Effects of the Use of Yoruba Language as a Medium of Instruction on Pupils Performance in Science and Mathematics

The purpose of this study was to find out the effects of the use of Yoruba language as a medium of instruction on pupils performance in Science and Mathematics. The population of the study comprises all primary three schools pupils selected from primary schools in Ibadan, Oyo State. The sample for this study were 40 participants selected from the population. The sampling technique for this study was multi-stage technique. The instrument used for data collection was Academic Performance Achievement Test (APAT). The instrument was validated by researcher’s supervisor and other lecturers in the Department for content and face validly. All suggestions and corrections made were effected. The reliability of the instrument was carried out using the test-retest method. A total of 10 pupils from St Michael Primary School, Iyana Iba Lagos who were not part of the population were selected for reliability test. Data collected from the first week administration of the instrument was correlated with the first week questionnaire. The two data collected was analysed with Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficients [PPMCC] which yielded 0.84 coefficient after computation. Researcher with four assistants administered the Academic performance Achievement test (APAT) to the two groups before the treatment. The experimental group was exposed to four weeks teaching in Yoruba language while the control group was not be expose to any treatment. Data collected was analysed with frequency counts and simple percentage for demographic data of respondents while the inferential statistics of t-test was used to test all the stated hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study revealed that the use of Yoruba language as a medium of instruction had effect on pupil’s performance in Science, Mathematics in primary schools in Oyo State. The study also found gender difference on the effect of the use of Yoruba language as a medium of instruction on pupil’s performance in Science and Mathematics in primary schools in Oyo state. It was recommended that Teachers in primary school s in Oyo State should use the pupil’s mother tongue to teach science based subjects, and Mathematics and should give equal right to both females and male to learn Science and Mathematics in their mother tongue without fear, favour or discrimination.