Philippine E-Journals

Educational and Social Re-Orientation Needs of Internally Displaced Persons in Selected North-Central States of Nigeria

Adesoji A. Oni | Fausta Manafa

Discipline: Education, Social Science

 

Abstract:

Ever since, terrorist groups particularly the Boko Haram, have been exploding bombs in Borno, Maiduguri, Niger, Kaduna and Bayelsa States of Nigeria. Scores of people have become homeless – emotionally and physically displaced as a result of these terrorist acts. As these continue in the country, there is the need to research into how victims of the crises cope and particularly, to know the educational and social-re-orientation needs of the victims. Thus, this study examines the educational and social orientation needs of internally displaced persons in selected North-Central States of Nigeria. The population for the study comprised of all the internally displaced persons in the six (6) states constituting the North-Central geo-political zone of Nigeria. Random sampling technique was used to sample two states which are; Kogi and Kwara states. Subsequently, purposive sampling technique was used to sample a total of 212 internally displaced persons. Collected data were analyzed using percentages and chi-square statistics. Results show that 65.71% of male and 47.66% of female IDPs expressed need for reinstatement in the educational programme, 87.61% male and 43.92% of female IDPs expressed missing their course of study and 83.80% male and 36.44% female IDPs expressed nostalgia for learning in their former school. On the other hand, only1.90% of male, 15.88% of female, 9% of Christians and 10.75% of Muslims IDPs expressed the need to learn the culture of their new environment as their major social orientation needs. In addition to this, 73.33% of male, 85.04% of female, 88% of Christians and 86.02% of Muslim IDPs expressed to regain battered self-esteem as their social orientation needs. Based on the findings, it was concluded that internally Displaced Persons have varied education and social orientation needs that vary on the basis of their gender and religion. Thus, it was recommended that government and other stakeholders should make provisions in policies and infrastructures to meet the educational and social orientation needs of persons displaced across the Northern Nigeria as a result of political and religious crises.