National Overview: Nigeria
Definition of Literacy: Ages 15 years old and older can read and write.
Written or Oral Language: English is used in education, and government. They also have Pidgin English “Broken English” (i.e. “I’m going” is “I de go”)
Literacy rate: 68% total population. 75.7% males and 60.6% females,
Total expenditure on education: 5.84% (1999-2003) (Adebiyi and Oladele)
Script/Alphabet used: There are 3 main alphabets used named after the people(tribe) they belong to. Yoruba has 25 letters, Igbo has 36 letters and Hausa has 29 letters
Occupational distribution: 70% agriculture, 10% industry, and 20% services
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School Structure
Structure (school, age)
Primary School:
Length: 6 years
Age level: 6-11 years old (primary, but some above the age of 11)
General Secondary School:
Length: 6years
Age level: 11 -18 years old (lower& upper secondary)
Higher Education:
Tertiary 4 years of University education
4 years of Polytechnic education
(2-years of National Diploma (ND) and
2-years of Higher National Diploma (HND)
3 Years at College of Education
“Definitely the most common opportunities for higher education are universities. tech and vocational schools are also available for higher learning. The time it takes to finish university depends of course on what one is studying, but the typical time is about 4 years. However, due to problems such as disagreements between the government and the teachers and/or students over salaries or living conditions or whatever, strikes often occur that may cause a student to sit at home for up to a year, in some cases. But Nigeria is just beginning to catch up on the private universities, so some families who want education security go to these schols, but they are exteremely expensive. The age range that students enter these schools may range from as young as 17 to maybe 30s” (Obodo).
School - compulsory or optional: Education is free and compulsory at primary and secondary school levels yet, many children are still out of school.
School Attendance/Percent Education level achieved:
TOTAL BOYS GIRLS
Net Enrollment Ratio* 67.2 73.9 60.2
Gross Enrollment Ratio* 119.4 131.6 106.8
Net Attendance Ratio* 61.9 65.7 58.0
Gross Attendance Ratio* 91.2 98.0 84.1
Transition Primary to Secondary 80.5 90.8 80.2
*2002-2003 most recent year available (taken from UNGEI)
Post-Secondary Opportunities: Approximately 1 million students enroll in higher education. Higher education enrollment ratio for 18-25 years old (approximately 17 million people) which is 5%.
Pupil to teacher ratio: 37.2 students per teacher
Teacher Qualifications: Elementary-school teachers have traditionally been trained at the post-primary or post junior-school level. Students entering teacher-training programs from primary school enrolled in four- to five-year programs; those entering after completion of junior school enrolled in two-year programs. In both cases students attended grade II teacher training colleges and those who successfully passed final examinations in their subject areas were awarded the Grade II Certificate/Higher Elementary Teacher’s Certificate. Experienced primary school teachers or holders of the SSC may train for the Associate Certificate in Education II, which is one-year program of post-secondary studies. The National Policy on Education has prescribed that, as from 1998, the new minimum qualification required for teaching in the primary school will be the Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE).
Percentage of trained teachers in primary education: 50.7 Percentage of female teachers in primary education: 50.5 (UNESCO 2004)
Languages in School: Children start school speaking their own languages; around 3rd grade all children start to study English and from then on, English is spoken.
Method of instruction and Subjects/Curriculum: Classes are definitely more lecture form. Students tend to sit and take in what the teacher gives them. Students are usually not given opportunities to voice their opinions, but they may ask questions.
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Culture of Classroom
Physical Environment: “Just like here in the U.S., the locations of schools in Nigeria vary tremendously. Some are located in nice neighborhoods, some may be isolated. Government-run schools are generally in bad or questionable conditions and private schools are in better conditions and in my opinion, the reason for this is the cost of education. Private schools will generally take a lot more money from students, hence the students and their families expect to have better facilities” (Obodo).
Culture of classroom including discipline:
“The most common form of disciplining children at schools, up to the secondary school level is flogging. Sometimes, the children may get physical punishments such as kneeling down or squatting in front of the whole class, and in extreme cases, the parents are called in. I cannot comment about disciplining at universities because by the time students get into university, they are very much past the point of discipline as evident by the number of violent student cults in the universities. The relationship between students and teachers is purely what it is, a student and a teacher. They usually do not become personal, except where the teacher sees a student who is either extremely brilliant or extremely in need of help” (Obodo).
Gender roles in classroom: “In classrooms, I feel like both boys and girls are treated fairly, at least from my experience. While I was in primary school, our class captain and other roles were shared equally by both boys and girls” (Obodo).
Parent involvement/Parent Role in Education: Parents who want their child to have a good education pay for extra studies.
Accommodations:
“Education of handicapped children was not considered an important investment until quite recently. Infact, the first school for handicapped children (excluding the gifted) was established by the missionaries in 1932. However, by 1974, Government has thought it fit to accord it due priority that it deserves. Since then each State of the Federation has been providing integration facilities for the handicapped in compliance with the Federal Government policy” (Nigerian Embassy Argentina).
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Access to Education
Educational barriers:
“A study conducted by Action Aid published in 2003 showed that the reason why pupils do not go to primary schools include costs of schooling, opportunity costs, illness and hunger, limited economic costs of education and low quality of schooling. The costs of schooling include the costs of books, stationery and basic equipment, uniforms, admission fees, registration and examination fees, contribution towards building and maintenance fund, construction fees, transportation, mid-day meals, Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) fees, sports fees, library fees and extra tuition fees. The opportunity cost for parents sending children to school is the children’s time that could have been of economic importance to the family either in terms of income generating activities or in supporting the functioning of the household. Illness and hunger either of the children themselves or members of the family can prevent children from going to school” (Igbuzor 2006).
Gender access: “While Nigeria has made steady progress, around 40 percent of girls remain out of school. Over one quarter of boys are not enrolled and over 30 percent do not attend school” (UNGEI).
Socio-political influences: “Education is regarded by Nigerians as the main instrument for social, political and economic development of the nation. Thus the strength, security and well being of Nigeria rests squarely on the quality of education provided for the citizens. It will continue to be a great asset to many as well as a steady source of manpower supply for the national economy” (onlinenigeria).
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Progress
According to an IBE report compiled by Ebele Maduewesi, Nigeria has taken the following initiatives in improving education:
i. the expansion and access to formal education
ii. the setting up of government agencies to care for disadvantaged groups, drop-outs and the disabled.
iii. Placing education on the short list for legislative action so that the government shall direct its policies towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.
iv. The government has financed all curricular development efforts at primary, junior secondary and teacher-training education.
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Sources
Schiller, Edward H. “Nigeria” reviewed by Edoho Bassey Edoho. Lands and People .2006 Grolier online 24 June 2006 < http://lp.grolier.com
Udochukwu Chinyere Obodo, student at Macalester College, St. Paul, MN. Gave testimony of her personal experiences of school and the educational system during her childhood in Nigeria. She is Nigerian by birth.
Igbuzor, Otive. The State of Education in Nigeria. ActionAid International Nigeria. A keynote address delivered at a roundtable organized by civil society action coalition on education for all (CSACEFA) on 3rd July, 2006.
Accessed 23 July, 2006: http://www.gamji.com/article6000/NEWS6144.htm
Adebiyi, Michael Adebayo; Oladele, Oderinde. Public Education Expenditure and Defence Spending in Nigeria: An Empirical Investigation. Department of Economics, University of Lagos.
Accessed 23 July, 2006: http://www.saga.cornell.edu/saga/educconf/adebiyi.pdf
Maduewesi, Ebele. Nigeria. International Bureau of Education.
Accessed 23 July, 2006: http://www.ibe.unesco.org/curriculum/AfricaPdf/nairnige.pdf
Gap Report. Gender Achievements and Prospects in Education: Nigeria. United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative. Accessed 23 July, 2006: http://www.ungei.org/gap/countryNg.php.
Embassy of Nigeria in Argentina. Education in Nigeria. Accessed 23 July, 2006: http://www.nigerianembassy-argentina.org/
www.allafrica.com
www.infonation.com
www.nigeriaweb.com
www.wes.org/ewner/PF/04Sept/PFPractical.htm
www.nationalatlas.gov
www.nationmaster.com
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Last Revised
02 October 2006
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