The education gap between most states in the northern part of Nigeria and their southern counterparts is growing due to a number of reasons, including the inability of schools to cover syllabus early. The problem, according to a senior secondary school student who prefers not to be named, is further compounded by lack of qualified teachers especially in core subject areas. Students from well-to-do families resort to private extra lessons in a bid to close the knowledge gap and be able to compete with well-educated children from other parts of the country.

The lessons run for 12 hours per week. Meanwhile, the quest by the North to reduce the long-standing educational gap with its southern counterpart has suffered a significant setback in recent years, a Daily Trust analysis of secondary school-leaving examination results revealed.

The 2016-2018 figures, released by West African Examination Council (WAEC), showed that the number of students securing the minimum grade for university admission in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) from northern Nigeria has been declining, so is the number of northern students that sat for the exam.

Another damning statistics, obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), buttresses this challenge. The figures are coming at a time political leaders from the North are claiming to be working hard to improve the quality of education, while introducing additional measures in the effort to increase school enrollment rate and performance.

One analyst described the figures as “devastating and self-inflicting” for an area that has been behind its counterpart in western education since its inception, and torn apart by a decade of deadly Boko Haram insurgency and lack of coherent policy making and implementation strategy. Education deprivation in the North has been linked to several factors, including poverty and socio-economic norms and practices that discourage the attendance of formal education. Some have also linked it to the area’s initial reaction to the colonial masters who first stayed in the South before heading to the North.

Unlike the southerners who accepted the Europeans and embraced their ideals, the northerners resisted. They insisted on keeping their religion, trade, governance, reading and writing. A decrease in national spending on education Public data of the government’s budget shows that the allocation of public spending at the national level decreased by 11% in the 2016-2018 period. In 2016, the federal government allocated 7.92% of the national expenditures to education.

By 2018, that number decreased to 7.04% of the N8.6 trillion that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari proposed to spend on education. As the national education budget shrinks, the North takes the fall Our analysis of the data put together for private and public schools shows that Nigeria’s southern region has the highest rate of students that scored five credits and above, including English and Math.

The main requirement for university admission is five credits, including Math and English. However, students who fail in the WAEC exam could still get admission into the university if they meet the same requirements in their Senior School Certificate Examination prepared by the National Examinations Council (NECO), a Nigerian equivalent of the WAEC. The following chart shows the percentage of students who received five credits, including Math and English in each region, including Abuja.

It is noticeable how the North (coloured red) is underperforming and how the South has a better rate of approved students than the national average. In 2018, for instance, out of 1,006,688 southern students that sat for the exam in public and private schools, 56% of them got five credits and above, including English and Math. The North, in comparison, had 206,183 out of 630,971 or 32% that got the same score of five credits and above.

As seen in the graph, this rating is below the national average of 47%. The North also had the lowest number of students that sat for the crucial exam. Meanwhile, the capital city, Abuja, which is treated separately in this analysis, had 23,622 students that sat for the exam and 52% among them had five credits and above, including English and Math.

This means that the capital outperformed the national average. When translated into a map, the results of 2018 reveal how the difference in performance has a clear correlation with the part of the country where students are. The following map analyzes the .percentage of students that passed the test by state.

Nigeria’s 36 states, including the capital city, Abuja, were included in the sample. In red are the worst-performing states, while in blue are the states with the best results. The map above shows how the more up north states are, the less percentage of approved students they record. In fact, the nation’s worst-performing state is in the North. In 2018, Jigawa failed to pass 10% of the 22,000 students that sat for the exam.

On the other hand, the best results tend to be in the South. In fact, with 81% of approval within the 48.067 students that sat in the test, the south-eastern Abia is Nigeria’s best-performing state.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-north-fails-to-close-education-gap-with-south.html

ask flora shaw that loves the feudal system.
Guess what, its working, north is still in charge.

God bless northern Nigeria
Keep deceiving yourselves the new generation of Northern Nigeria go shock una like electric! Keep on deceiving yourselves... One aboki in the north is more politically enlighten than a professor in the south east...

Your hatred for Northern Nigeria is making us stronger than ever before!
Stop deceiving yourselves with those Aboki you see in the east which are giving you hope that you're better than us.... Those guys ain't Nigerians but from Niger republic the fact that they speak Hausa doesn't make them Hausa... They are migrants from Niger republic... An average northern don't travel to South except those in military, custom, Police and those doing business...kano alone is better than all eastern state combine!

^^^
Who ask this one for pictures, they talking about education you showing us pictures of roads. Show us your school buildings.


Anyway average aboki no need education because him know say na dem dey rule. With all the education wey south west get, wetin be the achievement?

Sometimes i don't understand why you guys need to compare the tribes in Nigeria, na north dey hold power since the beginning till now and tomorrow

Arrewa:
God bless northern Nigeria
Keep deceiving yourselves the new generation of Northern Nigeria go shock una like electric! Keep on deceiving yourselves... One aboki in the north is more politically enlighten than a professor in the south east...

And what has mentioning South East got to do with this?

Northern state apart from Borno, zamfara and yobe are doing better than south eastern state who are busy calling the north terrorist,illiterates and all sort of names!
In Nigeria, "our enemy is not Buhari!". Buhari will leave & our r eyes will clear.

We need to start calling out the enemies within.


Who is in charge of your local government? Who is your governor? Why are they building their personal mansions while your roads, schools & hospitals are bad? Who is your state assembly rep, your federal rep, your senator? Why are they fighting for their pockets & not your constituencies?

When we sort out the enemies within then we can easily & cohesively address the national issues. We can't keep on doing the same thing for 60 years & expect a different result.

We just have to tell ourselves the truth... Hatred is not going to develop the east... Hold your leaders accountable!

nkwuocha1:


And what has mentioning South East got to do with this?

Obasanjo was on power for good 8yrs Jonathan was on power for 6yrs now tell me... Did that turn the south to Dubai... Bro we sometimes gats to be rational and objective that's why we are educated... The north have nothing to do with the underdevelopment of South... Especially the south east

okorotalkative:
^^^
Who ask this one for pictures, they talking about education you showing us pictures of roads. Show us your school buildings.


Anyway average aboki no need education because him know say na dem dey rule. With all the education wey south west get, wetin be the achievement?

Sometimes i don't understand why you guys need to compare the tribes in Nigeria, na north dey hold power since the beginning till now and tomorrow

Insulting the north north on daily basis isn't going to help this country... The north have their problems... But let's tell ourselves the truth... With all the 13percent oil derivation the south south use to receive annually apart from their normal financial allocation... Is Bayelsea or delta more developed than kano? Let's hold our governors... Our representatives and our senators accountable and leave the north alone

Arrewa:
We just have to tell ourselves the truth... Hatred is not going to develop the east... Hold your leaders accountable!

You are just a manifestation of the lack of education we are talking about

Someone wrote an article u start to attack south east ...then go around to say how south east hate north ....yet we invest trillions in the north

The north is not what they want you to believe
Almajiri system is dying... Education is now in high demand! Northern Nigeria is developing, the Northerners are now taking business from the Igbos in the north! Education and exposure is changing the Northern Nigeria!
Travel to Gombe, kano, Kaduna and bauchi and see for yourself... The north is growing and getting stronger! Forget Borno and zamfara...don't judge the whole northern state because of few state affected by Bokoharam and bandit

Why not invest the Trillions in the east?? That's how una go dey claim say una develop Lagos and Kano...

mrvitalis:

You are just a manifestation of the lack of education we are talking about

Someone wrote an article u start to attack south east ...then go around to say how south east hate north ....yet we invest trillions in the north

Arrewa:
The north is not what they want you to believe
Almajiri system is dying... Education is now in high demand! Northern Nigeria is developing, the Northerners are now taking business from the Igbos in the north! Education and exposure is changing the Northern Nigeria!
Travel to Gombe, kano, Kaduna and bauchi and see for yourself... The north is growing and getting stronger! Forget Borno and zamfara...don't just the whole northern state because of few state affected by Bokoharam and bandit

Ameeeen!!!

This is what we want. The backwardness of nothern Nigeria is the reason Nigeria is not making real progress.

Arrewa:
Why not invest the Trillions in the east?? That's how una go dey claim say una develop Lagos and Kano...

If you don't know GDP of IMO alone is almost the same as north east

If you actually understand the about statement u won't make that about statement

Secondly I know very well u are not Hausa but Yoruba so get lost

By the time we map out real enemies... Nigeria will progress

BeardedMeat:
Ameeeen!!!

This is what we want. The backwardness of nothern Nigeria is the reason Nigeria is not making real progress.

Go check GDP from the right source...
I'm from kano state... I be correct Hausa man not those nigeriens you're seeing around you...when it comes to development... Gombe is by far better than imo I have been to 4 out of 5 state in the east... The truth is bitter! Hold your leaders accountable

mrvitalis:

If you don't know GDP of IMO alone is almost the same as north east

If you actually understand the about statement u won't make that about statement

Secondly I know very well u are not Hausa but Yoruba so get lost

Arrewa:
Go check GDP from the right source...
I'm from kano state... I be correct Hausa man not those nigeriens you're seeing around you...when it comes to development... Gombe is by far better than imo I have been to 4 out of 5 state in the east... The truth is bitter! Hold your leaders accountable

Lol I would give u 100k if the GDP of the whole north east is bigger than IMO by more than 4 billion dollars

Arrewa:
God bless northern Nigeria
Keep deceiving yourselves the new generation of Northern Nigeria go shock una like electric! Keep on deceiving yourselves... One aboki in the north is more politically enlighten than a professor in the south east...

Whats the point of all that political enlightenment if you are:

85% poverty rate
Insecurity and terrorism capital of Nigeria
Educationally bacwards

Now why is Gombe more developed than imo? And Aba?? With all this GDP you claim why is the south east still backward

mrvitalis:

Lol I would give u 100k if the GDP of the whole north east is bigger than IMO by more than 4 billion dollars

Arrewa:
Now why is Gombe more developed than imo? And Aba?? With all this GDP you claim why is the south east still backward

This yoruba boy go n sleep

You say poverty?? Stop deceiving yourself the north is far better than the east.... The east has the most dirtiest city in Nigeria... For Terrorism refer to maiduguri not the whole north.. some northern states like kano, Gombe,Sokoto, kebbi and bauchi is more developed and safer than all the eastern states

gidgiddy:


Whats the point of all that political enlightenment if you are:

85% poverty rate
Insecurity and terrorism capital of Nigeria
Educationally bacwards

Arrewa:
The north is not what they want you to believe
Almajiri system is dying... Education is now in high demand! Northern Nigeria is developing, the Northerners are now taking business from the Igbos in the north! Education and exposure is changing the Northern Nigeria!
Travel to Gombe, kano, Kaduna and bauchi and see for yourself... The north is growing and getting stronger! Forget Borno and zamfara...don't just the whole northern state because of few state affected by Bokoharam and bandit

this is what should have been ur first post instead of gallivanting around like u did with ur previous posts.

Arrewa:
Northern state apart from Borno, zamfara and yobe are doing better than south eastern state who are busy calling the north terrorist,illiterates and all sort of names!
In Nigeria, "our enemy is not Buhari!". Buhari will leave & our r eyes will clear.

We need to start calling out the enemies within.


Who is in charge of your local government? Who is your governor? Why are they building their personal mansions while your roads, schools & hospitals are bad? Who is your state assembly rep, your federal rep, your senator? Why are they fighting for their pockets & not your constituencies?

When we sort out the enemies within then we can easily & cohesively address the national issues. We can't keep on doing the same thing for 60 years & expect a different result.

LMAO

See my abuoki o

Toh!

Any small issue you will see them insulting the Northerners calling them illiterate... That northern region is the most backward region bla bla...i was even thinking that their region is small far better... Until I traveled down to east... I was very very disappointed!

I weep for north during my service in Bauchi.
Their school starts by 8am nd close by 12 on Fridays its closes by 11am. They have 1hr break which means averagely they only have 4hrs to learn.
Principal of my school in Azare don't even know how to speak English fluently, d students don't even kno what is simple 'come'. They don't even see their inability to speak nd write English as a big problem, they just see it as a normal thing.
In one community school close to my ppa they only teach their SS 1nd 2 students Hausa nd mathematics
North is still living in 12BC abeg.
They only they take better pass south is their good road nd also things are not expensive there apart from this 2 things north is far far behind south in every other thing. The day I visited ATBU I was surprised that all the Hausa students I encountered couldn't speak English

Lol bauchi depends on the school you found yourself no doubt English is difficult for some students from government school... For ATBU you're a bloody liar!! This prove that you just composed this story to ridicule the north... Right now I have js3 student here in kano who will lecture you on english

OoniOfIfe:
I weep for north during my service in Bauchi.
Their school starts by 8am nd close by 12 on Fridays its closes by 11am. They have 1hr break which means averagely they only have only 4hrs to learn.
Principal of my school in Azare don't even know how to speak English fluently, d students don't even kno what is simple 'come'. They don't even see their inability to speak nd write English as a big problem, they just see it as a normal thing.
In one community school close to my ppa they only teach their SS 1nd 2 students Hausa nd mathematics
North is still living in 12BC abeg.
They only they take better pass south is their good road nd also things are not expensive there apart from this 2 things north is far far behind south in every other thing. The day I visited ATBU I was surprised that all the Hausa students I encountered couldn't speak English

Arrewa:
Northern state apart from Borno, zamfara and yobe are doing better than south eastern state who are busy calling the north terrorist,illiterates and all sort of names!
In Nigeria, "our enemy is not Buhari!". Buhari will leave & our r eyes will clear.

We need to start calling out the enemies within.


Who is in charge of your local government? Who is your governor? Why are they building their personal mansions while your roads, schools & hospitals are bad? Who is your state assembly rep, your federal rep, your senator? Why are they fighting for their pockets & not your constituencies?

When we sort out the enemies within then we can easily & cohesively address the national issues. We can't keep on doing the same thing for 60 years & expect a different result.

Guy I served in Bauchi, mention one single development in Bauchi that made it has edge over any State?

Arrewa:
You say poverty?? Stop deceiving yourself the north is far better than the east.... The east has the most dirtiest city in Nigeria... For Terrorism refer to maiduguri not the whole north.. some northern states like kano, Gombe,Sokoto, kebbi and bauchi is more developed and safer than all the eastern states

The North that had been overrun by terrorists, bandits and killer herdsmen? I would rather live in the dirtiest place on earth where there are no terrorist than to live in a place with terrorists everywhere

Arrewa:
Lol bauchi depends on the school you found yourself no doubt English is difficult for some students from government school... For ATBU you're a bloody liar!! This prove that you just composed this story to ridicule the north... Right now I have js3 student here in kano who will lecture you on english

JSS 3 student lecture a 2.1 English graduate and an M.A English holder.

For your information am an English lecturer in one of the North Central university.

Stop attacking the writer of the article, u guys should do something to develop North educationally. It may interest u 2 kno that No northern student has come first in any national competition like Cowbell National competition, Olympiads, National maths exam for secondary schools

That didn't stop the development of nothern Nigeria... That didn't stop a northerner for being the richest man in Africa... That didn't stop Northerners from ruling you...develop the south the north is ahead when it comes about national development

OoniOfIfe:


JSS 3 student lecture a 2.1 English graduate and an M.A English holder.

For your information am an English lecturer in one of the North Central university.

Stop attacking the writer of the article, u guys should do something to develop North educationally. It may interest u 2 kno that No northern student has come first in any national competition like Cowbell National competition, Olympiads, National maths exam for secondary schools

What ever Kano or FCT is doing the rest of the states should follow suit up north. Improve public education so it meets targets.