A CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON THE IMPACT OF INSURGENCY ON BASIC EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Nigeria has been subjected to a terrible confrontation and tremendous assault by a terrorist group that is unquestionably the most bloodthirsty and destructive, both in terms of cruelty and brazen disobedience to the values of peace and stability. Boko-Haram, a terrorist organisation, has been waging insurgency in Nigeria since 2009. They have instilled horror and fear in every Nigerian's head. There has been widespread damage of government property, including school burnings, bombings/burnings of churches, mosques, and other public buildings. They have interrupted Adamawa State's educational system since 2009, wreaking havoc on fundamental education. The rebel organization despises schoolchildren and engages in illegal activity such as kidnapping students and assaulting instructors in schools (Adeyemi, 2014). In the state, there is a lot of damage of educational activities. They have utilized underage females in the past to carry out suicide bombings at big shopping malls, movie theaters, and bus hubs. More recently, kidnappings of schoolchildren and the elderly have been regular in their ruthless attacks.

Conceptually, basic education is described by the Nigerian National Policy on Education (FGN, 2004) as the form of education acquired from elementary school through junior secondary school. The following are the goals of basic education, according to the Universal Basic Education Commission:

a.        Providing scholarships to dropouts through a basic education program that includes literacy, manipulative, and life skills (as well as the ethical, moral, and civic values necessary for laying the foundation for life-long learning.

b.        Developing citizens with a strong awareness of and commitment to education.

c.         Ensure that every Nigerian kid of school age receives a free, universal basic education.

d.        Improve the relevance and efficiency of the curriculum to drastically reduce, if not eliminate, outrage in the formal school system.

The transfer of information to all members of Nigerian society from generation to generation is known as Universal Basic Education. Universal and Basic Education are the two essential components. Universal refers to a program that is intended for individuals from all walks of life in Adamawa State, including the poor and the wealthy, the physically challenged, and all school dropouts. While Basic Education refers to the beginning of a formal education system's learning of desirable skills, information, and attitudes. The goal of this article is to look at how insurgency affects universal basic education in Adamawa State and come up with a solution to the state's basic education difficulties.
1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Many education institutions in Adamawa State and other northern states had been attacked by the rebel organization on multiple occasions. Some basic schools, particularly in rural communities in Adamawa State's northern region, have been shuttered for two (2) years (BSMOE, 2015). The problem began when the Boko Haram organization unwittingly utilized religion to establish laws in the neighborhood, carried it to the state level with violence, and metamorphosed into an insurgent force that disrupted the state's calm.

Moreover, prior to the insurgency, basic education in Adamawa state had been plagued by major problems, including a lack of classrooms for teaching and learning, as well as instructional materials and teachers (NUT, 2007). This indicates that the state government underfunds basic education, and the absence of payment of teachers' salaries, which has resulted in numerous strikes by basic school teachers, is also a source of anxiety for many families (NUT, 2008). However, while the administration is attempting to address existing issues, insurgents have emerged as a greater threat to many parents and children of school age in Adamawa State, posing a threat to enrollment, attendance, school infrastructure, and student graduation (NTA 2015). All these phenomenal, prompted the researcher to conduct a critical analysis on the impact of insurgency on basic education in Nigeria.

1.3       OBJECTIVE OFS THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of Boko Haram insurgency on basic education of Adamawa state. Specifically, the study seeks to:

i. To determine the effect of Boko Haram insurgency on school enrolment.

ii. To determine the impact of Boko Haram insurgency on school attendance.

iii. To examine the effect of Boko Haram insurgency on school infrastructure.

iv. To infer from the findings, the implications of the insurgency on the education system of Adamawa State.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following  question will guide the research which  was constructed in line with the objective of the study:

1.Does the Boko Haram insurgency affect school enrolment Adamawa state?

2.What is the impact of the insurgency on school attendance in Adamawa state?

3.What is the effect of Boko Haram insurgency on school infrastructure?

4.What are the implications of the insurgency on the Adamawa state school system?

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study helped in understanding that insurgency is a weapon that is used to destroy not only the physical settings of a society, but the plan of investment a society made on its self, in order to achieve better standard of living in the future.The study will  also help the Adamawa State government to understand that, for education to serve as an engine of growth and development, it needs proper protection and priority. Similarly, the entire State has to be protected against any destructive elements, such as Boko Haram insurgency, corruption, embezzlement of public funds etc. Furthermore, the study is of assistance to policy makers in terms of making policies that can ensure peace and stability.  Empirically, the study will add to the body of existing literature and serve a s reference material  to scholars and student who wishes to conduct further studies on related topic.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The  scope  of this study borders on  the impact of Boko Haram insurgency on basic education . The study will further discuss the effect of Boko Haram insurgency on school enrolment, school attendanc,  school infrastructure and the implications of the insurgency on the education system. The study is however delimited selected secondary schools in Yola local government area of Adamawa State.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only education selected secondary schools in Yola local government area of Adamawa State.. Thus findings of this study cannot be used for generalization for other secondary school  in other  States within Nigeria. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work will impede maximum devotion to the research. Howbeit, despite the constraint  encountered during the  research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS

In order to ensure clarity of terms and the understanding of the meaning of some important terms used in the study, the following operational definitions are given;

Education: Education can be defined as a tool for building a united, independent, wealthy egalitarian society which is capable of maintaining the traditions and value (Adesina, Fegbongbe & Talabi, 1983).   

Basic Education: Basic education can be as the beginning of acquisition of desirable skill, knowledge and attitude in a formal school system.       

Universal: Universal can be defined as the programme that is meant for all arms of the society such as the poor and the rich, the physically challenged and all the school dropouts people in Adamawa State.

Insurgency: An insurgency is a rebellion against a constituted authority.

Insurgent: A person who rises in forcible opposition to lawful authority, especially a person who engages in armed resistance to a government or to the execution of its law.

Boko Haram: The term “Boko Haram” come from the Hausa word book meaning “western education” and the Arabic word Haram figuratively meaning sin (literally “forbidden”). The name loosely translated from Hausa means Western Education is forbidden.

School: A school can be defined as an institution for the instructions of children or people under college age.

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