THE RISING COST OF EDUCATION AND IT’S IMPLICATIONS ON THE YOUTH: A CASE STUDY OF UNGOGO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KANO

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

The cost of education is at its highest now more than ever even in first world countries where a lot of measures have been tactically put in place to aid and raise the standard of education and level of literacy per individual. Students take out loans to put themselves through college especially for the study of professional courses to be paid after graduation and working. Governments of these developed countries make it possible for people to study without the overly hindrance of the financial factor but the cost is there nonetheless. It doesn’t show still as the importance of education especially in these developed countries are still more significant and all the more and seems to be directly proportional to the rising cost so that it doesn’t pose so much of a social problem as it would seem.

However the issue is not so bad in these developed countries as it is in the developing and underdeveloped countries where the quality and importance of a tertiary education isn’t as profitable as in developed countries and no as proportional with the hard and stringent economic conditions so that the effect is visibly on the students and potential students. And seeing the importance of education the impact is of devastating proportions especially as it is pertaining more to the youth of the nation with their strategic significance to the overall survival of the country’s future.

1.2   Statement of the Problem

Education in the 21^st century is no doubt a basic need as its need is fused into the entire existence and needs of society so that to even navigate through the world of a technologically advanced world and a global one at that, one needs not only basic education but a significant level of it. For this reason governments have put measures in place to subsidize it seeing the importance if it.

However, even with the subsidisation of education, its cost still borders along the level of preposterousness almost as much as health care. And the implications are significant especially on the youth. This is the problem that the present research work has elected itself to grapple with: to study the implications of the rising cost of education on the youth with the Ungogo local government area of Kano state Nigeria as a case study

1.3   Research Questions

1.3.1      what are the factors that bear upon the rising cost of education in Nigeria especially in recent years and in regards to tertiary education.

1.3.2      What is the general implication of this situation and on the youth of the LGA in particular

1.3.3      What are the possible and feasible measures to be put in place to counter the problem.

1.4   Objectives of the Study

The purpose of this research first and foremost is the identification of the factors that give rise to the unending rise in the cost of education in the country and the local government especially at the tertiary level. This will make possible the direct purpose of the research which is to analyze and describe the political and social implications of the high cost of education on the youth. The research hopes to compare this with other regions and similar local government areas with the aim of identifying the peculiar factors affecting the cost of education in the area.

1.5   Significance of the Study

The study is of great importance to the government in order to combat the fatal implications of the rising cost of education on the youth of the area. More than the range of the study, the recommendations made in the research will be of great significance to governments and education boards of every other area and region in the  country as this is a very widespread issue especially in a country where only a very minute percentage is interested in formal education.

1.6   Research Hypothesis

The research was carried out under the assumption that the rising cost of education especially at secondary and tertiary level has grave implications on the development and empowerment of the youth of the area and by implication other areas in the country.

1.7   Scope of the Study

The research focuses on the study as it manifests on the youth of the Ungogo local government area of Kano state. In carrying out the research, the case study will be limited to secondary and tertiary level as most state have now entrenched the universal basic education policy.

1.8   Limitations of the Study

The major limitations of this research work is firstly the time factor to complete the required study within the given time irrespective of the volume of research that should go into the work. Another is that of resources to fund the needed travelling both of which did not come in the needed amount hence, reflecting, though minutely, on the work.