Boko aramJambites’ Choices

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The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) General

Comment No. 13, paragraph 6, identifies four features that are essential to

realizing the right to education. They are known as the 4As.

Availability

Accessibility

Acceptability

Adaptability

The content of education and the way it is delivered, must be

relevant, acceptable for all, including minorities, and of good

quality; and

Education must be free, and there must be a sufficient number

of educational institutions and trained teachers, as well as

education materials, so that education is available to all;

The institutions and programmes must be: (1) Accessible to all,

without discrimination, including marginalised groups; (2) Physically

accessible within a safe and reasonable distance and accessible to

those with disabilities; and (3) Accessible in terms of cost: primary

education must be free for all, whereas secondary and higher

education must be affordable and progressively made free;

Education must be flexible and able to respond to the needs of

students in different social and cultural settings. This includes

those with learning difficulties as well as gifted children.

This study takes a look at one of the 4As –

Accessibility – and precisely:

The institutions and

programmes must be: (2)

Physically accessible within a

SAFE and reasonable distance.A closer review of past and present UTME

applications to tertiary institutions (Universities)

in the Northern part of Nigeria and the

resultant effect – if any – of Boko Haram on

Admission seekers.

MAP OF NIGERIA SHOWING

THE 6 GEO-POLITICAL

ZONES

There are 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Of these, 19 States are located in the Northern part of

Nigeria, while the remaining 17 are in the Southern part.

The geo-political zones are:

NE

NC

NW

SE

SS

SW

North East

North Central

North West

South East

South South

South West

While most Northern states are under threat of the sect;

the North East is currently the operational base, with

Borno, Yobe and Adamawa being the most affected.

BORNOYOBE

STATEPOPULATION (ESTIMATE)

APPELLATION

ADAMAWA 3.8m Land of Beauty

BORNO 5.0m Home of Peace

YOBE 2.8m The Young Shall Grow

While most Northern

states are under threat of

the Sect; the North East is

currently the operational

base, with BORNO, YOBE

and ADAMAWA being the

most affected.

TOTAL NUMBER OF UNIVERSITY:

Total number here implies number of Universities offering

admission during the stated academic session

129

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

113 116 122 126

(as at June, 2014)

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

112 116 122 125

No. of Universities in the North (N), in the South (S):

41 71 42 74 46 76 48 77

DISTRIBUTION OF UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA

UTME APPLICATIONS (2011 – 2014)

NORTH SOUTH NORTH %

2011/12 503,530 976,269 34.03%

2012/13 525,486 967,284 35.20%

2013/14 625,204 1,093,497 36.38%

2014/15 663,390 948,955 41.14%

There is an appreciable increase in the number of

Candidates seeking admission opportunity into

Universities located in the Northern part of the country

irrespective of the activities of Boko Haram.

What is it like in the most affected North East?

UTME APPLICATIONS (2011 – 2014)

NORTH

EAST

NORTH

CENTRAL

NORTH

WEST

NORTH

EAST %

2011/12 76,655 202,431 192,596 15.22%

2012/13 75,279 267,669 149,082 14.33%

2013/14 75,528 307,574 226,511 12.39%

2014/15 87,867 322,215 238,330 13.25%

FCT: 2011/12 - 31,848 | 2012/13 - 33,456 | 2013/14 - 15,591 | 2014/15 - 14,978

Universities in North Eastern Nigeria have the minimum

number of Applicants for the records observed between

2012/12 and 2014/15 academic sessions

MOST AFFECTED NORTHERN STATES

ADAMAWA BORNO YOBE

2011/12 21,037 27,585 2,234

2012/13 20,445 18,649 2,810

2013/14 16,752 22,612 2,543

2014/15 13,244 20,428 3,432

UNIMAID is the only university in Borno state.

Adamawa state has 3 Universities, Bauchi – 2,

Gombe – 2, Taraba – 2, and Yobe – 2.

Clearly, there is change of interest in Universities in the

North East, candidates now prefer to seek admission in

other Northern region – North West and North

Central.

It was also observed that there is no much to show

that interest has shifted to Southern universities. In

fact; between 2011/12 and 2014/15, there has been a

growing interest in Northern universities from 34.03%

in 2011/12 to 41.14% in 2014/15 academic sessions.

What has happened is that Candidates have sought

admission in other Universities in the North due to the

12 newly created Federal universities with majority

located in the North.

Still, it is apparent that there is massive waste of

investment in Education in those affected States. For

instance, even though UNIMAID enjoys better

budgetary allocation from the Federal Government

than some of its counterparts in the North, most

Students are no longer interested in seeking admission

in UNIMAID due to threat to life.

All these points to the need for

Government to do all it can to restore

peace to the region and make Education

ACCESSIBLE to as many as would love to

embrace it without threat to human life.

Data Source:

- Joint Admission and Matriculation Board

Analysis by: Wale Micaiah

e: walegate@yahoo.com

b: walemicaiah.blog.com

w. www.statisense.com