Due to COVID-19 pandemic, 60 percent of the world’s children cannot access education. The percentage might even be higher in Nigeria; before the pandemic, over 13 million school-age children in Nigeria were out of school. The current education access among Nigerian school children during the pandemic remains unknown. However, available data on poverty as well as the lopsided nature of the government’s education policy do not suggest a positive outlook.
The recent poverty and inequality report from the National Bureau of Statistics indicated that almost 83 million Nigerians live in poverty. With a poverty rate of 40.1 percent, four in every ten Nigerians are poor. Whereas the poverty rate in urban is relatively lower (18 percent), 52.1 percent of Nigeria’s rural population live in poverty. An additional 12.9 percent of Nigeria’s population are just on the poverty line.
| Poverty headcount rate, in percent of the population in strata | Poverty gap index, in percent of the poverty line | |
| Nigeria | 40.1 | 12.9 |
| Urban | 18 | 4.5 |
| Rural | 52.1 | 17.4 |
Source: NBS
Among other things, Nigeria’s poverty outlook points to the extent of inequality in the country and projects a possible exclusion margin. With a significant portion of the population in poverty and a corresponding descent in quality of life measurement, Nigeria’s development remains an uncertain future. Also, with the proliferating growth of poverty, it is certain that many Nigerians cannot afford the virtual learning alternative for education during this crisis.
The poverty report from the National Bureau of Statistics also reflects the urgent need to close the unsustainable poverty margin. This is because poverty is linked with negative conditions that can, in turn, generate a chaotic situation for the country. Already, growing insecurity, increasing rate of crime, and decline in health are some of the effects of poverty in Nigeria.
In his Children’s Day’s address, Nigeria’s Senate President was admissive of the threats posed by the increasing inequality and poverty. According to him, “Nigeria is still heavily burdened with a high number of out-of-school children and the situation portends grave danger for the country”. The Senate Head also stated that the situation is unacceptable.
Lopsided COVID-19 Education Response
But like Nigeria’s developmental aspirations which continue to appear as merely political, stating that the situation with out-of-school children is unacceptable may not be any different. Despite the global consensus on education as a tool against poverty, the response of the government during this pandemic suggests the indifference of government on this powerful tool.
The education response appears uncoordinated, lacks uniformity, appears incongruous, and totally dismissive of the real education needs of Nigerian children. In fact, the response appears to be a mere subject of costly political gameplay, or, an object of political power tussle.
Following the incidence of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, states across the country adopted measures for the education of school children. While a few states reportedly continued education via radio and television, little is known about the alternatives in many other states. However, children of the poor remain the worse hit of the education crises during this pandemic. Unlike the more opportune Nigerian children whose education have continued virtually, many of the poorer children are still awaiting the physical resumption of schools.
Unfortunately, rather than the government to harmonize and develop an inclusive education policy during this crisis, citizens are left to watch a shameful drama from the government. While the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 response directed the reopening of schools, the Minister of State for Education, who is a PTF member, noted that reports on resumption of schools are false.
Going forward, it is imperative for the government to develop a strategy to meet the educational needs of Nigerian children during this ongoing pandemic. This strategy should prioritize safety and adequately consider the affordability level of parents across the country. The strategy should also be inclusive of children across the different social divides in the country. Emphasis should be placed on national uniformity in the development of the strategy. Radio learning, which is an idea from UNICEF can be adopted by states across the country to level up some of the current learning gaps.