COVID-19 worsening education inequality in Nigeria

The online learning system introduced in parts of the country following the shutdown of schools in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is widening the gulf in education between children of the ‘haves’ and the ‘have not’, Daily Trust on Sunday investigation reveals.

While experts in the education sector have frowned at the inequality describing it as posing a generational danger, the Federal Ministry of Education says it is not its responsibility to cater for the e-learning needs of poor students.

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On March 19, the education ministry announced the shutdown of all schools in Nigeria as one of the ways of containing the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, a development that disrupted learning and access to vital school-provided services for a record number of students in Nigeria.

As a result, some top-level expensive private schools responded to the situation by deploying online and offline platforms, television, radio and take-home materials to keep children learning.

Our investigation has, however, shown that while students from well-to-do families with access to digital learning resources in many parts of the country continued to learn and write examinations in the comfort of their homes, those from poor families without access have been left behind.

Experts have expressed fears that students from poor homes who currently cannot keep up with their peers in learning might never catch up, maintaining that this could impact negatively on the country in the post-COVID-19 era.

Almost 40 million learners have been affected by the nationwide school closures, out of which over 91 per cent are primary and secondary school learners, according to UNESCO which had recommended the use of distance learning programmes, open educational applications, and platforms by schools and teachers to reach learners remotely.

These include integrated digital learning platforms, video lessons, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and broadcast through radio and television.

However, the success of these recommendations hinges on the use of high digital technology solutions, which are based on the reliability of local power supply, internet connectivity and digital skills of teachers, students, parents, and caretakers.

Following school closures, many states embarked on airing school lessons on radio and television for public schools while private schools introduced online learning programmes for their students.

Investigations in some states, however, reveal that while students from rich families are leveraging digital technology to move ahead with learning, those from under-served low-income families are being left out as they are unable to access education during the lockdown period.

The yawning gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have not’

Findings in some states show that while students from well-to-do families are not complaining because they could afford the necessary digital wherewithal to access these e-learning materials for their children; those from poor families are lagging behind.

In the oil-rich Rivers State, for instance, the government had in May rolled out a unified e-learning platform for pupils and students in public and private schools to overcome the physical closure created by the ravaging pandemic.

At a stakeholders’ meeting in the wake of schools closure in Port Harcourt, the State Commissioner of Education, Professor Kaniye Ebeku, said the state government was desirous to see pupils and students continue normal education activities while they stay safe from the deadly virus.

“If school closure continues, and we do not do anything to engage them (students), the consequence will be far-reaching,” the education commissioner reportedly said.

Daily Trust on Sunday reports that the e-learning process in Rivers State is in two categories.

While the first category is through the state-owned Rivers State Television station, the second process is through zoom where an ID and password is given to participants.

Mike Jaja, a Port Harcourt based parent, said he is not complaining as his two children are accessing the e-learning platform to attend virtual lessons.

Explaining that he has spent a lot to acquire Android phones and Desktop computers for that purpose, Jaja said: “Two of my children attend Government Secondary School, Borokiri, and have effectively keyed into the state government virtual learning and the lessons have been rewarding.”

Another Port Harcourt-based parent, Mrs. Iheoma Oforji said apart from laptop and other digital gadgets she regularly buys data for his son to enable him participate in the e-learning process.

“It is very rewarding even though we spend a lot of money but it keeps the children busy,” she said.

Izuchukwu Oforji, a student of Oyigbo Compressive College, Port Harcourt, whose parents have provided him with digital tools said e-learning kept his brain active and helped him to keep pace with the school’s academic calendar.

But for Pascal Gogo, an indigent parent, the e-learning process is for the elite and not for children of poor parentage.

“I can’t afford the cost of android phones; laptop or computers to enable my kids participate in the e-learning programme.

“It is also difficult for them to hook up with the television version of the learning because in our area we don’t have light and I don’t have a generator to enable us connect to the programme,” Gogo said.

A student of Oyigbo Community Secondary School, Godwin Gogo, said that his parents could not afford the cost of providing the e-learning platform for him to study.

He said he does not have a computer, laptop or android phone to join the e-learning platform.

In Oyo State, investigation revealed that private schools charge an average of extra N10,000 for online teaching aside school fees while public schools engage pupils using Radio learning.

Mr Chukwuka Nnamdi, the father of a 15-year-old student of Moret Nursery and Primary International School, Ibadan, told Daily Trust on Sunday that he already spent over N100,000 to procure laptop and other devices for e-learning as a result of schools shutdown.

He said: “A new laptop equipped with internet facilities were purchased for convenience of my daughter.

“I deliberately invested in virtual learning for her because of the WAEC. I spent over N100,000 to equip her for the learning.

“I believe we will get value for the examination (WAEC) because my daughter usually boasts of things she was taught online,” Nnamdi said.

Another parent of a pupil at Seed of Life Nursery and Primarily School, Eleyele Ibadan, Mr. Alimi Nurudeen, described the online teaching as rewarding, noting that the extra money paid for the online teaching was fruitful.

“My son gained a lot from online teaching.

“Though he didn’t pay much attention as expected but he was able to learn that the future of teaching and learning is online.

“He had access to the online learning platforms because we already have laptop and internet facility at home,” he said.

But Wale Sunday, another Ibadan-based parent said he was worried about the future of his only son because he is not financially buoyant to invest in online learning.

He said: “My boy has been at home with me during the lockdown.

“I always engage him to practice what his teachers had taught him before the coronavirus outbreak.

“I managed to enroll him in a neighbourhood lesson to brush up his brain before school resumes.

“How do you expect me to spend money on digital learning when I don’t have,” he asked.

Similarly, findings have shown that the electronic system of learning through television, radio and social media is an exclusive preserve of students from rich parents in Cross River State.

Apart from having to own expensive electronic devices such as television and radio sets, those that rely on handsets such as android phones must regularly recharge those devices with airtime or data.

A female SSS-3 student of Margaret Ekpo Secondary School, Calabar, Eti-Mfri Moses, said she was participating in virtual learning as a result of schools’ shutdown because her parents could afford the bills.

“I engage in online learning fully because my parents bought all the digital devices and books for me even at huge cost,” she said.

It is not the same for Andem Ekpo, a 53-year-old bricklayer based in Calabar who said he cannot afford the cost of online learning for his three male children who attend different secondary schools in Calabar.

“I cannot afford that for my children; they occasionally attend special classes organized for neighbourhood children in my area,” he said.

Mrs. Matilda Akpan, a roadside trader near Mbukpa market Calabar said she and her children do not understand what is meant by online education.

“My five children who are in different classes in primary school now attend private lessons.”

The proprietor of Global Dreams School in Calabar, Mrs. Chimuanya Alex Ukam said they do organize online classes with over 75% of their students participating.

“However, the demand is that the parents must be ready to afford laptops, phone devices, data and all.

“If parents are able to come up with these, we are then able to tailor the lectures to the needs of specific classes of students.

“We feel that the online classes have helped children to a greater degree.”

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Castro Ezama, said the state government had to come in reasonably to ensure that those that cannot afford laptops or telephones can also listen to the radio and watch teachers deliver lectures on television.

“This way, the gap will not be too widened between those that go online and those that cannot afford,” he said.

Hajiya Hafsat Musa Gwadabe, a Kano-based parent, said despite the high cost of technology, virtual learning was better than having the children idle till schools resume.

Gwadabe, who is also a class teacher, said although the e-learning was stopped midway during Ramadan, the system had proved useful in ensuring continuity in learning during the lockdown.

‘Google classroom’

While children from financially advantaged homes in Benue continue to make progress in their studies courtesy of online platforms, their counterparts of poor parentage are lagging behind.

Mrs. Grace Ogbebor, a mother of three children undergoing virtual learning, said, “It was quite a school better referred to as Google classroom and really interactive.

“However, it involved plenty of money.”

Ogbebor explained that at the secondary section of Kids Authority School in Makurdi, the sum of N90,000 was charged as fees for her JSS-1 son while the one in JSS-3 paid N60,000 because classes for that category were not as frequent as those in the first year in the school that are learning online every day.

“It kept them (children) busy.

“There was value for the money paid.

“The Google classroom was so interactive.

“The children used both their laptops and telephones to connect learning.

“I really wanted that for them because of distraction occasioned by lockdown.

“They really needed to be engaged positively,” she said.

Ogbebor’s JSS-1 son, Shawn, told Daily Trust on Sunday that his experience learning online was good and remarkable; stressing that it was facilitated by digital tools provided by his parents.

“We get some practical lessons during virtual learning.

“We interact with teachers and other students just like the normal classroom.

“After practical, the videos are also sent to us to download and check out what we had done,” Shawn said.

Another parent, Alex Abari, whose Nusery2 daughter attends Hearts and Minds Educational Centre in Makurdi, noted that the online lesson organised by the school for its pupils had been very helpful.

Abari, said his daughter, Awushidoi, participates in the online lesson thrice in a week, adding that the school does not charge any fee for organising the lessons done through G-mail.

“The school teachers usually send assignment using the G-mail account and by the same means, the pupils send their answers for marking.

“I also engaged a private teacher who interacts with my child on WhatsApp.

“I am happy that I get value for the money spent online and the opportunity to keep my daughter busy with learning,” Abari said.

However, some other children in government-owned schools, such as Ladi Jeremiah whose parents cannot afford tools for online learning or hire private teachers are idling away at home.

Jeremiah, an SS-2 student and her two siblings who now idle away by playing or watching movies, lamented that they were somehow losing knowledge acquired even before the lockdown.

Similarly, two female students: Blessing and Nancy, both undergraduates of Benue State University (BSU), disclosed that they have taken to learning tailoring since their parents were not rich enough to engage them in any form of electronic learning since the lockdown.

Tion Matthew, an indigent parent, whose children are now engaged in farming, said he has resigned to fate, noting that he could not afford a smartphone,  talk more of buying data to enable them school online.

‘Neighbourhood lesson centres’

Unable to afford the high cost of online learning, many indigent parents have resorted to taking their destiny in their hands.

Daily Trust on Sudnay findings show that poor parents have resorted to ‘neighbourhood lesson centres’ organized by teachers who have become jobless as a result of schools’ shutdown owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Zaria, for instance, such lesson centres have been opened in different homes and garages where parents who cannot afford the cost of online learning enrolled their children for a fee.

One of the organizers of the lesson centres that spoke on condition of anonymity said the students are made to pay a prescribed stipend either daily or weekly for as low as N20 per-student-per-day.

“Because our compound is a bit large, I have up to about 100 learners and usually collect N20 per student daily to fend for myself and keep them busy.

“The lesson is largely to stop the children from roaming about.

“There is no way we can have effective teaching and learning because the students are of different classes merged together,” the teacher said.

At another centre, three female private school teachers said they organised the lesson to assist students from poor homes who are made to pay N100 every week.

One of them said they decided to organize the lessons to fend for themselves and assist children from poor homes who were idling away during schools closure because they could not afford the cost of online learning.

“We started after the closure of schools by the federal government and the lessons are still on.

“Honestly, we personally got relief through these lessons as our schools stopped paying us since March.

“So, the motivation was basically for our survival as we were able to meet some of our basic needs amidst the Corona hardship,” the teacher said.

A father, Sani Musa, said: “I think it would take time before we can recover from the impact of this Corona.

“Most of these students have formed new attitudes, while some have even lost interest in their studies.”

A teacher in one of the secondary schools in Zaria, Ja’afar Yunus, said it will take the children of the “less privileged” a long period of time to recover what they lost from the current school closure.

“Many students, for sure, would drop out, because of this shutdown and this is a dangerous development in our education system, especially those of us from the North,” Yunus said.

Low-income earners in Kano have equally opted for neighbourhood lesson classes for their children rather than getting them enrolled into virtual learning which they claimed is expensive.

Malam Murtala Abdulrahman Sheka said his two children were enrolled into extramural lessons in his neighbourhood at Sheka quarters of Kano metropolis instead of virtual classes because it was too expensive for him.

Sheka, who is into transport business, said, “I cannot afford the cost of data and android phone for the virtual classes so I decided to enroll my two kids in evening lesson in our neighbourhood.

“One is in SS2 at Gandu Government Day Secondary School while the other is in Ado Gwaram Secondary school.”

Generational disaster

An educationist and former director at the National Commission for Colleges of Education, Dr. Alex Maiyanga described the growing gap between children of the rich and the poor as a result of COVID-19 as posing generational danger for the country.

“Inequality in education is already there but the gap created now will amount to a generational disaster in the next twenty to thirty years.

“We are creating a community of illiterates and this can further breed terrorism as these underprivileged students would end up visiting their anger on society.

“This is not good for the country,” Mainasara said.

In the same vein vein Dr. Ibrahim Aliyu, a Chief Lecturer in the Federal College of Education (FCE), Zaria, which is the premier teacher-training institution in northern Nigeria, said the inequality being created as a result of COVID-19 is capable of increasing poverty in Nigeria.

“Online or e-learning introduced during COVID-19 lockdown may further exacerbate the inequalities in educational opportunities that exist between students from well-to-do homes and those from poor background, because online learning resources are likely to be readily available amongst students from rich families than those from poor background.

“It gives better opportunities to students from rich background to learn using online resources.

“Secondly, students from poor background are more likely to come from rural communities where ICT infrastructure is deficient with weak network connectivity.

“It means that students from poor background are exposed to poor online access and connectivity.

“It therefore puts them at disadvantage in the learning process.

“What this portends to the future of the country is that children from rich background are going to be more competitive based on the knowledge and skills they acquired than children from poor background.

“It also implies that human capital development will be skewed in favour of the rich and the elite, which would further worsen inequality and poverty in the country,” he said.

Also speaking on the matter, the Dean Faculty of Environmental Sciences Nasarawa State University; Professor Nasiru Medugu Idris called for the provisions of internet Hotspots at strategic locations in rural and urban areas by service providers.

He also called for pursuance of massive ICT infrastructural development in our schools  through government agencies like NITDA, NCC, PTDF, Galaxy Backbone, TETFUND, UBEC and host of others so that everyone will be able to have access to e-learning materials from home.

“Provision of high speed internet service should cut across all the states of the Federation and not only the major towns and cities but also including the rural areas.

“Government at all levels can order affordable and reliable tablets and laptops in collaboration with government of China for all the public schools so that the children of the poor can also have access to the e-learning facilities,” he said.

We are not responsible for providing digital learning tools – Education Ministry

When contacted on whether the ministry was offering any form of assistance to enable students from poor families’ access online platforms, Director of Press, Ben Bem Goong, said it was not the responsibility of the ministry to do so.

“Assist them to do what?

“You are asking me whether the ministry has a policy to make it possible to make telephone calls.

“That is not our responsibility.

“Buying airtime is not the responsibility of the ministry.

“We have left that station; we are working on a template on how children can return to school.

“When you are talking about people from poor families go to any village today what baffles me is that you find a child who claims his father cannot afford to pay school fees wielding an expensive phone that is more than mine as a director.

“Such a child tells you he does not have money to go to school.

“We have passed that stage; those who want to go to school will go.

“These same people you are talking about bring any of them to show me the type of phone they are using,” Goong said.

This report was facilitated by the Wole Syinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its COVID-19 Reality Check project