Poverty and Culture Fuel Out-of-School Crisis in Yobe
By Muhammad Maitela, Damaturu
Experts and educators in Yobe State have raised concerns over the growing number of out-of-school children, blaming poverty, cultural beliefs, and poor infrastructure for the worsening situation, particularly in rural areas.
In an interview, Malam Umar Maruma Alibe, a secondary school teacher in the state, cited economic hardship, negative perceptions of Western education, and government neglect as key factors pushing children out of school.
“Many parents are focused on daily survival due to rising poverty and the economic hardship we are experiencing in the country. Their primary concern is food and sustenance, not sending their children to school,” he said.
He added that deep-rooted cultural and religious perceptions also contribute to low enrollment and high dropout rates, as many rural communities remain skeptical of Western education due to the perceived failure of educated individuals to improve their living standards.
“Even now, some communities still don’t recognize the importance of Western education. This is compounded by the fact that governments at all levels often commit to educational development only on paper, without actual implementation.”
He stressed that meaningful change requires aggressive public sensitization on the value of education, alongside genuine policy enforcement.
“How can a teacher effectively educate when he can’t even afford to feed his family? Teachers are underpaid, lack decent housing, and face difficult living conditions. This affects morale and performance.”
Malam Alibe also lamented the acute shortage of schools in rural areas, noting that some communities share a single primary or secondary school across five to seven villages, with children walking over five kilometers to attend—far beyond the recommended one-kilometer radius.
“As a result, many children abandon school. This fuels the rise in street begging by almajiris and child hawking, especially among girls, which in turn increases crime and juvenile delinquency.”
He urged governments at all levels to prioritize educational reforms and invest in infrastructure and welfare.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Hamisu Dan’auwa, the Education Secretary of Nguru Local Government Area, acknowledged that the out-of-school crisis affects the entire Northeast region.
“As an Education Secretary, I can only speak at the local level. Broader issues fall under the Yobe State Commissioner of Education’s purview,” he said.
However, Dan’auwa highlighted several initiatives in Nguru, implemented in collaboration with international donors, the Yobe State Agency for Mass Literacy, SUBEB, and other stakeholders.
“Since I assumed office, we’ve partnered with UNICEF and Opportunity to Learn (OTL), enrolling over 3,000 children in schools and providing learning materials.”
He noted that these interventions specifically targeted underprivileged areas where children face the highest barriers to education.
“One major achievement was establishing 50 learning centers across the LGA, each enrolling 40 pupils under one teacher.”
However, he expressed regret that OTL suspended operations after the withdrawal of U.S. aid funding under President Donald Trump, which impacted education and health programs in Africa.
“Their exit left a gap we are now trying to fill through alternative support,” Dan’auwa said.
The stakeholders jointly called on the government and development partners to urgently address educational barriers in Yobe, warning that continued neglect will deepen youth poverty and insecurity across the region.
During a visit to the Family Support Hospital along Gashu’a Road, our reporter spoke with several children engaged in petty trading. Among them was 9-year-old Haruna Abubakar Nayi-Nawa, who was hawking sachets of pure water under the scorching sun.
“My father died two years ago, and I have never been enrolled in school,” he said.
Despite his circumstances, Haruna expressed a strong desire for education:
“I want to go to school. I want someone to buy me a uniform and books so I can learn and become a doctor—to take care of my mother, siblings, and people in our community,” he said with a hopeful voice.
Similarly, 13-year-old Hauwa Salisu from Gwange shared her story. She completed primary school in 2023 but was unable to continue due to financial constraints.
“I finished primary school last year, but my parents are poor. My father couldn’t afford to send me to secondary school, so I had to stop,” she said.
“Many of my friends have continued their education. I’m trying to save money so I can return to school.”
Their stories mirror those of thousands of out-of-school children across Yobe and Nigeria’s Northeast region, where conflict, poverty, and poor infrastructure continue to undermine access to basic education.
Children like Haruna and Hauwa represent a generation filled with dreams—dreams that could remain unfulfilled unless urgent intervention is made by the government, communities, and development partners to break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy.
A UNICEF report shows that Yobe has approximately 658,770 out-of-school children, one of the highest figures in Nigeria.
While regional total, Across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, around 1.6 million children are out of school.
UNICEF and partners are already active through emergency education programs reaching hundreds of thousands of children—but sustained investment and targeted policies are critical to reverse these alarming trends.
