by Yusuff Jelili Amuda.
Abstract
Nigerian children are facing problems in their educational career due to their parents’ inability to take care for them because of their separation as husband and wife, and the ineffectiveness of Nigerian government. The major hindrance that is obstructing child education in Nigeria is uncontrollable corruption that rampant among Nigerian leaders. This is strongly affecting the standard of education across the nation. Therefore, this paper will examine and discuss the legal provisions provided for a child to have access to education under Nigerian laws and causes of educational hindrances in Nigeria. The standard of education in Nigeria, facilities, and quality of teacher would also be examined in the paper. The study will apply qualitative and quantitative methods. The paper closes by enunciating useful suggestions as solutions to the child education hindrances in Nigeria in the best interest of children and nation at large.
Introduction
It is the parents’ duty to educate their children by giving them sound and useful education which is better than acquiring property and estates that usually cause a rift after the parents’ death. Many parents are conscious of their children’s education and they pay more attention to their children’s education while some are not really concerned at all about their children’s education. Since no one can deny the utility and importance of knowledge as the gateway to success in life, it is obligatory for parents to give a sound and useful education to their children which are their foremost responsibility. Imparting sound education, good health, ethics, and morals will definitely produce the prosperous nation of tomorrow and the new generation. In school, children’s character and behaviour should be examined and watched carefully and vigilantly by their respective teachers and lecturers. All bad characteristics, idiosyncrasies, attitudes, and wild behaviour that are not promptly corrected and changed from childhood will reflect on the nation in the future because the children of today are the future of the nation (Iqbal 1974).
Legality of Child’s Education in Nigeria
The following provisions provide the legal rights for a child to have access to education under the Nigerian law. Section 15 of the Nigerian Child Act 2003 provides that a child has the right to free, compulsory, and universal basic education and the parents should ensure that their children attend primary and junior secondary school as stated in the Act. It further states that any parents who fail to send their children to school would be reprimanded for the first conviction while the amount of N2000 or one month’s imprisonment would be imposed for a second conviction. The amount of N5000 or two months imprisonment or both is prescribed as punishment for subsequent convictions (Federal 2003). There is a large body of evidence from the Qur’an and Hadith about seeking knowledge from childhood to adulthood, from one place to another and from one country to another country to indicate the importance of knowledge and the differences between the ignorant and literate people in the community and society together (Surat Al-Alaq 1-5). The mentioned verses indicate the importance of knowledge and one cannot be well educated unless one struggles for it. The strategy to be educated is to pursue knowledge anywhere and anytime. So, parents should be well prepared to educate their children as educating them is a way of preparing them for their future responsibilities and also giving them power to get their rights in a legal way.
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