Reading for Understanding, Not Just for Exams: A Guide for Nigerian Students

Most Nigerian students read to pass. A smaller number read to understand. A very small number read because they have discovered that reading itself is one of the most powerful things a human being can do. This article is for all three groups — but especially the last.

The Difference Between Reading and Understanding

Reading is the act of passing your eyes over words. Understanding is what happens when those words connect to something you already know, challenge something you believed, or open a door to an idea you had never considered. You can read a textbook chapter in twenty minutes and understand nothing. You can read one paragraph slowly and understand something that stays with you for life.

The Nigerian examination system, unfortunately, rewards the former more than the latter. This is a genuine problem — but it is not one you have to accept for yourself, even while working within the system’s requirements.

Three Techniques for Deep Reading

Ask questions before you read. Before opening any chapter, ask yourself: What do I already know about this topic? What do I expect to find? What question do I want this chapter to answer? This activates your existing knowledge and gives you a purpose for reading beyond “I have to finish this chapter.”

Annotate as you go. Underlining is not enough. Write brief notes in the margins: “This contradicts what my teacher said.” “I do not understand this.” “This is the key point.” Annotation forces your brain to process what it is reading, not just receive it.

Summarise in your own words immediately after. Close the book and write — not copy — a summary of what you just read. If you cannot do this, you did not understand it. Go back. Read more slowly. This is not a sign of weakness. It is the exact moment where real learning happens.

Read Beyond the Textbook

The students who perform best at the essay component of WAEC and NECO are almost always students who read widely. Newspapers. Novels. Non-fiction books. Articles. Not because any of this directly prepares them for specific examination questions — but because wide reading builds vocabulary, fluency, and the ability to construct a coherent argument.

If you do not currently read anything beyond your school textbooks, start with one newspaper per week. One short novel per term. One non-fiction article per month. This is not a large investment of time — but the compounding effect over a school career is enormous.

Dr Ayobami Gideon Babalola

Founder, BAG Foundation · Educator · DBA · Author (A. G. Babs)

15+ years teaching experience across Nigeria and China. Founder of the BAG Foundation.