DETERMINANTS OF STUDENTS’ READING CULTURE IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NSUKKA EDUCATION ZONE OF ENUGU STATE

The study investigated the determinants of students’ reading culture in junior secondary schools in Nsukka education zone of Enugu State. The purpose of the study, six research questions were posed and five null hypotheses were formulated. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The population for the study comprised 5878 (2949 male and 2929 female) JSS 3 students in public secondary schools in Nsukka education zone. Sample size of 312 JSS 3 students in public schools in Nsukka education zone was used in this study. The sample was drawn using multi-stage sampling technique. Questionnaire on Determinants of Students’ Reading Culture (QDSRC) was used to collect data for this study. The instrument (QDSRC) was face validated by two experts from Department of Arts Education and another from Science Education (Measurement & Evaluation) all in Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. An overall reliability index of 0.90 was obtained using Cronbach alpha method. The data obtained for the study were analyzed using means analysis to answer the research questions while t-test was used to test the formulated hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that junior students in Nukka Education Zone portray bad reading habits and can be said to have a bad reading culture. Also, curriculum, social media, home background and location to a high extent influence students’ reading culture in secondary schools in Nsukka Education Zone whereas gender is not a significant factor on students’ reading culture. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that State and Local Governments should establish libraries in every local government and young readers’ club should be introduced in schools to promote and encourage reading among students.