POOR ENROLMENT OF SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS OF NIGERIAN LANGUAGES IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION AS A THREAT TO NATIONAL HARMONY

Abstract

The need for national harmony in a multilingual, multicultural nation such as Nigeria cannot be over emphasized. Diversities in worldviews emanating from differences in culture have remained a major cause of disharmony. This is seen in constant conflicts and violence across the Nigerian nation. The aim of this paper is to discuss poor enrolment of second language learners of Nigerian Languages in colleges of Education as a major threat to national Harmony. Data for the study was sourced from three years enrolment figures of ten colleges of Education that were randomly selected. Five federal colleges and five state colleges. Data generated were analysed using simple percentage. The findings from the study reveal that there is poor enrolment of second language NCE students in departments of Nigerian languages across the nation and that this poor enrolment is as a result of lack of job opportunities for holders of second language certificates, especially within their own locality. Also, the study shows that acculturation, also known as immersion programme has remained a veritable tool for debunking negative perceptions about different ethnic groups especially among the youths. It is believed that findings from the study will awaken the consciousness of the NCCE on the need to promote teaching and learning of Nigerian languages as second languages in Nigerian colleges of Education.