A Mixed Methods Study of Effective Strategies for Indigenous Language Preservation in Nigerian Educational Systems,

This mixed-methods study investigates effective strategies for preserving Nigeria’s indigenous languages within formal education. It addresses the rapid decline of linguistic diversity, exacerbated by the dominance of English in schooling, and identifies actionable, context-specific preservation methodologies. Employing a sequential explanatory design, the research first conducted a quantitative survey of 450 educators across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. This was followed by qualitative focus group discussions with 36 curriculum planners, teachers, and community elders. Quantitative data analysed prevailing attitudes and institutional barriers, while qualitative insights explored lived experiences and pedagogical innovations in mother-tongue education. Key findings indicate that the most effective strategies integrate indigenous languages as mediums of instruction in early childhood education, supported by co-created, locally relevant teaching materials and community-led extracurricular language clubs. The study further establishes that success is contingent upon systemic teacher training in multilingual pedagogies and formal policy reform that legitimises linguistic plurality within the national curriculum. The significance of this research lies in its empirically derived framework, which offers a sustainable model for educational stakeholders. It underscores that language preservation is fundamental to cognitive development, identity formation, and equitable educational outcomes, thereby contributing to the broader Pan-African discourse on decolonising knowledge systems.