Guys really alarming and explains the trouble in the North and South-South!


Distressing findings on literacy, numeracy and formal educational attainment among primary and secondary school-aged Nigerian children were presented on 16th May, 2011 in Abuja during the national launch of the Nigeria Digest of Education Statistics 2006-2010 and the 2010 Nigeria Education Data Survey (NEDS) Report witnessed by Vice-President Namadi Sambo. The findings effectively constitute a scorecard on governance at the state level vis-a-vis the extent to which the life chances of the largest and most vulnerable segment of the populations in their jurisdictions (the under-17s) have been major preoccupations of the governors that have held office since 1999 across the country.

The 2010 NEDS, in particular, as a nationally representative sample survey of 26,934 households, 27,189 parents/ guardians, and 71,567 children age 4-16 was large enough to provide reliable estimates for indicators at state and national levels of children’s rates of school attendance, literacy and numeracy among primary school and junior secondary school-aged children, household expenditures for schooling, and parents/guardians’ perceptions of schooling. It revealed a mixed picture of the state of participation and success in basic education by Nigerian children, with the negatives far outstripping the positives for Nigeria as a whole, and certain states in particular.

Among the few positives are that (a) 61 per cent of children age 6-11 attended primary school in 2010, up from 51 per cent in 1990 but similar to the 60 per cent recorded in 2003; (b) more than a third of children age 12-15 attended JSS in 2010 compared to less than a fifth in 1990; and (c) more significantly, the last two decades has seen a steady closing of the gender gap in participation in primary and secondary education especially the former. However, it is worrying that far more progress was made overall between 1990 and 2003 than since then and that these national averages hide a very uneven picture of educational access among the states and sub-regions that make up Nigeria.

Thus, while more than 80 per cent of children between the age of 6 and 11 are according to the 2010 NEDS attending primary school in Ekiti, Anambra, Imo, Lagos, Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Osun, Ondo and Kogi States, less than 25 per cent of their peers are doing so in Zamfara, Kebbi and Borno States. What this means is that the chances of a typical child attending primary school in Anambra, Ekiti, Lagos or Bayelsa State are more than thrice those of such a child in Borno, Kebbi or Borno State. The survey also shows that these state-level differentials are largely replicated at the secondary school level as broadly reflected in the secondary school net attendance ratios recorded for the six geo-political zones or sub-regions as follows: North-Central – 37 per cent, North-east – 22 per cent, North-west – 24 per cent, South-south – 28 per cent, South-east – 60 per cent and South-west – 65 per cent.

But even more worrying is what the survey reveals about how the ability of the Nigerian child to read or perform simple addition largely depends on where he or she is located. Twenty-one per cent of children of ages 5-16 cannot read at all in the South-west compared to 31 per cent in the South-south, 32 per cent in the South-east, 58 per cent in the North-central, 72 per cent in the North-west, and 83 per cent in the North-east. One implication to note here is that a typical child in the North-east sub-region is about four times more likely to be illiterate than his or her mate in the South-west. This pattern which clearly mirrors the sub-regional differentials in school attendance becomes even sharper when we consider numeracy. Whereas only 11 per cent of children of ages 5-16 cannot perform simple addition in the South-west, the figures for the other sub-regions are: South-south – 19 per cent, South-east – 21 per cent, North-central – 42 per cent, North-west – 61 per cent, and North-east – 73 per cent. Again, the implication is that the chances of the average child in the North-east being innumerate are nearly seven times those of the average child residing in the South-west.

It is therefore disappointing that the Nigerian press has not called sufficient attention to this unambiguous evidence on the monumental failing of children by certain state governments. Formal schooling is after all well-established to be a very strong predictor of improved health outcomes, labour productivity, higher income levels, adoption of social and technological innovations, and participation in public life. Education is and will remain the primary determinant of economic and social progress for any state or sub-region in Nigeria as it is in other parts of the world. Any state that leaves its children behind in formal schooling will continue to be poor in a globalising economy which places very high premium on skills and competencies that can mainly be acquired through formal schooling.

The fact that several states in Nigeria are failing to provide basic education for thousands of children of school-going age is a clear-cut case of mis-governance reflecting political leadership that does not hold and live out as its core values – social justice and human dignity. When a governor fails to prioritise good quality universal basic education for the children of his state, he is effectively mortgaging the future of a whole generation. Such a governor places little or no value on the lives of these children, does not care about the future of the state, and is not in office to serve. We know that the local governments also have a big role to play in the delivery of basic education. But given that within Nigeria’s warped federalism, state governors fully control local government area affairs, the blame for the failure to significantly expand access to basic education in any state must be placed squarely on the governor.

For so many children to be illiterate and innumerate in a state is nothing short of structural violence perpetrated by the state government since basic education in today’s world is every child’s right and is extremely beneficial to the larger society. Such rights violation and associated inter-generational transmission of poverty inevitably quickly reproduces itself in a large cohort of under-18s that are ignorant, frequently ill, restive and prone to engaging in the worst forms of armed violence. Yet, every state government (along with its constituent local councils) in Nigeria can easily afford to provide free universal basic education if it is appropriately prioritized.

As governors across Nigeria begin new terms in office, it is not too much to ask of them to fully commit to and take consistent actions (including adequate funding) that will improve the accessibility and quality of primary and junior secondary school (JSS) education in their states. The NEDS 2010 data provides them with the requisite baseline against which they can track progress in the delivery of basic education in their states over the next four years. It is a simple task that the secretariat of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) can also be instructed to take on.

•Ahonsi, Ph.D is the Country Director, Population Council, Abuja.

For so many children to be illiterate and innumerate in a state is nothing short of structural violence perpetrated by the state government since basic education in today’s world is every child’s right and is extremely beneficial to the larger society.  Such rights violation and associated inter-generational transmission of poverty inevitably quickly reproduces itself in a large cohort of under-18 s that are ignorant, frequently ill, restive and prone to engaging in the worst forms of armed violence.  Yet, every state government (along with its constituent local councils) in Nigeria can easily afford to provide free universal basic education if it is appropriately prioritized.

Which is already manifesting itself

silami:

Guys really alarming and explains the trouble in the North and South-South!

Mr poster! Are U sure U read the article before posting?? I don't see anywhere in the article that points to a specific problem with the South South! The SS, SW, and SE are all performing fairly compared with their counterparts in the north which I think is what the article is trying to present.

You perception is affecting your realities!!

PapaBrowne:

Mr poster! Are U sure U read the article before posting?? I don't see anywhere in the article that points to a specific problem with the South South! The SS, SW, and SE are all performing fairly compared with their counterparts in the north which I think is what the article is trying to present.

You perception is affecting your realities!!

"The survey also shows that these state-level differentials are largely replicated at the secondary school level as broadly reflected in the secondary school net attendance ratios recorded for the six geo-political zones or sub-regions as follows: North-Central – 37 per cent, North-east – 22 per cent, North-west – 24 per cent, South-south – 28 per cent, South-east – 60 per cent and South-west – 65 per cent".

from the bolded if you dnt see 24 percent  the secondary school net attendance as disturbing and even saying 24 percent is doing fairly well against 37 then you need to consult your general mathematics text book to refresh your memory!

If you read the article properly, you would have noticed that was either a typo or a poorly researched piece as the other data provided presents a pretty good case for the south south states. The 28% figure is wrong. And most likely a typo.

Whereas only 11 per cent of children of ages 5-16 cannot perform simple addition in the South-west, the figures for the other sub-regions are: South-south – 19 per cent, South-east – 21 per cent, North-central – 42 per cent, North-west – 61 per cent, and North-east – 73 per cent.

hmm

Rubbish, Secondary School attendance in South-South is in the 60% range.

PapaBrowne:

If you read the article properly, you would have noticed that was either a typo or a poorly researched piece as the other data provided presents a pretty good case for the south south states. The 28% figure is wrong. And most likely a typo.

On which premise do you base the assumption that the 28% is wrong? It clearly stated that the 28% is the net attendance ratio for Secondary Schools.
This implies that while there are more enrolments in the Primary Schools, this definitely drops lower as you get to the Secondary levels and this should be a worrying problem for the South-South. This might be why there are many able bodied kids being used as militants. Or it could also be as a result of pressures to stand fending for oneself, or general pressures to start doing something to make money to survive.

Ibime:

Rubbish, Secondary School attendance in South-South is in the 60% range.

Based on your feelings or based on a research you conducted??