OMORODION PEACE OVBOKHAN

This study investigates the causes of poor performance in English Language among senior secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. English Language plays a vital role in Nigeria’s educational system as it serves as the official language of instruction and communication in schools. Despite its importance, many students continue to record poor academic performance in the subject, particularly in external examinations conducted by bodies such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO). This situation has raised serious concern among educators, parents, and policymakers. The study adopts a descriptive survey research design. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to selected senior secondary school students and teachers in Egor Local Government Area. The findings reveal that several factors contribute to students’ poor performance in English Language, including inadequate teaching methods, lack of qualified English teachers, poor reading culture among students, limited access to learning materials, overcrowded classrooms, and insufficient parental support. The study concludes that the problem of poor performance in English Language among senior secondary students is influenced by both school-related and socio-environmental factors. It therefore recommends improved teaching strategies, provision of adequate instructional materials, recruitment of qualified teachers, encouragement of reading culture among students, and greater involvement of parents in students’ academic development to enhance performance in English Language.

English language is the instrument of communication in our post primary institutions, higher institution well as the official languageofthe country. Therefore, secondary school students need effectiveEnglish to function properly or perform better. Fema, (2003) wasof theview that “a person is functionally literature when he requiredtheknowledge and skills in reading and writing which enables himtoengage effectively in all those activities in which literacy is normallyassumed in his culture of group”. English language normally has fourbasic skills, namely listening, speaking, reading and writing. It is themedium of instruction in our schools and compulsory subject that mustbe passed at all levels of education in Nigeria (Danladi, 2008). However,it is disheartening to note that the poor performance of studentsin English at public examinations in recent times has been explainedasamajor cause of decline in the general academic performanceandstandard of education in Nigeria. Oluwole, (2008) was of theviewthat“having difficulty in grasping fully the contents and concepts of thevarious subjects of the curriculum taught in target language seemtobeone of the most serious problems that English as a first languagestudents face in their particular course of study.