CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
Historically, Borno State, which was founded in 1976, initially
comprised the present Borno and Yobe State. Prior to the advent of
insurgency, it has been a relatively peaceful, multicultural and dynamic
State in Nigeria. The State is fortunate to have human and natural
resources, which have created many opportunities for its indigenes and
other Nigerians to live in harmony. Borno State started experiencing the
global trend of insurgency from 2009 (Adamu, 2014). Which led to the
gruesome killings of innocent Nigerian citizens perpetrated by an
insurgent group called Boko Haram (Adamu, 2014). Since 2009, they have
disrupts educational system in Borno State with huge negative effect on
basic education. The insurgent group dislikes children attending
schools, and also committed criminal offences ranging from kidnaping of
school pupils and attacking teachers in schools (Adeyemi, 2014). There
is major destruction of school activities in the state. Recent past,
they used under-age girls to carry out suicide bombing of major shopping
mall, cinema halls and bus station. Moreso, Abduction of school
children and the elderly were also common in their recent styles of
mindless attack.
Geographically, according to Borno State Government (BSG, 2012) the
State is the largest State in Nigeria in terms of land mass territory
which covers 69,435 square kilometers, which is located in the north
eastern corner of Nigeria. Educationally, the State is a center for
education to all its international and national neighbors such as the
northern part of Cameroun, the southern part of Chad and Republic of
Niger. Many students from Adamawa, Gombe and Yobe State in Nigeria had
also benefited from the State basic education program. The major tribe
in Borno State is called “Kanuri” which constitute the higher hierarchy
in the management of basic education in the state. Occupationally,
majority of the people in Borno state are famers, fishermen and herdsmen
but also send their children to the basic schools. The State is having a
conventional university known as University of Maiduguri, a
polytechnic, colleges of education, many senior secondary schools as
well as many basic schools.
The Nigerian National Policy on Education (FGN, 2004) defined basic
education as the type of education received at primary school level up
to junior secondary school level.
According to the Universal Basic Education Commission, the objectives of the basic education are as follows:
a) Provision of scholarship to drop out of school children through the basic education programme.
b) Ensure the acquisition of the appropriate levels of literacy,
manipulative and life skills (as well as the ethical, moral and civic
values needed for laying the foundation for life-long learning.
c) Develop the entire citizens with a strong consciousness for education and a strong commitment to its education
d) Provide free, compulsory, universal basic education for every Nigerian students of school age group.
e) Reduce drastically, drop outrage from the formal school system through improved relevance and efficiency curriculum.
Universal Basic Education is the transmission of knowledge to all
Nigerian society from generation to generation. It has two main
components— Universal and Basic Education. Universal means a programme
that is meant for all arms of the society such as the poor and the rich,
the physically challenge and all the school dropouts people in Borno
State. While Basic Education means the beginning of acquisition of
desirable skill, knowledge and attitude in a formal school system. The
purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of insurgency on
universal basic education in Borno State and make appropriate solution
to the challenges of basic education in the State.
1.1 Background of Study
Since the inception of President Goodluck Jonathan administration in
Nigeria, security challenges has become an issue in discourse hence Boko
Haram.
Its philosophy stands for outright rejection of Western education,
Western culture and modern science and advocates the propagation of
strict adherence to Islam in its purest form. Boko Haram represents the
vision and mission of a fundamentalist Islamic movement in Nigeria. The
sect known as Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad (people
committed to the propagation of the prophet's teachings and Jihad) seeks
to Islamize Nigeria by whatever means at its disposal and at whatever
human cost. So far the dastardly activities of this sect have been
confined to churches, security operatives and public buildings in the
Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory but now have shifted
to schools especially in Brono, Yobe and Adamawa state of Northern
Nigeria.
The atmosphere of insecurity currently pervading the nation is now
worsened by the allegation of complicity among high-ranking security
personnel, executive cabinet which president Good Luck Jonathan openly
said Boko Haram have infiltrated his government.
The spate of bombing now is targeted at primary schools, secondary
schools and tertiary institutions respectively; killing and maiming
students, teachers, lecturers as well as burning school building at will
which forced majority of schools to close down in the North especially
Borno, Yobe and Adamawa state respectively.
The trend of insecurity in the country especially with activities of
the dreaded Islamic sect popularly known as Boko Haram has become a
major concern for every Nigerian. Significant stakeholders in the
country have offered suggestions on the need to check the new security
challenges posed by the dreaded Islamic sect in the country. While some
suggested that amnesty be offered to the group; others called for
collaboration with world leaders and international organizations as
strategies to rid the country of Boko Haram terrorists. Some also
suggested the need for strengthening of internal security to combat
sect. It is against this background that this paper tends to stress the
effect of Boko Haram Insurgency on education system especially in the
Northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa state respectively. More of
the Boko Haram Insurgency will be discussed with events and date in the
next chapter.
1.2 Statement of Problem
Empathically, many schools in Borno State had experienced several
attacks from the insurgent group; some basic schools especially in Baga
towns in northern part of the State have been closed down for 2 years
(BSMOE, 2015). The authors strongly stated that, insurgency should not
be allowed to penetrate in to any nations, in a manner it penetrated in
to Nigeria through Borno State. The problem could be traced when the
Boko Haram group uses religion to set up rules in a community unnoticed,
advance it with violence to the State level and metamorphous in to an
insurgent group, and disturbed the peace of the State. The authors
argued that, this could happen due to the negligence on the part of the
then Borno State government, which served as a lesson to other countries
in Africa.
Moreso, education in Borno State have been experiencing serious
problem prior to the insurgency, there are shortage of classes for
teaching and learning, shortage of instructional materials and teachers
(NUT, 2007). This has indicated that basic school is under-funded by the
State government. Lack of payment of teacher’s salary which lead to
frequent strike by basic school teachers are also concern to many
families (NUT, 2008). Moreover, while the state is struggling to
overcome the existing problems, insurgent came in as a bigger challenged
to the State, which now posed as a threat to many parents, and children
of school age in Borno State.
All these phenomenal, prompted the researcher to conduct this study
and have a researchable solutions to the effect of this insurgency on
education in Borno state. The outcomes of this study will be of
considerable benefits to Nigerian students in the area of socio-cultural
value on education, also serve as an insight for other countries to
study the situation in Nigeria and avert any pre-insurgency activities
in their Nations. More to the issue of the Boko Haram Insurgency, the
educational system have not been able to grow or expand beyond its cost
for the past decade rather foreign students have departed due to the
insecurity
1.3 Aim and Objective of the Study
The aim of this research is to find out if the effects of the Boko
Haram Insurgency on educational development of Boron State. With the
following objectives.
1. Highlights the problem caused by the Insurgency to the development of education in Borno state.
2. Calls the attention of the government on the need and urgency for resolving the issue in Boron State
1.4 Research Question
The following research question as constructed to guide and streamline this research work to is core importance.
1. Since the beginning of Boko Haram Insurgency in the state, has there been any school that is established?
2. Sir what has been thee population growth of your school after the Insurgency history came up in this state?
3. Based on the Boko Haram Insurgency in the state has the academic performance of your student dropped for any reason?
4. How free are the students and the staff of your school been in
movement and functionality since the Insurgency Boko Haram came to
place?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
The researcher formulated two research hypothesis or assumption which
will be tested using the chi-square data formula and a 0.5 percent
error percent. The hypothesis will be accepted or rejected based on its
significance effect.
Ho1 – There is no significant difference in educational development
in the state from the previous years when the Boko Haram Insurgency has
not come to place.
Ho2 - There is no significant difference in student performance and
growth attendance among urban and rural schools in states that are prone
to Boko Haram Insurgencyin Boron State Nigeria
Ho3 - There is no significant difference in population growth of the
student in respect to the Boko Haram Insurgency in the state.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study covers the effects of Boko HaramInsurgency in Boron state
to the educational Development in the state, among the schools was a
coverage of 27 selected schools randomly selected. Also the study
examines the relationship between the two variables Boko haram
Insurgency and Educational Development.
1.7 Significance of the Study
There are numerous reasons why this research is useful, the research
work would be of great importance to students and lectures in practice
of how to carry out further research in the same area. It will help the
government to solve some likely problems that might encounter in terms
of development in Nigeria. Also, the research will act as a guide to the
government in their quest to quell the problems associated with
security, ethnic crisis and political or religious crisis in Nigeria.
1.8 Limitation of Study
During the course of performing/researching this project
work, the researcher encountered a lot of challenges as well as
opposition which ranges from financial constraints, time factor. This
factors in their own ways, slowed down the speedy progress of this work
that resulted to the researcher not being able to finish the research
work on time as is required
Also, within the area of study the researcher was faced with some
other forms of constrains that contributed to the limitation of this
researcher work, like accessibility to data, information and facts
concerning the present study due to some reasons or the other, some not
willing to give out information that it is to be within the workers.