DISTINCTION ON PAPER, DEFICIENCY IN PRACTICE INVESTIGATING THE LITERACY GAP AMONG STUDENTS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN BORNO STATE

This study examined the growing disconnect between students’ paper qualifications and their actual literacy competence at the College of Education Waka–Biu, Borno State. Despite achieving distinctions and credits in O-Level examinations such as WASSCE and NECO, a significant number of students, particularly those preparing to become teachers, were found lacking in essential literacy skills, including reading comprehension, vocabulary usage, sentence construction, and written coherence. This situation raises serious concerns about the credibility of secondary school assessments and the quality of teacher preparation in Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a mixed-method approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative data. The population consisted of all Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) Year One students and literacy-related lecturers at the College of Education Waka–Biu. A sample of 120 students was selected through stratified random sampling, while three lecturers were purposively chosen based on their expertise and subject relevance. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, standardized literacy assessment tests, and semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that the average literacy competence of students was moderate (M = 56.4, SD = 11.9), indicating that many students admitted with high grades still struggled with basic literacy skills. Those who confessed to examination malpractice performed significantly worse than their peers, highlighting malpractice as a major factor behind inflated O-Level grades. A moderate correlation (r = 0.36, p < .001) between O-Level results and literacy scores further showed that grades are not reliable predictors of literacy competence. Thematic analysis from lecturers emphasized systemic problems such as rote learning, grade inflation, weak internal assessment, and inadequate resources as key contributors to the literacy gap. The study concludes that O-Level certificates are not dependable indicators of functional literacy and calls for stricter examination monitoring, post-entry literacy support, and policy reforms to align academic qualifications with actual competence in teacher education