EXPLORING THE ROOT CAUSES OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL PHENOMENA IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: SOCIO-ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS

Abstract

The issue of out-of-school children in Nigeria remains a critical challenge to the nation’s socio-economic development and global educational goals. This paper looks into the multidimensional root causes of this problem, focusing on socio-economic, cultural, and political dimensions. It classified the effect of out-of-school phenomenon in Nigeria into immediate, short-term term and long-term effects. The paper, through findings, identifies loss of opportunity, limited economic prospects and economic stagnation as some of the challenges of out-of-school children. The paper suggests that Government at all levels should introduce poverty alleviation programs aimed at reducing the economic burden on families and ensure effective implementationof such programs, the free and compulsory basic education policy enshrined in the National Policy on Education should be implemented and enforced by inaugurating a special designated agency or outfit, and Government at all level should promote cultural reorientation by engaging communities through awareness campaigns to change negative perceptions towards education, especially for girls and physically challenged childrento address these challenges, aiming to provide an inclusive and equitable educational system for all children.