INNOVATIVE MOTHER TONGUE: A PANACEA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN NIGERIA

Education system in Nigeria has been in a state of dilemma as it concerns with mother tongue education. Part of the language provision of the National Policy on Education stresses that the medium of instruction at the childhood stage should be the mother tongue or language of the immediate community. It is observed that the provision is neglected in most school and resulted to not laying solid education foundation. Early education of a child is most important thing in a child’s life, because that is the basic foundation of a child’s education. The sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize the importance of inclusive and equitable quality education for all. In Nigeria, mother tongue education has been recognized as a vital component of achieving this goal. However, the country’s multicultural context and inadequate educational resources have hindered the effective implementation of mother tongue education. This study explores the potential of innovative mother tongue education as a panacea for achieving the SDGs in Nigeria. Using a mixed – methods approach, the study investigates the impact of innovative mother-tongue education on pupils learning outcomes, teacher effectiveness and community engagement. The findings highlight the benefits of innovative mother tongue education, including improved literacy rates, enhanced and increased community participation. The study recommends the adoption of innovative mother tongue education as a strategic approach to achieving the SDGs in Nigeria, particularly goal 4 (quality education). The study’s findings have implications for education policy, practice and research in Nigeria and other multilingual contexts.