Access, Equity and Quality of Education in the Face of Insecurity in Nigeria: Implications on School Administration

Abstract

Over the years, Nigerian Educational system has significantly aligned, improved and enabled individuals by providing opportunities for learning and growth through basic, tertiary and special education. However, the emergence and lingering of the bedeviling insecurity in Nigeria, consequentially, has retarded the accessibility, equity and quality of Basic, Tertiary and Special education. Insecurity has plunged Nigeria into tragedies resulting from the activities of terrorism and insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, ethno-religious conflict, farmer-herder clashes, militancy in Niger Delta, organized crime, abductions, food insecurity, etc., and these problems has been causative of internal displacement of staff and students, poor academic performance, teacher shortages, destruction of educational facilities, close of educational institutions, economic hardship among other tragedies. This paper explores how insecurity affects access, equity, and quality in education (Basic, Tertiary and Special), and examines the implications on school administration hence, recommendations to improving on situation based on findings. This paper adopts secondary data (published and unpublished papers) to provide empirical facts concerning highlighted points. The secondary data were sourced from journals online and printed materials. Similarly, the recommendations include: strengthening schools security protection, promoting alternative education, engaging communities, formulation and implementation of developmental policies, addressing the porosity of borders, ensuring the effectiveness of the rule of law against perpetrators irrespective of social or political class.