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Tackling educational inequality in Northern Nigeria

Published

8 years ago

January 9, 2019

By Remi Joyce Babayeju

Going by the United Nations, UN, Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 4, all counties should provide education for all children by 2030. In light of Joyce Remi- Babayeju X-rays the trends of inequality in education between boys and girls particularly in Northern Nigeria and the fall in the 2030 target.

Tofa Model Primary School situated in Tofa Local Government is geographically located in the semi- arid zone of Kano State and it can best the described as a typical school common in the Northern region of Nigeria.

Tofa Model Primary school with a population of 300 pupils and 13 teachers is next door neighbour to a dingy Islamiyah Almajeri school and these two educational institutions can best be described as two seeds in one coin. One offers Western education whiles the other Islamic education.

In the cluster of this neighbourhood lives Sa’dia Abdullahi a young girl who stays with her mother who is a widow but instead of benefiting the advantage of Western education, she hawks and sells groundnuts in the vicinity of the school to children of her age.

Sa’dia is a sad girl because each day she sees her age mates going to school but she cannot do same because her mother told her she doesn’t have money to sponsor her education.

She said, “I admire other children going to school but I cannot join them because my mother’s poor.” She is one girl too many who may not be educated for life because of some inequality due to socio- cultural and economic factors.

So also is Abdullahi Adamu, a 19 year old Almajeri boy from Gwazo in Kano State who attends an Islamiyah School built close to Tofa Model Primary School, but unlike Sa’dia, Abdullahi said he detests Western education because of religious colourization.

Speaking with Nigeria Pilot, Abdullahi, an Islamic student said, “I don’t admire people of my age who are schooling because I have no interest in Western education. I believe this is what Allah wants for me.” Schooling is “haram” meaning bad, he said.

In his spare time Adamu engages in farming to augment his feeding and admitted that he is very comfortable in the Islamic School because the Mallam in charge of the school feeds him so he doesn’t go begging.

Both Sa’dia and Adamu are part of the 10.5 million of out of school children particularly in Northern Nigeria.

A teacher at Tofa Model Primary School, Mallam Sabiu Umar Ibrahim said that the juxtaposition of the school and the Islamiyah School is not a challenge because the children are taught mainly in western education.

“Here we teach the children with a system known as grouping; we group the children to teach them and not by the conventional teaching method. This is to enable each pupil assist one another. This method is designed is to help the low learners among them to catch up.”

Education in Nigeria is still sloppy and the case is even worst in the Northern part of the country between boys and girls.

Reasons of education gaps include socio- cultural factors where girls fall into the cracks of educational inequality. They are usually excluded from getting education and if they do it is Koranic education because it is believed that the place of a women remains in the kitchen despite societal change, cultural infiltration and globalization.

The latest Multiple Indictor Cluster Survey, MICS 5, ( 2016-17), data conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, and the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, shows that a majority of Nigerian children especially in the primary school are out of school with a high figure of 11.5 million children.

The MICS survey shows that out of the 11.5 million children out of school in Nigeria, 7.9 million or 69 per cent are in the Northern states. North East has the largest number of out of school children followed by the North West. This could be attributed to so many factors including the recent insurgency upsurge in the Northern region of the country with attendant displacement and humanitarian crisis which has kept majority of children out of school. Also many schools have been destroyed.

On factors responsible for out of school figures in Nigeria, UNICEF Education Specialist, Azuka Menkiti at a 2 day Dialogue with Bloggers on Access to Education in Kano State, said that Nigeria accounts for more than one in five out-of-school children globally, and 45 per cent of out-of-school children in West Africa and that within this huge number of out-of-school children, girls are in the majority especially in northern Nigeria.

Menkiti said that factors causing educational gaps are location (residence), gender and wealth status. She explained thateducation indicators for northern Nigeria are different from the southern part of the country.

While southern states have on average 11% of children aged 6-14 years out of school, northern states have an average of 31% of children aged 6-14 years out-of-school rate, (MICS 2016), she disclosed.

She explained that gender is an important factor in the pattern of educational marginalization in Northern Nigeria where the population of girls in school is very low.

In comparison, the attendance rate for boys in the North east and North West are 48.8 per cent and 50.8 per cent, she said.

According to her, Education indicators for northern Nigeria are different from the southern part of the country.

While southern states have on average 11% of children aged 6-14 years out of school, northern states have an average of 31% of children aged 6-14 years out-of-school rate. (MICS 2016)

Gender is also an important factor in the pattern of educational marginalization.

In northeast and northwest states of Nigeria the female primary net attendance ratio is 44 per cent and 47.4 per cent respectfully which means more than half of primary school aged girls are not in school. In comparison, the attendance rate for boys in the North East and North West are 48.8 per cent and 50.8 per cent respectively.

According to the gender expert, gaps in education could be linked to poor implementation of education policy and laws.

In Nigeria there is weak political will to fully and effectively implement the Universal Basic Education Act of 2004 and other education policies, such as the laws prohibiting the withdraw of girls from school for marriage.

Others reasons are poor learning outcomes further complicated by the uncommitted, absent teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and poor learning environments many parents and guardians see schooling as a waste of time as their children are not learning – even to read and there is no link to livelihoods and the desired improvement in the lives of their children.

Also factors like low budgetary allocations, release and utilization further affects school supplies, like books, infrastructure, hiring of teachers, amongst others, Menkiti explained.

In recent times the country has suffered security threats especially in North east region of the country due to incessant insurgency attacks.

Kidnapping of school girls from Chibok and Dapchi has put fear down the spines of parents and significantly contributed to the low demand for education especially for girls and schools building worth millions of naira have being destroyed as a result of this mayhem.

UNICEF survey reveals that education gap further exists due to demand issues rooted in socio- cultural and economic environment.

There is perceived incompatibility of formal, “Western” education with Islamic education which affects both boys and girls in different ways.

Particularly in the northern part of the country some conservative communities believe that educated girls are incapable of raising children in accordance with Islamic tradition. It is also these believed that educated women are less likely to obey their fathers or husbands.

Such negative perceptions contribute to denial of the right to basic education for girls, Menkiti explained.

Another major blow to girls’ education particularly in rural communities, formal education for children is believed to be incompatible to Islamic teachings and capable of eroding traditional and religious practices and teachings in the children. This too does not encourage girls’ education.

In many parts of Nigeria early marriage is still a common traditional practice, which negatively impacts on girls’ enrolment and retention in school.

Poverty is another reason why children are not enrolled in school and where is is option most times boys are given the opportunity over girls because it is perceived that they would soon be married off and the boys would remain in the families.

“Parents and children from poor households struggle to meet the demands of direct and indirect costs of education. If parents had money, they would prioritise the education of their sons over daughters for socio-cultural reasons.”

Social norms equally contribute to gap in education whereby some cultural practices and beliefs keep children out of school and deny them the right to education.

Baseline Study Report of the Ministerial Committee on Madrasah Education (2011) showed that about 9.5 million school-aged children in Nigeria are currently attending Koranic schools/centres spread across the nation. Only 24 per cent of children aged 4-16 years combine both formal and Koranic schooling. Considering the large number of children attending Koranic schools, especially in the northern states, the Koranic schools present a strategic entry point or focus for addressing inequity. (UNICEF source)

Dr. Adedayo Ogundimu, a resource person, at a 2 day Dialogue with Bloggers on Access to Education in Kano State said that education is a process of lifelong learning at individual level, and that it is a socialization process through which a total child becomes a product of his environment.

Quoting the Sustainable Development Goal 4 which advocates for quality education to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, Ogundimu said that every country has a tailored made education policy based on its manpower and socio-economic development goals.

He lamented that access to education by millions of Nigerian children remains hindered due to lack of political will, bad planning, poor infrastructure, failure to engage communities amongst other factors.

Threats to equality in education in Nigeria include poverty, ignorance, culture, religion, and governance, corruption by way of recruitment of teachers, procurement of learning materials and politics / political will.

Ogundimu said that for government to correct the poor access to education scenario in Nigeria, government has to fully implement School feeding program across the country instead of doing it in a few states in the north.

Government has to do conditional and unconditional Cash transfer, Weekend back packs interventions, back to school program, among other useful programmes to get all children in school, he advised.

UNICEF is an international organization mandated to promote the rights

News

Court fixes August 27 for hearing in Benue APC candidates’ suit

Published

7 days ago

July 21, 2026

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed August 27 for definite hearing in a suit filed by aggrieved members of the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who are challenging their alleged substitution as validly nominated candidates for the 2027 general election.
Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter at the instance of counsel to the plaintiffs, Mohammed Ndarani (SAN), who sought time to respond to a preliminary objection filed by the APC, the first defendant, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit.

Justice Ekwo directed counsel for the parties to file and exchange their processes before the next adjourned date, warning that any counsel who failed to do so would be personalized.
Matthew Burka appeared for the APC, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the second defendant, was represented by Oluwole Olukunle.
The adjournment followed an earlier order by the court directing the APC and INEC to maintain the status quo in the dispute over candidates who emerged from the party’s Benue State primaries.
The order was made last Thursday during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, filed by Engr. Sesugh kaaba and other aggrieved APC candidates from Benue State against the party and the electoral commission.
The plaintiffs, through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, sought six interim reliefs, including an order restraining the APC from substituting its validly nominated candidates through a June 29 correspondence to INEC, or any subsequent communication, pending determination of the substantive suit. They also asked the court to compel the APC to transmit to INEC the names of candidates validly nominated during primaries monitored by the commission.
When the matter first came up on July 8, the court declined to grant the interim application immediately, directing the APC and INEC to appear and respond before any ruling. The matter was adjourned to July 16.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel for the APC and INEC were in court, while the plaintiffs were represented by Ndarani and his legal team.
Ruling on the application, Justice Ekwo held that since issues had been joined by the parties — particularly with INEC now before the court the defendants were bound by law to preserve the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the suit. When plaintiffs’ counsel urged the court to caution the APC and INEC against any action affecting the disputed list of candidates, the judge said it was “not a matter of advice but of law,” stressing that the defendants were bound to maintain the status quo.
The court accordingly restrained the APC and INEC from taking any action capable of altering the disputed list of candidates pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit. The defendants did not object to the restraining order.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court noted that all parties had voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction by filing and exchanging their respective processes, and held that there was no procedural or jurisdictional impediment to an expeditious determination of the case. It directed that the matter be heard without further delay.
In furtherance of preserving the res and safeguarding the judicial process, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending final determination of the suit, restraining any act capable of prejudicing the rights of the parties or rendering the proceedings nugatory. It further directed that INEC be served forthwith with the originating and all consequential processes.
The effect of the subsisting order is that INEC is restrained from tampering with the existing list of candidates and from receiving, recognising, or acting on any purported substituted list of National Assembly candidates from Benue State submitted by the APC.

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CONGRATULATION TO HON. GINIKA FLORENCE TOR ON HER APPOINTMENT AS FEDERAL COMMISSIONER, NATIONAL SALARIES, INCOMES AND WAGES COMMISSION

Published

1 week ago

July 21, 2026

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I, Amb. Tonye Sylvester Iyade, extend my warmest congratulations to Hon. Ginika Florence Tor on her well-deserved appointment as a Federal Commissioner of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

This prestigious appointment is a clear recognition of Hon. Ginika Florence Tor’s years of dedicated service, unwavering loyalty, competence, and commitment to nation-building. Her appointment reflects the confidence reposed in her ability to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of the Commission’s mandate and the continued progress of our dear nation.

I also wish to express my profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.for this thoughtful appointment. It is yet another demonstration that the President values commitment, hard work, capacity, and those who have remained steadfast in supporting and advancing the ideals of the Renewed Hope Agenda. By appointing capable and experienced individuals into strategic positions, the President continues to reinforce his administration’s commitment to good governance, merit, and effective service delivery.

There is no doubt that Hon. Ginika Florence Tor possesses the experience, character, and leadership qualities required to excel in this important national assignment. I am confident that she will discharge her responsibilities with integrity, professionalism, and dedication, while contributing significantly to the realization of the Renewed Hope vision of the Tinubu administration.

As she assumes this important office, I pray that Almighty God grants her wisdom, strength, sound health, and divine guidance to serve Nigeria with excellence and leave behind a legacy of impactful service.

Congratulations once again, Hon. Ginika Florence Tor, on this remarkable and well-deserved appointment. I wish you a successful and rewarding tenure in service to our great nation.

Signed:

Amb. Tonye Sylvester Iyade

News

Borno Deputy Governorship: Shealting The Swords , Healing The Wounds.

Published

1 week ago

July 20, 2026

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BY: Inuwa Bwala.

Given the role of a Deputy Governor, it is rather an anathrma to campaign, seeking to be chosen, as a deputy governorship candidate.
Changing dynamics have however seen to the emergence of individuals, openly campaigningy , to be so chosen.
It is a truism that, the choice is the prerogative of the governorship candidate, to nominate someone, he or she feels he or she can blend well.
The case in Borno for the oncoming elections, presents a case study, of people doing things wrongly and expect to alter a long standing narrative.
In the last few days, since Ali Abdullahi, was chosen as the runningmate to Engineer Mustapha Gubio, the polity seems to be getting charged.
I have tried to jaxtapose argumentson the appropriateness or lack of it, in the choice of Ali Abdullahi, as the deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progresdives Congress, APC, in Borno state.
While some justify the choice, others were not too comfortable with it.
To many, there was no sufficient consultations, with critical stakeholders, before the choice was made public.
To others, the candidate was picked from outside the traditional political circle, and yet to others, he is not conversant with the ways of the people, having been born and bred outside the enviroment.
I understand others even feel that the choice negates the expectations of frontrunners in the campaigns, with some people even developing a sense of entitlement, in way.
In as much as everybody os granted the right to aspire, it has never been the norm to consult everybody before a deputy governorship candidate is chosen.
It is normal to try selling the idea, but it is not a must, that the evrntual choice must be someone others feel must be the one.
No matter how anyone feels, there are rooms for a rhendezvous of interests, in a party that controls the government.
And given our peculiar circumstances in Borno, we have to give it to the candidate, to nominate somebody he feels he could blend with, effectively.
That most of the arguments did not center on competence, capacity or value addition of the deputy governorship candidate, leave room for one to surmise that, the conventional practice, rrlies more on atributes, above interest.
I would rather, those who feel slighted to reminiscence, on Ali Abdullahi’s past performances, and not the lack of patronage, or political convenience, on their sides.
The Task Ahead, presupposes that, while Borno is still smarting from years of insecurity, we do not enjoy the luxury of internal political bickerings, which could cause dislocations and possible going into the elections as a divided house.
It is a truism that we need a deputy governor, with requisite administrative experience and technical capacity, to fully compliment the efforts of Engineer Mustapha Gubio, so that together they can hit the ground running reminisceint of the Governor Zulum era. A curious look into Ali Abdullahi’s pedigree, shows that, he brings that capacity, in the same fashion that he demonstrated at SEMA. I have no doubt at the back of my mind, that both governor Zulum and our governorship candidate, Mustapha Gubio, are passionate about the continuity of the Zulum Agenda, hence the choice of Ali SEMA, as he is popularly known.
Taking into consideration the need to live up to the expectations of the people, especially on the need to rebuild Borno, they may have considered changing the course midstream may tend to slow us down.
I know as a matter of fact, that, Ali Abdullahi has been aligned to Zulum’s vision of service, integrity, and results, for a long time.
That the governor has gone out of his way in trying to placate those who may have nursed the ambition of being the ones to be considwred, points to the fact that, the Gubio/Abdullahi ticket was chosen to unite us, not divide us.
I am sure the Governor values every zone, every elder, and every stakeholder, and never intended to shut out anybody. We may recall, that, similar skepticism greeted the emergence of Zulum and Kadafur in 2023, but having seen their best sides, makes Borno the better off for it today.
Shealthing our swords and healing the wounds of this innitial perceibed snub, is a sinquanon to making the choice the best team, we could put forward for Borno.
I am compelled to appeal to all of us to look beyond personal interests and prioritize Borno, even as we strive to deliver. The Governor’s door remains open for dialogue, as always.
Let us rally behind this ticket, and mot risk a divided house that cannot deliver to our people. A united APC in Borno is what our people expect of us.

Let the narrative turn to the choice of Ali Abdullahi as Deputy Governorship candidate is about *competence, continuity, and service to Borno people, and not about how he emerged.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum with his deputy have showed focus on finishing the work of rebuilding Borno’s destroyed schools, hospitals and roads, and resettling our people. His successor needs a deputy who understands this vission and shares that same commitment.

Ali Abdullahi has the experience, he has demonstrated loyalty, and has showed dedication. Let us not crucify him on the cross of our personal ambitions.
I respect all opinions expressed so far, but this is not the time for divisions, this is the time to unite behind the ticket no matter its perceived inadequacies, so that we can continue to deliver for Borno.
Our collective focus should be Borno first, and not who should be in a particular position.
We have no cause to doubt the man who delivered for us, in the face of innitial skepticism, so, let Ali SEMA, be.