Abstract
This paper set out to assess the performance of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS I) in Nigeria in relation to its educational goals. These goals include; increasing enrolment in primary and secondary schools, improving the quality of education, and increasing funding to this critical sector. Several economic reform programmes in Nigeria have been abandoned not because they had no accomplishments, but largely as a result of paucity of studies assessing them. No paper in the Nigerian literature has appraised the NEEDS I vis-Ã -vis its stated educational objectives. This paper therefore fills this void. In realizing the objective of this study, I adopted the before and after approach, which involves comparing educational performance indicators before the initiation of the NEEDSI and during the programme. The findings revealed improved performance of educational indicators such as female enrolment in primary schools, adult literacy rate, primary school completion rate, and Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations during the NEEDS programme, although achievements were modest. Budgetary allocation to the sector as a proportion of total budget was below 10 per cent and less than the 25 per cent UNESCO recommendation. Funding to this sector should be increased and monitored in order to achieve sustainable improvements in educational outcomes. Completion rate in secondary school was also low. This paper therefore suggests the extension of the universal basic education scheme to the senior secondary level to reduce drop-out rates.
Highlights
The need to reduce poverty incidence has been a huge challenge facing the Nigerian government
How did the education sector perform during the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy I (NEEDS I)? Were the set goals of increasing school enrolment, raising adult literacy level, amongst others achieved? This paper provides answers to these questions
I have analyzed the effects of NEEDS on the education sector by examining to what extent its stated objectives of increasing primary and secondary school enrolment, improving the quality of education, achieving adult literacy rate of 65 per cent by 2007, and increasing funding to the sector were achieved between 2004 and
Summary
The need to reduce poverty incidence has been a huge challenge facing the Nigerian government. Data from the World Bank quoted poverty incidence at 62.6% in 2010. In 1999, when the nation transitioned from a military regime to a democratic government, hopes of the masses were raised. There were indications that succor had come at last for the poor with the initiation of programmes such as the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) and National. The democratic government inherited an economy that had been bedeviled in moral, economic, socio, and political decadence. Poverty rate was 70 per cent, and the country was ranked by the Transparency International as the second most corrupt nation in the world. Annual growth of per capita GDP (an indicator of economic development) was 1.3%, compared to sub-Saharan Africa’s and Ghana’s 0.1% and 2.1% respectively Source : Drawn using data from CBN Annual Report and Statement of Account of various years.
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