Agenda for Proper use of Library Hour in Primary Schools to Enhance Reading Habit of Pupils in Plateau State, Nigeria

In a learning environment, a child's academic development is strongly rooted to reading. This underscores the importance of the school library in strengthening and nurturing reading skills as the child progresses through the educational system. As the saying goes, "readers are leaders," making reading an essential skill that pupils must acquire early in life. Based on this premise, the present study investigated the proper utilization of library hours in primary schools to enhance the reading habits of pupils in the Northern Senatorial Zone of Plateau State, Nigeria. The study was guided by seven (7) objectives and addressed six (6) research questions. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted, with a target population of 1,254 primary four school pupils across 627 public primary schools in the study area. A sample of 120 pupils was selected using simple random sampling within a multi-stage sampling framework. Two structured questionnaires were used for data collection, one for school heads and other one for primary four class teachers were employed for data collection. Both instruments were structured on a four-point scale of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD). The instruments were validated for content and tested for reliability, yielding coefficients of 0.71 and 0.73 respectively, using the Cronbach Alpha method. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, with mean and standard deviation used to answer the research questions. The findings revealed, among other things, that while many schools do not have functional libraries, they do observe reading hours within classrooms. The study concluded that, there is inadequate provision of library facilities and designated reading hours in primary schools within the study area. It recommended, among other measures, that the Plateau State Government and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) should implement a dedicated library policy, mandate the recruitment and training of library staff and ensure the construction of well-equipped library facilities across all primary schools in the state.