Research Article

EXPLORING THE ROOT CAUSES OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL PHENOMENA IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: SOCIO-ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS

Bala Bakwai KWASHABAWA1*, Muhammad Alhassan NDANAIMI1, Isah Asma’u FANA1, Usman Babangida ABDULLAHI2
1 Department of Educational Foundations, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto
2 Department of Educational Foundations, Niger State College of Education, Minna
* Corresponding author: bakwaibala@gmail.com
Published: Oct, 2025
Pages: 51-56
Views: 16
Downloads: 11

Abstract

The issue of out-of-school children in Nigeria remains a critical challenge to the nation’s socio-economicdevelopment and global educational goals. This paper looks into the multidimensional root causes of thisproblem, focusing on socio-economic, cultural, and political dimensions. It classified the effect of out-of-schoolphenomenon in Nigeria into immediate, short-term term and long-term effects. The paper, through findings,identifies loss of opportunity, limited economic prospects and economic stagnation as some of the challenges ofout-of-school children. The paper suggests that Government at all levels should introduce poverty alleviationprograms aimed at reducing the economic burden on families and ensure effective implementationof suchprograms, the free and compulsory basic education policy enshrined in the National Policy on Education shouldbe implemented and enforced by inaugurating a special designated agency or outfit, and Government at all levelshould promote cultural reorientation by engaging communities through awareness campaigns to changenegative perceptions towards education, especially for girls and physically challenged childrento address thesechallenges, aiming to provide an inclusive and equitable educational system for all children.

Keywords

Root causes Out-of-school Socio-economic Dimension Political Dimension and Cultural Dimension.

References

  1. Abdulbaqi, S. Z., Tejideen, T. O., & Isiaq, A. T. (2024). Income level and savings capacity among employees of (public) universities in Kwara, Nigeria: Implications for wealth accumulation and entrepreneurial development. KIU Journal of Education (KJED), 4(2), 1-16. [https://doi.org/10.59568/KJED-2024-4-2-01](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.59568/KJED-2024-4-2-01)
  2. Abdulbaqi, S. Z., Tejideen, T. O., & Isiaq, A. T. (2019). Perceived effects of poor sanitation on health of undergraduate students in Hall of Residents, University of Ilorin. Osun Sociological Review, 5(1), 112-122.
  3. Akorede, S. N., Isiaq, A. T., & Akorede, A. A. (2023). Assessment of cholera preventive practices among residents of Samaru Community, Sabon-Gari, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Unnes Journal of Public Health, 12(1), 46-52. [https://doi.org/10.15294/ujph.v12i1.55178](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.15294/ujph.v12i1.55178)
  4. Akorede, S. N., Usman, U., Isiaq A. T., & Isiya, G. (2022). A review of health implication of kidnapping in Nigeria. International Journal of Advanced Research in Multidisciplinary Studies, 2(1), 67-72. [https://alhikmahuniversity.edu.ng/IJARMS/index.php/journal/article/view/16/16](https://alhikmahuniversity.edu.ng/IJARMS/index.php/journal/article/view/16/16)
  5. Akorede, S. N., Yakubu, R. M., Akorede, A. A., & Isiaq, A. T. (2022). Assessment of diarrhoea prevention practices among Mothers of Children Under-5 years in Samaru, Sabon Gari LGA, Kaduna State. Nigerian Journal of Interdisciplinary Research Academy (NJIRA), 3(2), 53-58.
  6. Human Rights Watch. (2018). "They are shooting into the classroom": Zamfara's vulnerable schools—Nigeria risks losing out on literate, skilled workforce. Human Rights Watch.
  7. Initiative for Research, Innovation, and Advocacy in Development. (2025, January 20). Nigeria leads in out-of-school children, IRIAD raises alarm. The Sun Nigeria. [https://thesun.ng/nigeria-leads-in-out-of-school-children-iriad-raises-alarm/](https://thesun.ng/nigeria-leads-in-out-of-school-children-iriad-raises-alarm/)
  8. Leadership Newspaper. (n.d.). As out-of-school-children scourge worsens, Nigeria risks losing out on literate, skilled workforce. [https://leadership.ng/asout-of-school-children-scourge-worsens-nigeria-risks-losing-out-on-literate-skilledworkforce/](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://leadership.ng/asout-of-school-children-scourge-worsens-nigeria-risks-losing-out-on-literate-skilledworkforce/)
  9. Ogunode, N. J., Adanna, C. M., & Ayoko, V. O. (2022). Out-of-school children in Nigeria: Causes, social implications and way forward. International Journal on Integrated Education, 5(12), 82–91.
  10. Ogunode, N. J., Jegede, D., & Ajape, T. S. (2021). Educational policies of primary school education in Nigeria: Challenges preventing the implementation and the ways forward. Central Asian Journal of Social Sciences and History, 2(3), 14–26.
  11. UNESCO Institute for Statistics, & Global Education Monitoring Report. (2024). Out-of-school data. GEM Report VIEW. [https://education-estimates.org/out-of-school/](https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Feducation-estimates.org%2Fout-of-school%2F)
  12. UNESCO. (2024). Global Education Monitoring Report 2024/5: Leadership in education – Lead for learning. [https://doi.org/10.54676/EFLH5184](https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.54676%2FEFLH5184)
  13. United Nations Children’s Fund. (2021). The state of the world’s children 2021. Author.
  14. United Nations Development Programme. (2022). Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022. Author.
  15. World Bank. (2022). Nigeria development update: The continuing urgency of business unusual. Author.
  16. Wrexham Glyndŵr University. (2021). What is the relationship between education and the economy? [https://online.wrexham.ac.uk/what-is-the-relationship-between-education-and-the-economy/](https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Fonline.wrexham.ac.uk%2Fwhat-is-the-relationship-between-education-and-the-economy%2F)
How to Cite

KWASHABAWA, B. B., NDANAIMI, M. A., FANA, I. A., & ABDULLAHI, U. B. (2025). EXPLORING THE ROOT CAUSES OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL PHENOMENA IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: SOCIO-ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS. Journal of Educational Research and Development, 20(1), 51-56.

B. B. KWASHABAWA, M. A. NDANAIMI, I. A. FANA, and U. B. ABDULLAHI, "EXPLORING THE ROOT CAUSES OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL PHENOMENA IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: SOCIO-ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS," Journal of Educational Research and Development, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 51-56, October 2025.

Share this article:
Facebook X / Twitter LinkedIn
Download PDF View Full Text (PDF) Back to Articles