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Persistent Gender Inequality in Nigerian Education
Author(s): Dr. (Mrs.) Norah Omoregie, Ihensekhien Orobosa Abraham
Affiliation: Benson Idahosa University, Benin-City, Nigeria
2009
Persistent Gender Inequality in Nigerian Education
Dr. (Mrs.) Norah Omoregie
Benson Idahosa University
Benin-City, Nigeria
Ihensekhien Orobosa Abraham
Benson Idahosa University
Benin-City, Nigeria
Abstract
The research reviewed persistent gender-inequality in Nigerian education at all levels, including the effect
in turn-out of the Nigerian Youth Service Corps. The introduction of the free Universal Primary
Education (UPE) in the nation in 1976 and the current Universal Basic Education (UBE) since 2000 did
not revert the situation. Statistics collected from various sources and analysed ascertained the contention
of the research. Reasons for this continuous gender inequality in Nigerian education were found to be
traditional and cultural. The implication is revealed in poor national development as the contribution of
the females is very significant. Recommendations include promulgation of laws by the Federal
Government to make parents release their girl-children for education and enforcing 50:50 quota system of
admission in all levels of Nigerian educational system.
Persistent Gender Inequality in Nigerian Education
Gender refers to society's division of humanity, based on sex, into two distinctive categories. Gender
guides how females and males think about themselves, how they interact with others, and what position
they occupy in society as a whole. Thus gender also operates as a dimension of social inequality. This
inequality, which has historically favoured males, is no simple matter of biological differences between
the two sexes. Females and males do of course differ biologically, but these disparities are complex and in
consistent.
Gender roles are attitude and activities that a culture links to each sex. Gender roles are the active
expression of gender identity. The first question people usually ask about a new born child in Nigeria is:
"Is it a boy or a girl?" Such a question carries a great deal of significance for the child's entire life. In
global perspective, the preference for boys is more pronounced in Africa and most Asia countries.
Discrimination against females is common in these countries.
Iloegbunam (2006), said one of the ironies of history is the fact that despite the role women play both at
home and in the society, they have remained unnoticed and even belittled. This is borne out of the
notion that women's function of being homemakers and caring for children is not important. Women
therefore are to be seen and not heard. This has grossly affected women enrolment in education.
History has revealed discrimination against women in education. A review of the history of education
revealed that even among the ancient cities of Athens and Sparta, girls were excluded from the
education given to the boys (Clement, 1963). Athens devoted much time to sports and athletics and the
boys were trained in gymnastics and various types of sports and not the girls. The Spartans trained their
children right from cradle to be strong astute soldiers. An educated man from their own assessment,
was a brave soldier who could withstand the winter, cold and dare the enemy with courage and
determination and the training for this usually began when the child was five years or below. Eventually
all the soldiers then were men. The first high school in Boston in the United State of America was
established in 1821 for boys only (Clement, 1963).
In our African society, the education of women did not receive significant attention and this led to the
second class status assigned to women in society. Women are relegated to mere agents of domestic
engagements at home, with considerable reproductive roles. This apathy arising from gender inequality
has also affected education in Nigeria. As a result the males have dominated Nigerian schools from the
primary to tertiary level.
The aim of this research is to statistically ascertain gender inequality in Nigerian education especially as
it affects school enrolment. There is a distribution of educational opportunities in Nigeria in favour of
the male sex. The issue of social justice and equity can only be attained when both sexes are given equal
opportunities in respect to educational training. The National population census figures shows
that Nigeria as a country have a sex composition that is almost fifty fifty for males and females, but the
education pendulum swings to the male gender.
The objective of this paper therefore is to seek answers to questions such as:- Is there gender inequality
in education in Nigeria using school enrolment as a measure? What are the causes of gender inequality
in education? What are the implications of such gender inequalities? How can the situation be
normalized?
Statement of the Problem
There is still much gender inequality in Nigerian Education in spite of all steps taken by the Federal
Government to give equal gender opportunity to education such as the provision of the Universal Free
Primary Education (UPE) in 1976 and today, the Universal Basic Education (UBE). The female gender is
still lacking behind in education and this has much implication in the social-economic status of the
females in the nation. If drastic measures are not taken, tomorrow education in Nigeria may be all male
affairs as the females dominate the markets, the farms and the homes to make more babies and
increase poverty in the land.
Research Questions
The research questions to be answered by the research are as follows:-
(1) Are there still gender inequalities in Nigerian education today?
(2) What are the causes of gender inequality in Nigerian education?
(3) What are the implications of such gender inequalities?
(4) What further steps could be taken to normalize this abnormally in Nigerian Educational System?
Methodology
Method used in the study was purely analytical. Statistical data of school enrolment in the nation were
obtained from various sources and were analysed to show enrolment at the three level of educational
system in the nation. Enrolment of Youth Service Corps Development was also used as youth service is
the outcome of tertiary level gender products.
Census in Nigeria covering the period under study was in 1991 and 2006. In 1991, the ratio was males
50.04% and females 49.96%. In 2006, the ratio was males 51.21% and females 48.79% (Nigerian Census
Gender Population, www.nigerianpolity.blogspot.com/2007/01).
Data Analysis
Gender Inequality in Education
Table 1 National Summary of Primary School Statistics (1996-2005)
Year
Total
Enrolment
Male Enrolment
%
Female
Enrolment
%
Remarks
1996
15,496,074
8,935,865
57.66
6,560,209
42.33
More male
1997
17,397,553
9,837,394
56.54
7,560,159
43.45
More male
1998
16,045,567
9,232,885
57.54
6,812,682
42.45
More male
1999
17,907,010
10,058,434
56.17
7,848,576
43.82
More male
2000
19,158,439
10,745,128
56.08
8,413,311
43.91
More male
2001
19,263,534
10,805,722
56.09
8,457,812
43.90
More male
2002
19,861,682
11,070,610
55.73
8,791,072
44.26
More male
2003
25,772,044
14,433,764
56.00
11,338,280
43.99
More male
2004
20,037,480
11,141,614
55.60
8,895,866
44.39
More male
2005
20,951,818
11,712,479
55.90
9,239,339
44.09
More male
Total
191,891,201
107,973,895
56.26
83,917,306
43.73
More male
Sources: Universal Basic Education Commission, Abuja
National Bureau of Statistics (social statistics in Nigeria (2005))
National Bureau of Statistics (Annual Abstract of Statistics 2006)
Table 1 above revealed that there are more male enrolment at the basic level of education with a total
of 107,973,895 (56.26%) while that of the female was 83,917,306 (43.73%). These data revealed that
there is a gender inequality in education right from the primary level.
Table 2 National Summary of Secondary School Statistics (1996-2005)
Year
Total
Enrolment
Male
Enrolment
%
Female
Enrolment
%
Remarks
1996
4,201,333
2,229,529
54.63
1,971,804
46.93
More male
1997
3,921664
2,083,002
53.11
1,838,662
46.88
More male
1998
4,003,915
2,235,392
55.83
1,768,523
44.16
More male
1999
3,844,585
2,406,608
53.23
1,797,977
46.76
More male
2000
4,104,345
2,262,130
55.11
1,842,215
44.88
More male
2001
5,533,384
3,246,566
58.67
2,286,818
41.32
More male
2002
6,296,174
3,717,864
59.04
2,578,310
40.95
More male
2003
7,171, 304
4,063,775
56.66
3,107,829
43.33
More male
2004
5,388,734
3,077,911
57.11
2,310,823
42.88
More male
2005
5,422,611
3,079,832
56.79
2,342,779
43.20
More male
Total
49,888,049
28,042,309
56.21
21,845,746
43.78
More male
Sources: Universal Basic Education Commission, Abuja
National Bureau of Statistics (social statistics in Nigeria (2005))
National Bureau of Statistics (Annual Abstract of Statistics 2006)
The data in table 2 indicated that there are more male students in secondary schools in Nigeria, with a
total number of 28,042,309 male students (56.21%) as against that of female students of 21,345,746
(43.78%) under the ten years period of investigation.
Table 3 National Summary of Primary
Schools of some selected LGAs and States in Nigeria (1996)
S/N
STATE
NO OF LGA's
Total No
of schools
Total Male
Enrolment
Total Female
Enrolment
Remarks
1
Abuja
4
36
76,546
36,444
More males
2
Delta
18
301
450,786
236,326
More males
3
Edo
14
246
293,919
144,436
More males
4
Enugu
19
180
270,189
144,436
More males
5
Kaduna
18
178
532,137
223,749
More males
6
Kogi
16
238
437,713
199,446
More males
7
Lagos
15
299
655,679
329,247
More males
8
Rivers
24
320
511,704
253,922
More males
9
Sokoto
29
46
103,581
51,592
More males
10
Zamfara
11
32
103,581
21,977
More males
Sources: Federal Ministry of Education/Universal Basic Education Commission Abuja. National Bureau of
Statistics (Annual Abstract of Statistics 2006).
Table 3 shows statistics of primary enrolment for some selected states and local government areas in
Nigeria. The data showed that there are more male pupils than female pupils. This table confirms the
information in table 1.
Table 4 National Youth Service Corps
Deployment of Members by Sex (1996-2005)
Year
Total
Male
%
Female
%
Remarks
1996
48,222
30,426
63.09
17,796
36.90
More males
1997
72,235
46,074
63.78
26,161
36.21
More males
1998
89,660
55,881
62.32
33,779
37.67
More males
1999
131,458
72,752
55.34
58,706
44.65
More males
2000
146,358
85,170
58.19
61,188
41.80
More males
2001
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2002
143,383
81,325
56.71
62,058
43.28
More males
2003
96,178
53,037
55.14
43,141
44.85
More males
2004
112,286
59,845
50.12
53,441
46.70
More males
2005
113,326
56,805
50.12
56,521
44.09
More males
Total
954, 106
41,315
56.26
412,791
39.56
More males
Sources: National youth service corps, Abuja as cited in National Bureau of statistics (Annual Abstract of
State 2006).
N/A = Not Available
From the available data in table 4, it was revealed that there were more male youth Corp Members than
female Corp Members. They were a total of 541, 315 (56.79%) for males as against female total of 412,
791 (43.20%). This result further shows a case of gender inequality in education in Nigeria.
Table 5: Enrolment by Institution and Sex (undergraduates)
Institution
2000/2001
male female
2001/2002
male female
2004/2005
male female
University of Ibadan (Western
Nigeria)
13,415
9,053
12,594
8,499
12,070
6,887
More males
University of Nigeria Nsukka
(Eastern Nigeria)
16, 178
9,821
17,976
16,369
16,593
19,596
More females
University of Benin
(Southern Nigeria)
13,059
9,850
14,458
11,047
23,846
18,258
More males
University of Abuja
(Northern Nigeria)
1,606
1,345
1,785
1,495
4,835
4,386
More males
Total
44,258
30,069
46,398
36,758
57,344
49,127
More males
Source: National Universities Commission.
The result in table 5 showed male and female enrolment for the period of 2000 - 2005 sessions from
four randomly selected universities, each representing a geographical region. There are more male
students than female, which also indicates a case of gender inequality in education at the university
level for the period under investigation.
Table 6: Graduate Turn out of Master's Degree in the Nation
Year
Total
Male
%
Female
%
Remarks
2001
10,820
7,714
71.29
3,106
28.71
More males
2002
15,151
10,994
72.56
4,157
27.43
More males
2003
14,056
10,748
76.46
3,308
23.53
More males
2004
12,492
8,529
68.27
3,963
31.72
More males
2005
8,385
6,352
75.75
2,033
24.24
More males
Total
60,904
44,337
72.79
16,567
27.20
More males
Source: National Universities Commission
The data in table 6 showed more male masters' degree holders than the females. The males were
44,337 which are 72.79% as against a total of 16,567 with a percentage of 27.20 for females.
This result has also showed that there is gender inequality in education at the masters' level in Nigerian
education.
Table 7: Graduate Turn-out of Doctorate degree in the Nation
Year
Total
Male
%
Female
%
Remarks
2001
690
543
78.70
147
2.30
More males
2002
721
578
80.17
143
19.83
More males
2003
752
553
73.54
217
147
More males
2004
794
577
72.67
217
27.32
More males
2005
428
336
78.50
92
21.50
More males
Total
3,385
2,587
6,401
798
23.57
More males
Source: National Universities Commission
The data in table 7 revealed that there are 2.587 male doctorate graduates representing 76.43% as
against 798 female Doctorate graduates representing 23.57%. The result of the analysis indicates that
there are more males with Ph.D. in Nigeria which further ascertain the fact that there is gender
inequality in education in Nigeria.
Factors Responsible for Gender Inequality in Education
Based on the available statistical data for primary, secondary and university enrolment we discovered
higher percentage of male's enrolment at the different levels of education in Nigeria. There seems to be
one underlying causative factor. It is the general preference by parents of male children to females. This
higher level of preference is based on the traditional practice that male children will succeed their
fathers and sustain their family. Also considering the limited resources of families such families prefer to
lavish such meagre resources on their male children instead on female children that will become wives
to other men and will no longer bear their family names.
A major factor is the issue of male dominance in access to educational opportunities. The opportunity
cost of foregoing school for female children is very high due to the male roles and society preference for
male children.
According to Oganwu (1996), the Nigerian women and their counterparts in other African countries
have been debased and dishonoured by the thought that every woman is supposed to consider
motherhood as the principal purpose of her existence. She is expected to produce children, cook, mend
and wash clothes and take care of men and be subordinate to male authority.
In some communities the female children are not sent to school like their male counterparts due to
some cultural practices. Most Nigerian parents erroneously believe that sending girls to school may
interfere with their marriage, which they consider to constitute the primary mission of a female child
(Nwideeduh, 1994).
However, for gender inequality to be reduced, which has always been in favour of the male gender,
Olarenwaju (2005), observed that education has been recognized to be the only viable instrument for
correcting any inequality in any society. Also male child education was given preference because of the
patrilineal system, which confers rights of inheritance on the male child only (Nwideeduh, 1994;
Maduabum, 1992, and Nwana, 1987).
The education for most female children stops at the primary and secondary school levels due to the
issue of male roles, cultural and social believes.
Implications of Gender Inequality in Education in the Nation
The data analyzed above in Tables 1 - 7 have shown cases of gender inequality in education from
primary to the tertiary level in favour of male gender. This disparity has implications for educational and
national development. The impact of gender inequality in education depends on the size of the
differential and the disadvantaged sex involved at any level of education, which according to our results
is mainly the female gender. Thus society will be richer in high level manpower the more women have
access to education, because educating a female (a girl child) is educating the nation. Nations where
women are denied access to education will continue to wallow in poverty and poor health. It takes
education to imbibe health-culture and good sanitization. These illiterate mothers will continue to
perpetuate their ignoramus to their children both males and females.
Iloegbunsim (2006), said education, is a weapon for social development, equity and justice. Providing
women with equal opportunity for education would foster the repositioning of women socially,
economically and even politically since women are mothers of tomorrow's nation.
Recommendations
In order to eliminate the issue of gender inequality in education in Nigeria, the following conscious
efforts should be made:
All cultural and traditional practices, which may tend to enhance gender inequality in education
should be discouraged at all levels of education.
Government (federal, state and local) should give financial assistance through scholarships or
bursaries to female students.
Educate the parents and the general public so as to bring about a change in attitude towards women
education. The non -governmental bodies (NGO) should be assigned to do this by the
government.
The governments should promulgate laws against early marriage that hinder the females to read
and pursue education.
Also laws should be promulgated against using the females to be hawkers in the street where many
are exposed to danger of early sex that lead to unwanted pregnancies that force them out of
school.
Finally, let there be a rule on quota system of 50:50 in admission of males and females to all
institutions of learning from primary to tertiary level. That means ratio of admission should be
50 females to 50 males in all levels.
Conclusion
This research has shown that there is persistence of gender inequality in Nigeria at all levels of
education. The reasons for this ugly situation have been traced to be historical, cultural, traditional and
the patriarchal structure of the society. Education of the girl child is one of the first steps in a process of
enabling her to take control over her own life, participate on an equal basis in the society and freeing
herself from economic exploitation and patriarchal oppression.
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