Effects of Conflict and Insecurity on Basic Education Access in North East Nigeria

This study examines the effects of conflict and insecurity on access to basic education in North East Nigeria, with specific focus on Yobe and Borno States. Armed conflict has caused catastrophic disruption to education systems in the North East, with thousands of schools damaged or destroyed, teachers displaced, and millions of children out of school at various periods since 2009. Despite significant recovery efforts by the Federal Government, UNICEF, and other partners, access gaps remain severe in many local government areas. A mixed-method design was employed, combining analysis of out-of-school children data from the National Population Commission and UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey with focus group discussions among 80 displaced parents, teachers, and community leaders in Maiduguri, Damaturu, and Potiskum. Access dimensions assessed include school availability, safety of the journey to school, teacher deployment, and parental willingness to enrol children. Chi-square analysis and thematic coding were applied. Results confirm that insecurity significantly reduces school availability and parental confidence in enrolling children, particularly girls. Teacher retention in conflict-affected areas is critically low, compounding access barriers. The study concludes that conflict is the primary driver of education access deprivation in the North East. It recommends that the Federal Government and state governments prioritise safe school construction, deploy security provisions around school perimeters, and introduce teacher hazard allowances to attract and retain qualified staff in conflict-affected communities.

Keywords: conflict, insecurity, basic education access, North East Nigeria, out-of-school children.