Impact Of Urban – Rural Disparity In School Attendance On Multidimensional Poverty In Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the issue of urban-rural disparities in education in Nigeria, specifically in terms of attendance at school and its effects on development outcomes. It attempts to empirically affirm the existence of urban - rural bias in school attendance at the primary, junior secondary and senior secondary levels, and the implications of such a bias for multidimensional poverty. The study made use of descriptive research design involving cross sectional (state based) data on relevant variables of the study compiled by reputable national/international bodies. These include the MICS data on the Nigerian education sector by UNICEF-Nigeria and the Nigerian Multidimensional Poverty Index by the National Bureau of Statistics. Collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t test, and ordinary least squares regression technique. The results reveal that there is significant difference in urban – rural school attendance at all levels of the educational system considered while urban – rural disparity in school attendance has significant effect on multidimensional poverty at both the junior secondary and senior secondary levels but not at the primary school level. While disparity in attendance at the junior secondary level increases poverty, it decreases poverty at the senior secondary level. Appropriate recommendations were offered based on the findings.