AKHIMIEN PIUS EROMONSELE

Reading and writing competencies are crucial components of literacy programmes in every society including Nigeria. Thus, a literate person is assumed to be able to read and write in the language of her/his community or the language of instruction at school. To ensure that students are able to read and write, they are taught reading and writing skills right from elementary to higher levels of education. Therefore, a literate Nigerian should have communicative (written and spoken) competence in the English language which is the language of instruction in Nigerian schools. 

 Although youth literacy level in Nigeria appears quite impressive at 91% (UNICEF, 2018), one wonders how many university undergraduates can actually read, comprehend and express themselves effectively in writing. This is against the background of the mass media and employers’ complaints that most fresh Nigerian graduates lack the basic literacy skills of reading and writing which they often attribute to a fall in the standard of education in Nigeria. Since most of these graduates are products of universities, it becomes imperative to study the reading and writing performance of Nigerian undergraduates.

This study therefore, seeks to determine the attitude and level of performance in reading and writing in the English language of students in public universities in the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. The study population shall be 100,000 students from different disciplines including Arts, Social and Management Sciences, Law and Engineering shall be drawn from 200 and 400 levels. Care shall be taken to ensure urban/rural and gender representation. The result shall be useful to educational policy planners and managers. It also shall be a useful tool for teachers of the English language in Nigeria for curriculum design, teaching and learning.