Al-Hikmah University Journal

The study examined the pre – primary education and pupils’ academic performance in primary education in Ilorin west local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria. Specifically, the study assessed: (i) relationship between pre- primary education and pupils’ academic performance in primary school placement examination in English Language; (ii) relationship between pre- primary education and pupils’ academic performance in primary school placement examination in Mathematics and (iii) relationship between pre- primary education and pupils’ academic performance in primary school placement examination in Elementary science . The study was a descriptive research design of correlation type, Random sampling technique was used in selecting pupils with pre – primary education. Ten secondary schools where pupils under study were mainstreamed in Ilorin West Local Government were used for the study. Two hundred questionnaires and students’ academic performance proforma were used to access the performance of students under study in the placement Examination. Main and operational hypotheses were tested using Pearson product-moment correlation statistics respectively at 0.05 level of significance, all the calculated t- values are greater than the critical table values. The finding of the study showed that students with pre – primary education performed significantly well in primary placement examination. Based on the findings and conclusion, the study recommended among others that government should compete favourably with private schools in the provision and funding of pre – primary schools and also to formulate a national policy to provide guidelines and blue print for the establishment, control and management of pre - primary schools.