Equity and Effectiveness of Tuition-Free Secondary Education Policy on Access, Gender and Rural–Urban Enrolment Disparities in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study analysed the equity and effectiveness of the tuition-free secondary education policy in Niger State of Nigeria, on access to secondary education and gender, rural and urban enrolment disparities. The study population included 2,467 education stakeholders in Niger State across the three senatorial zones which included 39 zonal directors, 310 principals, 1,002 teachers, and 1,116 School prefects. A multi-methods design was used. Stratified simple random sampling was used to select a sample of 375 respondents which consisted of 7 zonal directors, 56 principals, 200 teachers and 112 school prefects from the three educational zones (Bida, Minna and New Bussa) at 30% of principals and teachers, and 10% of school prefects, based on Aderonmu (1985) and Gay and Diehl (1992). Data was collected using 50 items, five-point Likert scale questionnaire which had a reliability coefficient of 0.77, qualitative interviews with stakeholders and enrolment records from the Ministry of Education for 2003-13. The data was analysed descriptively (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferentially (One way ANOVA at α = 0.05). The policy significantly increased enrolment, from 540,374 in 2003 to 1,008,829 in 2013. Gender based differences, however, continued: in 2013, there was a 10.24 percentage point difference between girls and boys (40.58% and 59.42% respectively), compared with 2003, and there were also significant differences between rural and urban schools, with higher rates of increase in enrolment in urban schools. Even though policy has been implemented, hidden household costs remained: 74.6% of respondents paid PTA fees and 61.2% still paid for uniforms, which indicates that fee abolition alone is not eradicating the financial burden on households. The study finds that while tuition abolition has contributed to increased access, it has not in itself led to educational equity, as there are still barriers to participation, beyond economic, that prevent girls and rural learners from accessing education. It suggests the implementation of policies on free education alongside targeted interventions on non-economic barriers, infrastructure and teacher capacity, hidden costs and governance gaps to ensure that free education is truly equitable and effective.