Primary School Enrollment and Gender Gap in Nigeria

PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AND GENDER GAP IN NIGERIA

COUNTRY PROFILE:

Nigeria is a federation of 36 States and a Federal Capital Territory. There are three(3) types of Governments; the Federal, State and Local Governments. Each State is governed by an elected Governor, while each local government is headed by an elected Chairman who is the Chief Executive assisted by a Secretary who is the administrative head. Nigeria sit on a Land Area of :923,768 sq. km with of 158 million (2009 estimates; Sources: National Population Commission).

Nigeria is a member of several World bodies: The United Nations Organization and its agencies, UNESCO, UNICEF who have had course to set targets at one time or the other for the development of Primary education. UNO member countries have been asked , to democratize and universalize primary education. African Union (AU) and the Economic Council for Africa (ECA), Commonwealth of Nations, UNESCO (1995) had set 2000 as the year for achieving Education for All (EFA), Also, UNICEF has set Millennium Goals for members of the UNO to achieve Education for All by the year 2015 – with emphasis on the compulsory provision of primary school education for both boys and girls.

Nigeria already believed and had set up steps for educating all her children of school age before the March, 1990 World Declaration on Education For All. Attempts at both State and Federal levels in Nigeria to introduce universal primary education date back to the 1950s’ as follows:

* Introduction of Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Western Region in 1955; * Introduction of Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Eastern Region in 1957; * Introduction of Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Lagos (former Federal Territory) in 1957; * A National Policy on Education blue-print, 1977, revised 1981, 1985,& 1998 aimed at Universal & qualitative education; * Introduction of Universal free primary Education (UPE) in 1976; and * Introduction of Universal Basic Education (UBE) in 1999

The continuous attempt at improving the quality of education by all levels of government attests to Nigeria’s commitment to basic education for all, with emphasis on universal, functional and qualitative education. Thus basic education for Nigeria refers to early childhood education, primary education, the first three years of secondary education and basic and functional literacy for out of school children, youth and adults, as well as nomadic education for school age children of nomads and migrant fishermen.

The guiding principle of the Education For All programmme is the equipping of every citizen with such knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will enable him/her to lead a fulfilling life and derive maximum benefit from the society, while contributing his own quota towards the development and welfare of the community. Currently public spending on education is estimated at 5% of GDP, which places Nigeria above the average of developing countries, but slightly below the average of developed countries (5.4%).
INTRODUCTION:

Education can be referred to as an act or process of developing and cultivating ones mental activities or senses, physically, mentally, or morally. The acquisition of knowledge that forms, expands, strengthens, and discipline ones mind and faculty.

Educational System In Nigeria:

Education in Nigeria is based on a 6-3-3-4 system, which involves three levels of institutional learning processes:, primary, secondary and tertiary levels There is also a pre-school level , nursery education forms the first stage of the learning process in Nigeria.

PRIMARY EDUCATION:

| | Nigeria: Primary school pupils in class | |
In Nigeria, Primary education is compulsory, it the education given in institutions for children aged 6 – 11 years. According to the National Policy on Education the goals and objectives of primary education are to:

a. inculcate permanent literacy and numeracy, and ability to communicate effectively;
b. lay a sound basis for scientific and reflective thinking;
c. give citizenship education as a basis for effective participation in and contribution to the life of the society;
d. mould the character and develop sound attitude and morals in the child;
e. develop in the child the ability to adapt to his changing environment;
f. give the child opportunities for developing manipulative skills that will enable him to function effectively in the society within the limits of his capacity;
g. provide the child with basis tools for further educational advancement, including preparation for traders and crafts of the locality.

In Nigeria, primary education remains the bedrock upon which the formal education system is built. The constitutional responsibility of primary education rests with the local government, the other two tiers of government, namely the state and the federal governments have been variously involved in the funding and management of primary education in Nigeria. At the moment, the management of primary education remains a contemporary national issue as controversy has ensued since the federal government announced that it is handing over the management of primary education to the local governments, with a view to contributing its funding quota through the State governments.

BACKGROUND:

Primary education begins at the age of 6 for the majority of Nigerians. Students spend six years in primary school and graduate with a school-leaving certificate. Subjects taught include mathematics, English language, Christian Religious Knowledge, Islamic knowledge studies, science and one of the three main indigenous languages and cultures, Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo. Private schools would also offer Computer science, French, and Fine Arts. Primary school students are required to take a Common Entrance Examination to qualify for admission into the Federal and State Government Secondary schools, as well as private ones.

Universal Basic Education, UBE, came as a replacement for Nigeria’s Universal Primary Education scheme of the 6-3-3-4 system of primary education. Another system of 9-3-4 was designed in conformity with the MDGs and Education For All ,EFA (Kayode, 2006). The UBE involves 6 years of Primary School education and 3 years of Junior Secondary School education, culminating in 9 years of uninterrupted schooling, and transition from one class to another is automatic but determined through continuous assessment. This scheme is monitored by the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, and has made it "free" and a right of every child. Therefore, the UBEC law section 15 defines UBE as early childhood care and education. The law stipulates a 9-year formal schooling, adult literacy and non-formal education, skill acquisition programs and the education of special groups such as nomads and migrants, girl child and women, Al-majiri, street children and disabled group (Aderinoye, 2007).

OBJECTIVES:

Gender differences in enrolment in Nigeria have been the focus of several researches as a result of its importance in setting targets for the nation. This is in addition to the challenges it poses to the Universal Basic Education programme, which stipulates free and compulsory education for all children of school-going age. Enrolment refers to the number of pupils registered in a school within a given period. For this study, the period used is 2004 to 2008. With the proper policy frame work in place and the commitment of government at all levels to the realization of educating all Nigeria child by 2015. The objective of this study is mainly: - examine primary school enrollment in Nigeria.
- estimate the gender gap in school enrollment between boys and girls
- examined gender differentials in primary school enrolment
- suggest recommendations to close the gap.
.

METHODOLOGY:

* All data used is based on secondary
* Information from internet and websites
* Literature survey

ANALYSIS:

Education is central to the development process of a child irrespective of gender. Primary education is the core of the schooling system. It builds the bedrock for human capital development (Lassibille and Tan, 2003).

If the Federal Government goal of qualitative education to enable every Nigerian child develop into citizen with knowledge, skills, attitude and values that will enable him/her derive maximum fulfillment in the society, then it is of great important that both boys and girls be given equal opportunity to have a solid educational foundation at the primary level. Although government has made it mandatory for every child to be sent to primary school, but there are still factors that militate against the enrolment of the girl child in the society. Nigeria is a patriarchal society, which places a high premium on the male populace and relegates to the background the women folk and their contributions to national development (Akpan, 1996; Olaoye-Williams, 1996; Imam, 1999). Right from infancy, the female child is seen largely by Nigerian society as a mistake and an undesirable addition to the family because she will not be able to carry on the family name. (Oroka, 1996; Akpan, 1996; Alele-Williams, 1999). Consequently, the female child is consigned to the background and given very minimal attention or even education. In the opinion of Asun, Baklit and Okoye (1997), women are given fewer educational opportunities than men in Nigeria, as reflected in the lower literacy rates for the adult female population compared to men. Factors such as male chauvinism, child labour, early marriages, religious and socioeconomic socio-economic factors combine to increase drop-out rates of girls from school to as much as 36 percent, even before completion of primary school education. (Aziza, 1996; Asun, Baklit and Okoye, 1997).

This study examined primary school enrollment and gender gap in Nigeria. Using available data, for 2004 to 2008 enrolments. Evidence from the analysis indicates more boys were enrolled than girls.

TABLE 1 NATIONAL SUMMARY OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STATISTICS (2004-2008)

TOTAL PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLMENT IN NIGERIA BY GENDER | Years | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | Total Schools | 60,189 | 60,189 | 54,434 | 54,434 | 54,434 | Total Enrolment | 21,395,510 | 22,115,432 | 23,017,124 | 21,632,070 | 21,294,517 | Total Male Enrolment | 11,824,494 | 12,189,073 | 12,575,689 | 11,683,503 | 11,483,943 | Total Female Enrolment | 9,571,016 | 9,926,359 | 10,441,435 | 9,948,567 | 9,810,575 | Total Teachers | 591,474 | 599,172 | 586,749 | 468,202 | 586,930 | Total Male Teachers | 291,384 | 294,434 | 323,798 | 241,826 | 300,931 | Total Female Teachers | 300,090 | 304,738 | 262,951 | 226,376 | 285,999 | Total Classrooms | 254,319 | 254,319 | 319,590 | 319,590 | 319,590 | Teacher/Pupil Ratio | 36 | 37 | 39 | 46 | 36 | Sources: Federal Ministry of Education/Universal Basic Education Commission, Abuja. Note: *( Public Primary Schools only)

Table one shows that the total number of primary schools in 2008 was 54,434. The point it was since 2006. Table 1A shows Pupils enrolment dropped by 1.56 percent in 2008 from the 2007 figure, after the slight progressive increase between 2004 to 2006. This situation could be responsible for a drop of 21.74 percent in teacher/pupil ratio within the same period which is a healthier development. Total number of classrooms also remained the same (319,590) in 2008 as it was 2006.

TABLE 1A NATIONAL SUMMARY OF PRIMARY SCHOOL GENDER ENROLMENT GAP (2004-2008) Year | Number of Boys | Number of Girls | Gap (%) | 2004 | 11,824,494 | 9,571,016 | 10.5% | 2005 | 12,189,073 | 9,926,359 | 10.6% | 2006 | 12,575,689 | 10,441,435 | 9.9% | 2007 | 11,683,503 | 9,948,567 | 8.1% | 2008 | 11,483,943 | 9,810,575 | 7.8% |

Table 1A above revealed that enrolment of male was higher than those of their female counterparts. Further review of research work on the differential pattern of enrollment of boys and girls in the country revealed some factors, such as: religious belief, poverty, culture and belief in the Islamic religion that permits early marriage for the girl child.

Although factors like economic power(many families cannot afford the associated costs of sending their children to school such as uniforms and textbooks). Because regardless of fact that education at this level is mainly financed by the government and tuition is free for all children parents still have to pay school levies imposed on pupils for maintenance and/or participation in one extra-curricular activity or the other, buy school uniforms and so on. Also wiliness some parents, distance to school and other social/religious affiliate affect both male and female. Most of the gap is due to differences in the ways households perceive male and female children. There is thus a preference for boys over girls in the demand for schooling. The girl child is seen as belonging to their husbands ' household later and so should assist her mother in the kitchen while boys are seen as the heir-apparent on whose shoulders rest the responsibility of continuity of the lineage.

CONCLUSION:

Nigeria has been rated very low in terms of human development. This is due to a number of reasons, including the poor attitude of society to the educational development of the girl child and the policies of government over the years, which have neglected the role of women in national development activities and hence the advancement of women educationally. The Universal Basic Education programme set up with the aim of making education compulsory at primary and junior secondary levels. It is also aimed at correcting the gender disparity which has characterized the educational landscape in Nigeria. Proper implementation of the UBE programme will promote capacity building in more women, such that they can make excellent contributions to national development of the country.

Although, gender gap of total enrolment in primary schools, (Table 1A) was 105% in 2004 and dropped to 7.8% in 2008. This drop could be attributed to the mobilisation and advocacy campaigns mounted by the Federal, State and Local Governments in collaboration with donor agencies, NGO;s and the media on girl-child education and the drop in male enrolment during this period. Most of this gap is explained by the way families treat boys and girls in the society. There is an urgent need to offset this preferential treatment within the family. The importance of educating the girl-child and its likely contribution to the development of the country needs to be the focus of the family, as there is a saying that, ‘if you educate a man; you have just educated a person but if you educate a woman, you have educated a nation”. Even the holy books affirm that the mother is the first teacher a child has and so the mother herself should be educated.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The narrowing gender gap in enrolment of boys and girls in Nigeria between 2004 to 2008 as seen above is the result of government commitment at all levels and the continuous advocacy for the education of the girl child. A lot can be said to have been done and is still being done in terms of policy formulation and funding. I will still like to mention here that there is still more to be covered to ensure that 100% literacy is achieve and that equal educational opportunity is given to both boys and girls in Nigeria. Some of these are:

1. counseling parents and Islamic leaders to increase age of marriage for girl child 2. Government should ensure proper data collection/accurate statistical analysis of all children of school age 3. Make schools available in the shortest distance to home 4. Exemption of girls from any form of extra levies in schools 5. Provision of female essential needs in schools 6. Provision of school books and uniforms free for girls across the country
. 7. Proper utilization and management of education funds 7. effective planning monitoring and evaluation, taking proper care of teachers; their recruitment, education, training, retraining, motivation and other needs 8. encouraging public enlightenment and social mobilization for full community involvement

That Nigeria will achieve Education For All by the Year 2015. these areas should be attended to properly, the compulsory nature of the UBE programme will ensure that more girls are enrolled in schools and that they will complete their education at the primary and secondary levels, with some of them proceeding on to higher levels.

REFERENCES:

1. M.A.Y. Rahji, (2009) University of Ibadan; Primary school enrolment and gender gap of Rural Household ' Children in South Western Nigeria

2. Gwang-Chol Chang,Education Sector UNESCO Colclough, C. with Lewin, K. (1993). Educating All the Children: Strategies for Primary Schooling in the South. Oxford Clarendon Press.

3. Aliu, S, (2001). "The Competitive Drive, New Technologies and Employment: The Human Capital Link". A Paper presented at the Second Tripartite Conference of Manpower Planners. Chelsea Hotel, Abuja.

4. CBN (2000). Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 31st December, 2000.

5. Rose B. Okiy: (2004) The Universal Basic Education (UBE) Programme and the Development of School Libraries in Nigeria: a catalyst for greater female participation in national development.

References: 1. M.A.Y. Rahji, (2009) University of Ibadan; Primary school enrolment and gender gap of Rural Household ' Children in South Western Nigeria 2. Gwang-Chol Chang,Education Sector UNESCO Colclough, C. with Lewin, K. (1993). Educating All the Children: Strategies for Primary Schooling in the South. Oxford Clarendon Press. 3. Aliu, S, (2001). "The Competitive Drive, New Technologies and Employment: The Human Capital Link". A Paper presented at the Second Tripartite Conference of Manpower Planners. Chelsea Hotel, Abuja. 4. CBN (2000). Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 31st December, 2000. 5. Rose B. Okiy: (2004) The Universal Basic Education (UBE) Programme and the Development of School Libraries in Nigeria: a catalyst for greater female participation in national development.