Quality basic education provision for internally displaced children in internally displaced persons’ camps. A case study of some camps in Northcentral and Northeast of Nigeria.

Abstract

In Nigeria, forced displacements due to protracted conflicts have disrupted schooling, leaving children without access to any form of education and some confined in camps. Educational deficits have however, remained prevalent in Central/Northern Nigeria precisely, owing to protracted insurgencies by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, causing displacement of millions, primary age children comprising the larger percentage. This situation has adversely affected education quality and equitability, resulting to high levels of marginalisation and educational displacements. My research aimed to shine the light on Nigeria’s basic education policy and its practice to examine its implementation level by focusing on accessibility, quality provision and improvement, for displaced children who reside in IDP camps. A case study of some IDP camps in North-Central and North-East Nigeria was adopted, using qualitative methods of data collection to answer the research questions. Data instruments included individual and focus-group interviews, observations, and document review. Data was drawn from three IDP camps, three neighbouring schools and from the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). This included, two policy makers, three camp managers, three camp teachers, two neighbouring schoolteachers and twenty displaced children. Data collected was transcribed, coded, and analysed thematically. The findings revealed that the reality on ground is at variance with policy statements due to lack of accessibility and general deteriorated state of the UBE. Although the children expressed optimism in their desire for education as a means for a bright future, accessibility in some cases, or quality provision are far from being achieved; alongside insufficient, unqualified, and transient teachers. While improvement is dependent largely on government’s purposeful inputs, evidence shows that government still lacks a practical plan/budget for IDP education. It is therefore, recommended that government throws its weight behind IDP education to provide the necessary machinery to ensure the implementation of UBE for IDPs.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Vivienne Kachollom Rwang: orcid.org/0000-0003-0852-3589

ORCID for Chris Downey: orcid.org/0000-0002-6094-0534

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