Abstract

This study was carried out in view of the influences of Pidgin English amongst the students in Nigeria using Port Harcourt Local Government Area in Rivers State as a case study. It was conducted on two hundred students and eight teachers from four selected schools, four government workers and eight staff from the media. This research was executed because of the high rate of communication in Pidgin English amongst secondary school students, which has become a threat to their educational career. However, it was discovered in the course of the study, that there are factors that enhance this issue. The negative impact of the socio-linguistic status of Pidgin English in the Nigerian society has necessitated some recommendations which include: The creation of awareness among parents, the media and the government against the dangers of habitual use of Pidgin English, introduction and training of teachers on introduce effective methods during the English language lesson delivery. The government should invest more resources and manpower in education to enable the children from poor homes improve in the English Language, and Pidgin English should be introduced in the curriculum, so students could know the structures and lexical, to avoid code-switching it with that of the English Language.

Key words: Pidgin English, educational outcomes, socio-linguistic status.