Overview / Executive Summary
The Transforming Education in Niger State (TENS II) Programme is an initiative by the Niger State Government to revamp the education sector, ensuring quality education that aligns with modern standards. The Programme, led by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and supported by other ministries, focuses on improving infrastructure, teacher capacity, curriculum relevance, and student performance.
As part of TENS II, an Education Census was conducted to assess the current state of schools across the State.
The Census covered all levels of education, including: –
- Early Childcare Education Centres (ECCDE)
- Primary Schools
- Secondary Schools
- Faith-based Schools (Christian and Quranic)
- Nomadic Schools
- Tertiary Institutions.
The Census covered schools and institutions in the public and private sectors.
The Education Census findings provide a data-driven foundation for policy interventions, infrastructure planning, and human resource deployment in the education sector.
Background / Context
For several years, Niger State’s education sector has suffered from neglect, underfunding, and inadequate infrastructure. Recognising these challenges, the State government launched TENS II to drive a structured, data-backed transformation. The Education Census aimed to collect detailed statistics on student enrolment, teacher distribution, school infrastructure, and other key indicators to guide evidence-based decision-making and reforms.
The Problems / Challenges in the Education Sector
The key challenges identified in Niger State’s education sector include but not limited to :
- High student-teacher ratios in some areas and an uneven distribution of teachers, leading to disparities in learning outcomes.
- Inadequate and poor school infrastructure, including dilapidated classrooms, lack of electricity, inadequate sanitation facilities, and the absence of much-needed security measures.
- Lack of school furniture, writing and learning materials, recreational facilities, science laboratories, libraries, etc.
- Low access to digital learning tools, with only 16% of ECCDE and primary schools having computers for teaching and learning.
- Limited access to electricity, affecting the ability of schools to implement technology-driven education.
- Gaps in data management and record-keeping, making it challenging to monitor educational progress accurately.
- Gender disparities, notably lower female enrolment in some regions.
- Lack of teachers and the absence of incentives to motivate teachers,
Solution
TENS II is structured to provide data-driven solutions for the identified challenges, with a focus on:
- Enhancing teacher recruitment and deployment to reduce disparities in teacher-student ratios.
- Improving school infrastructure by refurbishing classrooms, providing electricity, and ensuring adequate sanitation.
- Promoting digital education by increasing the availability of computers and connectivity in schools.
- Strengthening security in schools by ensuring perimeter fencing and the presence of security personnel.
Enhancing record-keeping and data management to enable more effective monitoring and evaluation of school performance.
Execution / Implementation
The Education Census was implemented through:
- School Mapping and Verification: Identifying and geolocating all schools in the state.
- Enumeration and Data Collection: Trained field personnel gathered data from schools across all 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
- Data Processing and Analysis: Information was reviewed, validated, and analysed using a structured data tabulation plan.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Collaboration with ministries, educational institutions, and local communities to ensure the census’ success.
Results and Impact
Extracts from the results of the Education Census revealed the following: –
- Enrolment Data: 1,076,012 students were recorded in ECCDE, primary, and secondary schools.
- Teacher Distribution: 34,625 permanent teachers in ECCDE and primary schools, and 13,765 in secondary schools, with an imbalance in rural vs. urban teacher deployment.
- School Infrastructure: Over 25% of classrooms are non-functional, and only 22% of schools have electricity.
- Sanitation: Less than half of schools have toilets, and many lack basic hygiene facilities.
- Security: Only 22% of ECCDE and primary schools and 54% of secondary schools have perimeter fencing.
- Digital Readiness: Only 16% of ECCDE and primary schools and 30% of secondary schools have computers.
These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve the quality and accessibility of education in the State. The comprehensive report provides a detailed analysis of the Education Census results.
Key Takeaways / Lessons Learned
Some of the key lessons emerging from the Census include: –
- Data-driven planning is essential for effective education sector reforms.
- Teacher distribution needs restructuring, with an emphasis on deploying qualified teachers to underserved areas.
- Infrastructure improvements must be prioritised, particularly in rural areas.
- Digital learning is underdeveloped and requires urgent investment in ICT facilities.
- Security measures must be enhanced to ensure student and teacher safety.
- Improved data management systems are needed for accurate tracking of school performance and resource allocation.
Conclusion & Call to Action
The TENS II Education Census provides a comprehensive baseline for transforming education in Niger State. However, urgent action is required to:
- Recruit and equitably distribute teachers to address imbalances.
- Invest urgently in school infrastructure, including classroom renovation, water and sanitation, and electricity supply.
- Enhance ICT integration in schools to facilitate modern learning methods.
- Improve school security to create a safe learning environment.
- Implement strong data management systems for real-time tracking and decision-making.
The Niger State Government, stakeholders, and development partners must collaborate to turn these findings into actionable reforms, ensuring that every child in Niger State has access to quality education.
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