Abstract
The paper explores issues surrounding the high rates of out of school children (OOSC) in developing regions and within Nigeria, and analyses the challenges to expanding access of school-aged children to basic education in Nigeria in the context of the inequalities and differences in the conditions of education in Nigeria. Using qualitative method, it examined evidence from crucial literature on out of school children from studies and publications of organisations relevant to the out of school children challenge. The research began with a conceptual explanation of out of school children, and then made a foray into the condition of inequality in opportunities and access to schooling for children of different zones and states in Nigeria. It criticised the existing policies/strategies for reducing the OOSC burden, highlighted the need for case by case approach to solving challenges related to the OOSC problem in Nigeria, suggested particular policies that should match issues specific to different zones and states in the country and concluded that the pattern of addressing Nigeria’s OOSC challenges as if they uniformly apply to every part of the country, is perhaps the most inhibiting factor towards eradicating the problem of out of school children in Nigeria. Recommendations where then made on possible ways of implementing differential policy interventions towards addressing high out of school children rates in Nigeria. The study recommended that Non-governmental organisations should be encouraged to support the efforts of government and international donor agencies.
References
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