Assessment of School Enrolment Gender Disparities in Kebbi State

Gender disparity in school enrolment perpetuates a demographic cycle of female disadvantage affecting fertility, maternal health, and economic empowerment, and its documentation in Kebbi State provides an evidence base for targeted educational equity interventions. This study assessed gender disparities in primary and secondary school enrolment across three Local Government Areas in Kebbi State: Birnin Kebbi, Argungu, and Koko-Besse, North West Nigeria. Enrolment data from 2020 to 2022 covering 42,800 primary and 18,200 junior secondary students were analysed. Gender parity indices were computed for each level and LGA. The overall Gender Parity Index at primary level was 0.78, declining to 0.61 at junior secondary level. The greatest disparity was identified in Koko-Besse LGA, where the JSS GPI was 0.48. Drop-out rates among girls increased sharply between Primary 5 and JSS1, consistent with early marriage pressure. Household demand-side factors including distance, safety concerns, and preference for Koranic education were identified through key informant interviews. Recommendations include girls' scholarship programmes, construction of gender-segregated sanitation facilities, expansion of nearby secondary schools in rural Kebbi, and community engagement programmes addressing parental attitudes toward female education to achieve gender parity across the state.

Keywords: school enrolment, gender parity, Kebbi State, female education, educational disparity These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to retain girls in formal education throughout the secondary level in Kebbi State.