PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ẸDO LANGUAGE IN SCHOOL

Ẹdo language is the mother tongue of most of the children in Ẹdo South Senatorial district of Ẹdo State. It is also the first language of the immediate linguistic environment of the Ẹdo child. By induction therefore, Ẹdo, though a minority language, is the main indigenous language of the immediate multi-lingual Ẹdo society. Though the language is not used as a medium of instruction at the pre- primary and primary school levels (like in the western and northern parts of Nigeria) in the state, it is taught as a subject to the pupils. It is also taught as one of the five core subjects in J.S.S. 1-3 classes at the secondary school level alongside one major Nigerian language in some schools. Recently, Ẹdo was added to the subjects written in the senior secondary school examination, though not as a core subject. However, the teaching of Ẹdo in the multiethnic set up of Ikpoba-Ọkha L.G.A as in the Orẹdo L.G.A, is not without its attendant problems. In this paper, attempt is made to identify and discuss the most obvious problems encountered in the teaching and learning of Ẹdo language at the junior secondary school level in Ikpoba-Ọkha L.G.A of Ẹdo State. Three schools were selected for this study. At least thirty questionnaires containing close-ended questions were administered to both students and the Ẹdo teachers in each of the schools to elicit information and thereafter processed using the simple percentages. The study identified a variety of factors militating against the teaching and learning of Ẹdo language in the J.S.S schools. Such factors include the great influence of English language and its pidgin counterpart, scarcity of adequate and well trained Ẹdo language teachers, lack of adequate teaching materials amongst others. The study recommends amongst other things that the teaching of Ẹdo will be less cumbersome and very successful if the students, teachers and other stake holders develop a better and more positive attitude towards the language. The study further identifies some of the prospects of such a venture to indicate the fact that it will give the students a proper sense of belonging and fosters unity among the multi- lingual Ẹdo society