driven charitable interventions to more structured policy driven frameworks; however, implementation gaps, inadequate funding, and limited infrastructure continue to hinder effective inclusion. The study concludes that while UBE provides a strong policy foundation for inclusive education, its effectiveness in promoting equitable access for learners with disabilities remains constrained. It recommends strengthened policy implementation, increased funding, and improved teacher preparation for inclusive education delivery
O. J. Olayanju, O. E. Adeoye· Lagos Education Review· 0 citations
This study provides a narrative review of contemporary challenges in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in higher education across diverse international contexts. It synthesizes evidence from peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025. The analysis identifies six interrelated domains of difficulty: student-related factors (proficiency, motivation, anxiety), cultural and linguistic diversity, pedagogical and methodological constraints, community attitudes and perceptions, curriculum and assessment systems, and teacher, technological, and institutional limitations. Rather than representing isolated barriers, these challenges interact across policy, institutional, pedagogical, and learner levels. Positive attitudes toward English often coexist with critiques of inequality; Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is endorsed in policy but undermined by exam-driven curricula; and technology promises innovation yet exacerbates inequities without adequate training and infrastructure. The review argues that sustainable improvement depends on systemic coherence across policy, institutional governance, curriculum design, teacher development, and learner-centered practice rather than isolated interventions. Future research should expand comparative research across underexplored regions, employ longitudinal designs to assess the durability of reforms, and critically examine the role of emerging tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) in language instruction. By integrating evidence across diverse educational contexts into a coherent multi-level framework, the study contributes a holistic perspective on improving EFL teaching in higher education.
No empirical investigations have attempted to explore the integration of educational technology along with policy in K-12 schools, despite continuous investments by the Newfoundland and Labrador Government (Education and Early Childhood Development, 2020). This study explores how educational technology policies shape teachers’ use of technology. Specifically, the study seeks to understand the mechanisms through which policy decisions impact elementary teachers' instructional practices in Newfoundland and Labrador Schools. The study is guided by the following research questions: (1) How do provincial policies shape teachers' use of educational technology in classrooms? (2) What are the existing policy frameworks that support or hinder the implementation of educational technology? and (3) How do teachers perceive the relevance and effectiveness of these policies in their instructional practices? Guided by Feenberg’s (1991) critical theory of technology and a qualitative single case study approach, data were gathered through documents, a questionnaire, interviews, and classroom observations. Findings emphasize the need for administrative support and planning, ongoing professional development, and teacher involvement in policy design. A new implementation model called the Educational Technology Action Cycle is proposed, thereby integrating elements from Deliverology and the Alberta Teachers’ Association professional development planning cycle. The study offers recommendations to align policy, investment, and professional learning for more effective technology integration in education.
Technologies éducatives : combler l’écart entre les politiques et les pratiques
Résumé : Aucune étude empirique n’a jusqu’à présent cherché à examiner l’intégration des technologies éducatives en lien avec les politiques publiques dans les écoles primaires et secondaires, malgré les investissements continus du gouvernement de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador (Education and Early Childhood Development, 2020). Cette étude analyse la manière dont les politiques relatives aux technologies éducatives influencent l’usage que les enseignants font des technologies. Plus précisément, elle vise à comprendre les mécanismes par lesquels les décisions politiques affectent les pratiques pédagogiques des enseignants du primaire dans les écoles de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador.
L’étude est guidée par les questions de recherche suivantes : (1) De quelle manière les politiques provinciales influencent-elles l’utilisation des technologies éducatives par les enseignants en classe ? (2) Quels sont les cadres politiques existants qui soutiennent ou entravent la mise en œuvre des technologies éducatives ? et (3) Comment les enseignants perçoivent-ils la pertinence et l’efficacité de ces politiques dans leurs pratiques pédagogiques ?
S’appuyant sur la théorie critique de la technologie de Feenberg (1991) et sur une approche qualitative fondée sur une étude de cas unique, les données ont été recueillies à l’aide de documents, d’un questionnaire, d’entretiens et d’observations en classe. Les résultats soulignent l’importance du soutien administratif et de la planification, du développement professionnel continu ainsi que de la participation des enseignants à l’élaboration des politiques. Un nouveau modèle de mise en œuvre, appelé Cycle d’action des technologies éducatives (Educational Technology Action Cycle), est proposé. Ce modèle intègre des éléments issus de la Deliverology et du cycle de planification du développement professionnel de l’Association des enseignants de l’Alberta. L’étude formule enfin des recommandations visant à mieux harmoniser les politiques, les investissements et le développement professionnel afin de favoriser une intégration plus efficace des technologies en éducation.
Mots-clés : technologies éducatives, mise en œuvre des politiques, développement professionnel des enseignants, écoles primaires et secondaires.
Sana Jamil· International Journal of E-L...· 1 citation
This Straussian grounded theory study generated an explanatory theory of why English language educators in basic education experience difficulty translating professional knowledge into consistently effective classroom practice. In this study, non-viability refers to the condition in which ideal English language instruction cannot be fully enacted because available resources, teacher preparation, learner readiness, language exposure, socioeconomic support, and institutional conditions are insufficient or uneven. Data were gathered from sixteen purposively selected informants composed of English language teachers, school administrators, stakeholders, and community members in public elementary school settings in Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines. Semi-structured interviews served as the primary data source, while field notes and selected school-related documents were used to support contextual understanding and triangulation. Data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. Findings showed that participants valued English instruction for literacy development, academic participation, communication competence, and future readiness, but implementation was constrained by resource limitations, uneven teacher preparation, learner diversity, limited English exposure outside school, socioeconomic conditions, multilingual classroom realities, and resistance to instructional change. Seven categories were generated: building a strong English foundation, tailoring language lessons, overcoming language teaching issues, navigating language dynamics, promoting community participation, addressing education and income-related factors, and using innovative tools. The core category, the Theory of Measures Caused by Non-Viability, explains that schools and communities adopt corrective, adaptive, and preventive measures when ideal English instruction becomes difficult to sustain. The theory contributes to English language education by explaining not only what constraints exist but how local actors respond to them in order to maintain learning continuity.
Saphire Marie L. Bejarasco· E-Nook: World Journal for Ov...· 0 citations
This paper is a critical review of a Moroccan national guide on the implementation of inclusive education for children with disabilities in schools. Based on the broad structure that the Moroccan Ministry of Education has created (Direction des Curricula, 2019), the philosophical underpinnings, managerial skills, and organizational solutions needed to implement inclusive education are evaluated in this paper. The guide is an important policy tool that operationalizes international human-rights frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) within the Moroccan educational setting. This article examines the methodology of inclusive education as adopted in the guide, with special attention to the paradigm shift from segregation and integration to actual inclusion. The main conclusions point to the importance of changing the representations and attitudes of school directors and building professional competencies in participatory management and multi-stakeholder partnerships. The discussion shows that effective inclusive education involves planning, reorganizing, adapting to time constraints, and continuous evaluation. The paper contributes to the international literature on educational leadership for inclusion by offering Morocco's contextualized approach to implementing Article 24 of the CRPD.
Oussama Boukhari, Y. Ph.D· Journal of Social Science an...· 0 citations
