Wudpecker Journal of Public Administration 2013 Wudpecker Journals Vol. 1(1), pp. 007 - 019, July 2013

The universalization of basic education in Nigeria: the experience

Ndem Ayara, Uwem Essia and Enang Udah

Department of Economics, University of , Cross River state, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 29 May 2013

This study set out to develop an analytical framework for evidence-based monitoring and evaluation of the education sector’s performance toward set MDGs targets in Cross River State, Nigeria. Baseline data were obtained using the survey method and presentation in graphs and percentages. Among other performance statistics, access to primary education was 57 percent and enrolment rate 58 percent. The result confirmed low access and gap in the quality of basic educational services provided in some public nursery/primary schools in the State. The paper recommends strong policy commitment for free basic education, increased investment in school infrastructure and teachers’ education to support enrolment, retention and quality of education in the State and Nigeria at large.

Key words: Universalization, millennium development goals, primary education and basic education.

INTRODUCTION

Cross River State is one of the 36 federating States in important in the development matrix of the State. This Nigeria. The State has 18 out of the present 774 Local paper reviews progress made so far by the State in Government Areas (LGAs) in the Country. It has a land respect of basic education; measuring achievements, area measuring about 23,000 square kilometres, gaps that still needs to be filled, and what it will cost the estimated population of 3.25 million persons (2010); male State to attain the relevant MDG by 2015. 50.03 percent, and female 49.97 percent. The study focuses on data obtained from CRS but the The total population of the State is expected to reach framework used is adaptable for the monitoring and 3.77 million by December 2015. Children of basic evaluation (M&E) of basic education performance in other education age 3 to 15 years constitute over 50 percent of Nigerian States, and elsewhere in other less developed the population, and given the strong socio-cultural countries.The paper is organized into six sections. preference for children (children are received as Following the introduction, Section 2 deals with education ‘blessing’ from God, and women that are unable to bear and economic development issues, while Section 3 children are believed to be demonic or bewitched), reviews efforts of the government toward achieving growth in the population of children may remain strong in Universal Basic Education (UBE) in the state. Sections 4 the foreseeable future. This realization makes the and 5 present the methodology and major findings of the planning of basic education an important component of study, respectively. The paper ended in Section 6 with development planning in Cross River State (CRS), some concluding remarks. Nigeria. In addition, education generally, and basic education in particular, is necessary for the socioeconomic transformation of any society. Education and development planning in Cross River Quality education improves health seeking behavior, state, Nigeria raises employability, and supports the institutionalization of growth promoting cultures. It is broadly agreeable also Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, successive that a well educated population is easier to manage and governments in Cross River State have put premium on more adaptable to democratic rule;it therefore people having access to adequate, qualitative and understandably why universalization of basic education is affordable education. Providing qualitative education was

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among the 7 Point Agenda in the Economic Blueprint constraints identified include poor data quality and (2008). The other key areas of focus by the 7-Point quantity, low planning/implementation capacity, Development Agenda were; agriculture, tourism, health, inadequate monitoring system, poor coordination and private participation promotion, infrastructures, and the absence of functional comprehensive frameworks, poor environment. The 7-Point Development Agenda Service delivery and partnerships, and lack of mainstreamed MDGs. Accordingly the State’s decentralized system for service delivery (Igbuzor, 2006). Development Agenda for basic education was linked to MDG 2, which is to ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT a full course of primary schooling. Beyond the Economic Blueprint (2008), both the Education is one important component of human capital medium- and long-term planning documents of the State development. It yields personal benefits to individuals give primal role to education.The State hopes to build a and their immediate families (by way of enhancing health skilled and well-motivated workforce for the acceleration seeking behaviour, and promoting self esteem, thinking, of socio-economic growth. So far, much is being done by skills, understanding of life), and enriches people’s Government in terms of rehabilitation of schools, training effective contributions to socio-economic and political and re-training of teachers, and supply of teaching development of their society.In economic terms, facilities and learning aids. But the education sector is still education raises the general productivity of all factors faced with several challenges including; inadequate inputs and equips people with the requisite competencies facilities, status databases, and on-the-job training and disposition for getting and remaining in employments facilities. There are also complaints concerning the cost and starting new successful businesses. This personal, of attending private schools (which is rated of higher communal, and nationwide importance of education quality than public schools), low vocational, makes it an indispensable component of a country’s entrepreneurship and technical (VET) content at all levels development architecture (ECA, 2005). of education, and high schooldropout rates. However, enrolment rate in primary and secondary schools in some developing and less developed countries has fallen short of what is required been, and it is quite Basic education and the MDGs uncertain if the MDGs would be achieved in such places. Available statistics from UNESCO (1995, 2010) indicate The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is an that two-thirds of the countries with the lowest enrolment internationally agreed framework of 8 Goals and 18 rate are in Africa,the especially francophone countries. Targets (complemented by 48 technical indicators) The average primary and secondary school enrolment designed for measuring pro-poor growth progress. The rate in 1985 for these countries was 19.2 per cent, and in MDGs and its indicators were adopted by a consensus of 1995 20.7 per cent, and the ratio of female-to-male experts from the United Nations, IMF, OECD and the enrolments remained substantially skewed towards World Bank for benchmarking how seriously less males. With particular reference to Nigeria, Nwokeoma developed countries take poverty reduction and people’s (2009) doubts the possibility meeting MDG 2; as a result empowerment. Each indicator is linked to millennium data of the inability of the different tiers of government to get series as well as to background series related to the commensurate value for its pro-MDGs spending, thus target in question. In particular, Goal 2 - Achieving supporting the case for tracking pro-MDG spending that Universal Primary Education- has target 3; which is, this paper set out to achieve. “toensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and Empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary making investments in all the elements of a school schooling”. There are three indicators, as follows: net system (teachers, buildings, text books, information enrolment ratio in primary education; proportion of pupils technology, curriculum, supervision, testing, etc.), and starting Primary 1 who reach Primary 6; and literacy rate motivating young people to attend them (i.e. give up other of 15 to 24 year-old boys and girls. Efforts to achieve things they would have done otherwise) is a necessary universal basic education by 2015 in the State in line with condition for the growth of an economy. An important MDG 2 are reviewed here. This appraisal is significant as study in this regard was CISCO’s which provides detailed it tracks the attempt by a sub-national government to country-specific information on the incredible economic achieve universal basic education (MDG Goal 2) using an progress made through investment in education and the M&E model that is usable elsewhere. The enterprise in knowledge and productivity it enhanced for citizens. For building a framework for tracking achievement of an MDG example, it is observed that GDP per capita in industrial goal is itself novel. Within the UN, there are doubts if the nations exploded from around 1,000 US$ in 1820 to over less developed countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, 21,000 US$ by the late 1990s. In Western Europe, GDP would achieve the MDGs in on schedule. The key per capita jumped from just over 4,500 US$ to almost

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20,000 US$ in less than 40 years due to industrial achievement of Education For All (EFA) goals by 2015. revolution. In Japan the leap was even greater, from UBE was supported by an Act of the National Assembly around 2,000 US$ in 1950 to over 20,000 US$ in 2003. in 2004. UBE aims at providing free and compulsory With the exception of China, where the recent growth education from Primary 1 to Junior Secondary School 3, spurt is impressive when seen from the perspective of that is, nine years of compulsory schooling.The strategic such a low starting point, those parts of the world where objectives of the UBE Programmeare as follows: to the investment in education either stagnated or declined provide and sustain unfettered access to education for experienced much lower growth rates of GDP per capita the total development of the individual; ensure regular (Elumilade et al., 2006). review of curriculum and other policies at all levels for Generally, the picture that emerges from a cursory skills acquisition, job creation, and poverty reduction; review of education statistics of many less developed assure high quality education programmes that are countries is not encouraging; weak capacity for transiting globally competitive at all levels; promote information and from primary to secondary grades, and high secondary communication technology capabilities at all levels; and school dropout rate. High budgetary allocations and promote gender equality in education. actual education spending appear to have had little In 2011, the Federal Ministry of Education reported impact on enrolment rates and longer years of schooling. significant progress in the area of access and quality of A number of researchers argue however that the education. The number of learners enrolled annually into relationship between investment in schooling and early child care development education (ECCDE), economic growth varies with the phases of industrial primary, junior secondary, senior secondary, development, and different phases of industrial monotechnics, polytechnics, and universities development favour different aspects of what might be programmes increased for both males and females with generally understood as human capital. For example, completion rates improving by 5% over the previous year. Ibidapo-Obi (2007) argues that countries with relatively The figures also showed that retention of learners by more engineering college majors grow faster and gender at the primary and junior secondary school levels countries with relatively more law programmes during the increased from 89 percent to 93 percent and 86 percent early stages of development, but thereafter there would to 91.6 percent respectively. For Senior Secondary be need for more law graduates as the society School 95.6 percent was achieved against the 88 percent modernizes. Arising from difference in the stages baseline (2010), while monotechnics, polytechnics and development, the kinds of graduates/occupations universities also had increment of at least 2 percent each required for development in one society may differ from from their baseline values. that required in another. Hence, it is reasonable to ensure This was attributable to increase in the number of symphony between the structure of the economy, the primary schools (65.04 percent to 75.53 percent), junior stage of development, and the skills mix to match secondary schools (36.60 percent to 55.62 percent) and theprevailing socio-economic context. senior secondary schools (39.83 percent to 58.35 This situates the theoretical argument of this paper percent), respectively. With regards to the quality of within the framework of Basic needs approach to education, it was reported thatprimary, junior and development. Basic education provides the platform for secondary schools achieved increments of 17 percent, 19 individuals to assimilate ideas that could sustain percent and 20 percentrespectively from baseline values. livelihood and reduce poverty. The basic needs approach These achievements matched projections for the year concentrates on essential elements that could directly 2011. reduce poverty. These essential elements include Teacher-learners ratio across the ECCDE, primary, education, health, housing, nutrition etc. the absence of junior secondary, and senior secondary levels achieved these elements leads to self-perpetuating chain of improved ratios to 1:25, 1:30, 1:43 and 1:35 as against poverty that is accepted as what ought to be. Another the baseline ratios of 1:42, 1:36, 1:32 and 1:36 in 2010, variant of Basic needs approach anchors its argument on respectively. The learners-classroom ratio at the primary the need to restructure the world’s economy and level improved from 1:49 to 1:46, junior secondary school domestic economy to eradicate mass poverty and social improved from 1:62 to 1:61, and senior secondary school injustices.This is because the problem of mass poverty is achieved 1:53 from 1:55 correspondingly. seen as the consequence of the pattern of economic Despite the significant efforts since the launch of its growth, rather than the rate of growth (Wadlow, 2012). UBE programme, Nigeria still has challenges in its progress towards achieving the MDGs-related universal education goal. The major constraining factors include: Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme in Nigeria low access to educational opportunities; inadequate reliable information on student’s learning outcomes for The Federal Government launched the Universal Basic policy making and monitoring performance on the Education (UBE) Programme in September, 1999 for the education system; shortage of textbooks and essential

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instructional materials; shortage of qualified teachers; comprehensive renovation of 60 Secondary Schools and poor learning environment (e.g. poor conditions of this has alleviated the pressure on classroom space physical facilities); weak management information within these educational facilities. Furthermore, systems; and lack of political will towards funding of accreditation exercise of all educational institutions has education. recently been carried out to ensure that basic minimum educational standards in Cross River State are met. Additionally, the development of a comprehensive ACHIEVING UBE IN CROSS RIVER STATE database for development planning within the education sector is another key area where efforts have been Cross River State accord prime position to education and channelled towards providing needed statistical considers it pivotal for sustainable development, job evidences for result-based educational programmes creation and eradication of poverty. The State’s development and management. Education Summit held in 2000 gave rise to a policy The Ministry of Education (MoE) has the responsibility document, which provides direction for the development for formulating policies of education and for providing of primary, secondary, and tertiary education within the leadership and strategic direction for development of State and which emphasizes technical and science education within the state. The Ministry seeks to meet the education. Consideration has also been given to other educational needs of the people of Cross River State forms of acquiring knowledge and skills that may not fit through the establishment and operation of primary and into traditional classroom settings. These include adult secondary schools, technical colleges and collages of and non-formal education as well as apprenticeship education, State University of Technology, special schemes with learning taking place in a parallel structure education and literacy centers, and state libraries. In marked as appropriate to qualifications that are more additional to these there are a number of vocational traditional. In the management and delivery of learning centers, which were established based on the educational services in Cross River State, the education needs and requirements of specific communities. The sector seeks to: operations and quality of service delivery by private service providers is monitored and evaluated by the a. Establish schools and educational institutions Ministry of Education through a system of accreditation through which qualitative education with strong and inspections. emphases on science and technology may be delivered; Cooperative partnerships between key stakeholders in b. Provide free and equitable access to basic the education sector and External Support Agencies education (up to Junior Secondary School – JSS 3) for all (ESAs) have contributed to the execution of projects that children in Cross River State; support the State’s education development programme. c. Promote all round development of the child Such projects are implemented with technical assistance through the application of a curriculum that incorporates from donors and in cooperation with non-governmental vocational learning, information technology, physical organizations in the State. In formulating policies, efforts education and health; are made to mainstream crosscutting issues such as d. Introduce innovative teaching techniques and HIV/AIDS, gender and functional education etc. Health approaches for effective implementation of educational education is given a central position and a thriving school curriculum; health programme is implemented in collaboration with e. Ensure continued professional development and the Ministry of Health. appropriate certification for teachers in schools and The Ministry of Education has the primary responsibility educational institutions; for formulating and implementing the State policy for f. Facilitate literacy development, long-life learning education but devolves management of some aspects to and to enable continued professional and vocational boards, agencies and departments. Apart from the development; Ministry of Education, specialized Boards, Agencies and g. Provide conducive environment to support Departments have responsibility for managingthe learning, research and self development; different components of the State’s educational h. Secure funding for educational undertaking and programme as outlined in Table 1. facilitate scholarships or other financial assistance, The MoE retains policy functions and carries out cross especially for disadvantaged groups; and cutting activities including teachers’ registration, i. Support IT based educational development and inspection, examinations, education information maintain a multifunctional education information management, special education and physical education management system for the state. through. The Ministry establishes schools in communities in consultation with civil society representatives. Primary A recent performance review of the sector shows that consideration for establishing new schools is the State Government has completed the first phase of population of school age children and the distance

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Table 1. MDAs responsible for management of state education programmes.

Boards and Agencies Mandates State Universal Basic Education Board Primary Education State Secondary Education Board Senior Secondary Education State Technical Education Board Technical Education Agency for Adult and non Formal Education Literacy and Vocational Education Department for Library Services Libraries State Scholarship Board Bursaries and Scholarships Cross River State University of Technology Tertiary Education

Source: CRS Ministry of Education, 2013.

Table 2. Education Initiatives and Activities in CRS.

Initiatives Activities Renovation and construction of classrooms and toilets in line with targets and defined standards. Renovation and construction of classrooms and toilets in 40 primary Expansion of facilities (school infrastructure, schools (State Government Intervention). libraries, & laboratories) Provision ofsurface boreholes/motorized boreholes in 60 secondary schools in line with agreed sectoral targets and standards. Construction of 3 (3 in 1) laboratories annually in technical colleges Needs assessment survey of all LGAs in the State Establishment of 15 secondary/technical schools in line with defined Establishment of more schools, 15 secondary standards and 12 primary school/ECCED schools by 2012. Establishment of 12 ECCED/primary schools in line with defined standards. Advertisement for subject areas of need on media and relevant notice Recruitment of teachers boards Posting of teachers to schools in areas of need

Source: CR-SEEDS 2, State Planning Commission (2009).

Table 3. Education key performance indicators in CRS, 2008-2013.

INDICATOR 2008 2010 2012 REMARKS

Access to Education 45% 52% 60% Basic Education only

Qualified Teachers 65% 72% 85% Primary & Secondary Schools

300 - Primary Schools rehabilitated Learning Environment 60 - Secondary Schools rehabilitated Phase 1 5 - Technical Schools rehabilitated

Success Rate 6% 31% 56% 7th in Nigeria

Adult Literacy Rating in Nigeria 21st 15th 7th Point of Reference in Nigeria

Source: Cross River State Ministry of Education, 2013.

between the community and the nearest school. school age population having access to qualitative Establishment of new schools is implemented with education from 64 percent in 2012 to 100 percent and funding from the State and the national UBE Programme qualified secondary school leavers from 33 percent to 70 Unit. The strategic objective is to increase the number of percent by 2015.

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Review of selected Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) public and 19 percent in private nursery/primary schools. reveals some improvement in the State’s education sub- Total enrolment ratio for primary education in public and sector between 2008 to 2012. According to data from the private schools in the State is 3:4, which is below the 1:1 Cross River State MoE, access to basic education target based on indicator 2.1 of the MDG 2. increased from 45% in 2008 to 60% in 2012. The quality Figure 4 shows that 58 percent of the primary of education also showed significant, with more trained schoolsand 71 percent of secondary schools (1,452) had teachers and renovated infrastructure resulted to higher standard classrooms numbering4,201 and 1,452 success rate among pupils and students (Table 3). respectively. 258,858 pupils and students in public educational facilities (190,938 pupils and 67,920 students) did not study in standard classrooms. METHODOLOGY Additional 8,629 classrooms (6,365 Primary and 2,264 Secondary) were required to close this gap; that is, 1,438 Data was gathered from primary and secondary sources. six-classroom blocks were required for average of 30 Data from primary sources were gathered from surveys, persons per classroom,amounting to classroom/pupil while secondary data were gathered from the CRS Socio- ratio of 1:75 for primary schools and 1.77 for secondary Economic Survey Report (2012), official records of the schools. This means more than half of the pupils and State MoE, publications of the National Planning students in the State had lectures in unfit and makeshift Commission (NPC) andthe National Bureau of Statistics classrooms that may not have been conducive for (NBS), and other assessment reports of MDG projects in learning/teaching. the State. Stratified random sampling technique was Figure 5 shows number of primary school desks used for the survey. Descriptive statistics was used for required across the LGAs. LGA had the highest the study. Data were organized in tables, percentages, number of required desks (9,071) followed by Abi (7,692), deviations, and charts. and Yala (6229). Average pupils-desk ratio for public More specifically, data was collected on educational primary schools stands at 1:7, meaning that 58 percent of facilities in the schools; classrooms, desks, laboratories, the pupils were without school desks. This implies that libraries, water supply and sanitation facilities. This most pupils did have good desks in classrooms, survey also covered to some extent the nature and indicating unhealthy and unacceptable learning quality of services delivered within these educational conditions. However, Calabar Municipality had excess of institutions, access to primary/basic education and the 498 desks with a desk people ratio of 1:2. This most level of literacy in the State. The hypothesis tested was probably indicates decreasing patronage of public that CRS will attain the MDG 2 by 2015. schools in urban areas, and uneven distribution of desk The educational institutions sampled were 1,242 among public schools in favour of urban areas. However, nursery/primary and primary schools, 385 the number of desk required to bridge this gap in the secondary/technical schools, 14 tertiary institutions, and State was 61,331. 8 special education centres. Out of these numbers, 1,027 The study also showed that few primary and secondary primary schools, 248 secondary schools, 5 tertiary schools in the State had functional Libraries. This institutions and 2 special/vocational training centers were contributed to cultivation of poor reading culture amongst government owned, while others where owned by private students, and ultimately poor academic performance. proprietors and non-governmental organisations; in other Moreover, 67 percent of the nursery/primary and primary words, non-government operators accounted for less school and 52 percent of secondary schools did not have than 25 percent of institutions in the sector. suitable sanitation facilities. Equally, 89 percent of the nursery/primary and primary school and 80 percent of the secondary schools did not have access to improved MAJOR FINDINGS water supply.

Educational facilities and enrolment rate in public primary schools Access to basic education in Cross River state

Figure 1 indicates that the number of public Primary As mention earlier, basic education covers 12 years of Schools in the State has gradually increased by 25 compulsory schooling, composed of; 3years nursery, 6 percent from 821 in 2000 to 1027 in 2012. This had years primary, and3 year junior secondary schools. significant positive impact on primary school enrolment in Figure 6 shows the population of schooling age and the State, and about 51 percent of the pupils in pre- school enrolment of the different LGAs alongside. primary and primary schools were females. had the highest school children population of Figure 2 and 3 indicate that primary school enrolment 43,363, followed by Yala 33,693, and Yakurr 31,260. distribution 81percent of primary school age children in , and LGAs were the lowest with

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TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN CRS 2000 821 850 885 942 960 965 995 1018 1032 1013 1016 1018 1027

0 '2000 2001 '2002 2003 '2004 '2005 2006 2007 2008 '2009 '2010 2011 2012

Figure 1. Number of Public Primary Schools in CRS, 2000-2012.

Av. ENROLMENT PER PUBLIC PRI SCH 556 600 530 500 400 246 243 244 238 228 225 227 207 205 197 193 188 185 171

300 156 156 200 113 100 0

Figure 2. Average Enrolment Public Primary Schools in CRS, 2010.

ENROLMENT IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN CRS 19

81

% IN PRIVATE PRI SCHS % IN PUBLIC PRI SCHS

Figure 3. Distribution of primary school enrolment in CRS, 2010.

Figure 4. Standard classrooms and gaps in CRS, 2010.

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Figure 5. Number of primary school desks required across the LGAs.

PRI SCH AGE POP TOTAL ENROLMENT POP OUTSIDE PUBLIC PRI SCH 43363

45000 37651

40000 33693 31260 30720 30503 29722 29254 27480

35000 27326 26775 26070 25715 23843

30000 22986 21875 19838 19365

25000 17462 17016 16803 15868 15036 14947 14852 14648 14389 15333 13512 13724 13602 13263 12923 12988 12746 12727 12533

20000 12187 12238 11656 11422 11138 11818 11034 8798 8338 8664 5177 15000 7569 5712 3551 5039 10000 3880 5000 1488 0

Figure 6. Public primary schools age population and enrolment in CRS by LGA, 2012.

87 77 90.00 70 % OUTSIDE PUBLIC PRI SCHS % IN PUBLIC PRI SCHS 80.00 65 63 63 64 58 58 59 70.00 54 52 51 51 51 52 46 48 50 50 50 50 50 50 49 49 49 48 60.00 42 42 41 35 37 37 36 50.00 30 40.00 23 30.00 13 20.00 10.00 0.00

Figure 7. Percentage of pupils inside and outside of public primary schools in CRS by LGA, 2012.

5,039; 12,746, and 16,803 respectively. High primary 247,853 school age children outside the public primary school enrolment were observed in Yala 21,875 and school system. A significant number of these children Ikom15,036. The total primary school age children (4-9 were most likely absolved in private schools, but any years) in the State was 460,762, while the public leftover could have constituted the growing population of nursery/primary school enrolment was 212,909 leaving ‘street children’ that are vulnerable to crime, prostitution,

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% OUTSIDE (PUBLIC & PRIVATE) PRI SCHS % IN (PUBLIC & PRIVATE) PRI SCHS 95 87 80 84 100 71 67 64 62 62 62 61 60 60 57 48 5250 50 55 4555 55 45 33 36 38 38 38 39 40 40 43 45 20 29 16 5 13 0

Figure 8. Percentage of pupils inside and outside of public and private primary schools in CRS by LGA, 2012.

% OUTSIDE PUBLIC PRI, JNR(SEC & TECH) SCHS % IN PUBLIC PRI, JNR(SEC & TECH) SCHS 91 100 76 74 72 69 69 69 67 67 66 66 66 65 80 64 59 59 58 56 52 48 44

60 42 41 41 34 36 34 35 34 33 33 31 31 31 28 26 40 24

20 9 0

Figure 9. Percentage of pupils/students inside and outside of public primary schools/JSS in CRS by LGA, 2012.

Figure 10. Distribution of teachers in public and private schools.

and child trafficking. had more school age children outside the public school As Figure 7 and 8 indicate, the distribution of children system. Biase, , and had fairly equal of primary school age in school was unevenlydistributed numbers within and outside the public primary school across the LGAs in the State; Bekwarra, Bakassi, Yala, system. , and had more children in public primary A significant proportion of the population outside the schools than elsewhere. But Calabar public school system were in private school. This showed Municipality,, Etung, Abi and Akpabuyo increasing popularity of the more expensive private

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PUPILS TO STUDENTS RATIO

13 TO 9

Figure 11. Pupils to students ratio.

nursery/primary schools in the State. Table 5 shows that the average dropout and repetition Enabling policies to create access for any leftover of rate at any level was below 6 percent throughout the children of school age by the public and private school basic school level in the State. However, the proportion of systems were strongly recommended to ensure that the pupils starting primary one who reach primary six was State achieves the MDG target on universal education by above 70 percent. Primary school completion rate was 2015. Figure 10 shows teacher/school ratio for public and above 65 percent. This was still below the 100 percent private schools in the State. 79 percent of the teachers target required by MDG indicator 2.2. interviewed in nursery/primary schools were within public Distance and means of transportation to school service, while 21 percent from private nursery/primary schools (55 percent were females and 45 percent male). Table 6 presents statistics on distance to school in the In the secondary schools, 63 percent of teachers were in State (2012). 29.7 percent of the school age population public and 37 percent in private secondary schools (40 traveled more than 2km to get to school, and another percent were female and 60 percent male). Overall, the 30.4 percent traveled 1 to 2 km.39.6 percent traveled less average teacher per primary school was 13 with teacher- than 1 km. From Table 7, the major means of pupils ratio of 1:33, while the teacher-student ratio is transportation to school was trekking (69.9 percent) and 1:36. commercial motorcycles (15.6 percent). A few persons Figure 11 indicates that the ratio of pupils to students made use of commercial taxies or family cars (9.3 within public schools in the State was 13:9. This shows percent) to schools daily. wide gap in the transition from primary to secondary schools. Attempting to rationalize the gap raised a pertinent question, namely; what accounted for the Literacy in any language missing 4 pupils of the primary – secondary school transitional stage? Was it due to drift of pupils and The researchers sought to determine whether the students from public to private schools or increasing respondents (15 to 24 years old) were literate in any school dropout rates and other undesirable factors? This other language outside the mother tongue. The findings is a question further studies in this area can address. as summarized in Table 8 show that 81.3 percent of the respondents were literate, principally in English language. This was below the target of 100 percent target for School attendance and completion rate primary education for boys and girls expressed (indicator 2.3 of MDG 2). Table 4 provides information on primary school attendance for the 18 LGAs in CRS. Overall 12.2 percent of the population never attended school, 43.4 percent Conclusion were undergoing one form of educational programmed or another, and 43.9 percent had been to school before the This paper reviewed the effort of Cross River Sate study period but were in any school at the time of survey. government at achieving MDG 2 by 2015. Generally,

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Table 4. Primary School Attendance in CRS, 2010.

Attendance to schooL Name of LGA Never Now in school Before not now Count % of Total Count % of Total Count % of Total ABI 156 1.8% 268 3.0% 164 1.8% 88 1.0% 209 2.3% 181 2.0% AKPABUYO 49 0.6% 214 2.4% 227 2.6% BAKASSI 73 0.8% 168 1.9% 147 1.7% BEKWARRA 77 0.9% 369 4.1% 294 3.3% BIASE 47 0.5% 165 1.9% 229 2.6% BOKI 6 0.1% 21 0.2% 293 3.3% CALABAR MUNICIPAL 33 0.4% 265 3.0% 186 2.1% CALABAR SOUTH 9 0.1% 90 1.0% 105 1.2% ETUNG 33 0.4% 167 1.9% 173 1.9% IKOM 100 1.1% 368 4.1% 428 4.8% OBANLIKU 77 0.9% 390 4.4% 266 3.0% OBUBRA 42 0.5% 272 3.1% 247 2.8% 56 0.6% 140 1.6% 111 1.2% 56 0.6% 193 2.2% 268 3.0% OGOJA 48 0.5% 71 0.8% 163 1.8% YAKURR 56 0.6% 277 3.1% 306 3.4% YALA 117 1.3% 217 2.4% 120 1.3% STATE TOTAL 1,123 12.6% 3,864 43.4% 3,908 43.9%

Source: CRS socio-economic survey report, 2010.

Table 5. Average school dropout/repetition rate in CRS, 2010.

Dropout/ Dropout/ Level Cumulative Level Cumulative Repetition Rate Repetition Rate Play Class 3.0 3.0 JSS 1 3.0 3.0 Nursery 1 3.1 6.1 JSS 2 3.6 6.6 Nursery 2 2.7 8.8 JSS 3 4.5 11.1** Primary 1 3.9 12.7 SSS 1 5.5 16.6 Primary 2 3.4 16.1 SSS 2 4.1 20.7 Primary 3 5.1 21.2 SSS 3 5.1 25.8 Primary 4 4.1 25.3

Primary 5 4.1 29.4*

Primary 6 5.9 34.3

Note: * marks the cumulative dropout/repetition proportion before Primary Six; ** marks the terminal level of Basic Education. Source: Extracted from the CRS socio-economic survey report, 2010.

available data indicate substantial success in some areas Equally, 73 percent of the secondary schools did not and wide gaps between current achievements levels and have Libraries, which contributed to cultivation of poor indicator benchmarks in other areas. In particular, reading culture amongst students in the State. inadequate basic equipment and facilities and Notwithstanding these shortcomings, it is hopeful that classrooms, and poorly maintained databases for with sustained effort at implementing the vision of progress monitoring were key areas of weaknesses. For qualitative, accessible, and affordable education for all instance only 58 percent of the primary schools and 71 citizens, and availability of marching funds identified gaps percent of secondary schools had standard classrooms, can be bridged. and 8,629 classrooms (6,365 primary and 2,264 There is however need for regular monitoring, which secondary) were required to bridge the gap. Pupils/desk underscores the importance of periodic evaluations and ratio in public primary schools stood at 1:7 with 58 well maintained sector status database and management percent of the pupils not having school desks, and the information system in the State.It is also recommended number of desk required to bridge this gap was 61,331. that a more qualitative survey on the nature and status of

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Table 6. Distance to School in CRS, 2012.

Less than 1KM 1 to 2KM 2 to 5KM Above 5KM Name of LGA Count % of Total Count % of Total Count % of Total Count % of Total Abi 88 3.0% 148 5.1% 29 1.0% 8 0.3% Akamkpa 63 2.2% 71 2.5% 41 1.4% 51 1.8% Akpabuyo 85 2.9% 32 1.1% 25 0.9% 41 1.4% Bakassi 76 2.6% 18 0.6% 23 0.8% 91 2.2% Biase 70 2.4% 22 0.8% 2 0.1% 12 0.4% Boki 103 3.6% 34 1.2% 27 0.9% 121 3.2% Calabar Municipal 126 4.4% 46 1.6% 83 2.9% 17 0.6% Calabar South 49 1.7% 75 2.6% 32 1.1% 58 2.0% Etung 80 2.8% 62 2.1% 2 0.1% 14 0.5% Ikom 132 4.6% 177 6.1% 54 1.9% 25 0.9% Obubra 138 4.8% 65 2.3% 31 1.1% 26 0.9% Odukpani 39 1.4% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Yakurr 19 0.7% 16 0.6% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Yala 77 2.7% 111 3.8% 45 1.6% 0 0.0% State Total 1,145 39.6% 877 30.4% 394 13.6% 464 16.1%

Source: CRS socio-economic survey report, 2010.

Table 7. Means of transportation to school in CRS, 2012.

Means of transportation to school Total Personal Commercial Commercial Name of Trekking Bicycle Family car motorcycle motorcycle car LGA % of % of % of % of % of % of % of Count Count Count Count Count Count Count Total Total Total Total Total Total Total ABI 224 5.2% 18 0.4% 2 0.0% 14 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 258 6.0% AKAMKPA 112 2.6% 2 0.0% 5 0.1% 60 1.4% 1 0.0% 21 0.5% 201 4.7% AKPABUYO 139 3.2% 0 0.0% 8 0.2% 33 0.8% 8 0.2% 8 0.2% 196 4.6% BAKASSI 135 3.1% 3 0.1% 3 0.1% 62 1.4% 3 0.1% 2 0.0% 208 4.8% BEKWARRA 263 6.1% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 65 1.5% 0 0.0% 5 0.1% 333 7.7% BIASE 158 3.7% 2 0.0% 12 0.3% 33 0.8% 0 0.0% 8 0.2% 213 5.0% BOKI 114 2.7% 0 0.0% 67 1.6% 165 3.8% 7 0.2% 5 0.1% 358 8.3% CALABAR 129 3.0% 0 0.0% 4 0.1% 2 0.0% 2 0.0% 125 2.9% 262 6.1% MUNICIPAL CALABAR 69 1.6% 4 0.1% 10 0.2% 8 0.2% 42 1.0% 69 1.6% 202 4.7% SOUTH ETUNG 145 3.4% 4 0.1% 9 0.2% 12 0.3% 0 0.0% 8 0.2% 178 4.1% IKOM 312 7.3% 2 0.0% 24 0.6% 55 1.3% 0 0.0% 16 0.4% 409 9.5% OBANLIKU 293 6.8% 0 0.0% 1 0.0% 54 1.3% 0 0.0% 19 0.4% 367 8.5% OBUBRA 147 3.4% 6 0.1% 11 0.3% 27 0.6% 6 0.1% 15 0.3% 212 4.9% OBUDU 121 2.8% 1 0.0% 10 0.2% 6 0.1% 5 0.1% 1 0.0% 144 3.3% ODUKPANI 154 3.6% 0 0.0% 2 0.0% 37 0.9% 1 0.0% 15 0.3% 209 4.9% OGOJA 46 1.1% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 59 1.4% YAKURR 236 5.5% 2 0.0% 2 0.0% 20 0.5% 0 0.0% 5 0.1% 265 6.2% YALA 209 4.9% 4 0.1% 4 0.1% 5 0.1% 4 0.1% 0 0.0% 226 5.3% STATE 3,006 69.9% 48 1.1% 174 4.0% 671 15.6% 79 1.8% 322 7.5% 4,300 100.0% TOTAL

Source: CRS Socio-Economic Survey Report, 2010.

educational services delivery within the school system be gaps in the medium and long term. Government should carried out to shed more light on the quality of teachers, keep pace with her resolve to equip recently renovated mechanisms for knowledge transfer and the impact on schools and continuation of rehabilitation works to cover pupils and students. This should include an infrastructural more schools especially in the rural areas, in partnership Sector and the cost Implications for meeting identified data update, detailed gap analysis of the education

019 Wudpecker J. Pub. Admin.

Table 8. Literacy rate in CRS, 2010.

Literacy in any language Total Name of LGA Yes No % of % of Count Total Count Total Count % of Total ABI 379 5.2% 40 0.6% 419 5.8% AKAMKPA 392 5.4% 1 0.0% 393 5.4% AKPABUYO 139 1.9% 242 3.3% 381 5.2% BAKASSI 126 1.7% 96 1.3% 222 3.1% BEKWARRA 359 4.9% 253 3.5% 612 8.4% BIASE 241 3.3% 71 1.0% 312 4.3% BOKI 342 4.7% 9 0.1% 351 4.8% CALABAR 441 6.1% 37 0.5% 478 6.6% MUNICIPAL CALABAR SOUTH 278 3.8% 12 0.2% 290 4.0% ETUNG 290 4.0% 62 0.9% 352 4.8% IKOM 592 8.1% 124 1.7% 716 9.8% OBANLIKU 675 9.3% 14 0.2% 689 9.5% OBUBRA 329 4.5% 48 0.7% 377 5.2% OBUDU 199 2.7% 13 0.2% 212 2.9% ODUKPANI 345 4.7% 109 1.5% 454 6.2% OGOJA 95 1.3% 0 0.0% 95 1.3% YAKURR 470 6.5% 116 1.6% 586 8.1% YALA 220 3.0% 112 1.5% 332 4.6% STATE TOTAL 5,912 81.3% 1,359 18.7% 7,271 100.0%

Source: CRS socio-economic survey report, 2010.

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