Does Boko Haram fight against Nigeria have any effect on Applicants' choices?

1. Boko aram
Jambites’ Choices
&

2. The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) General
Comment No. 13, paragraph 6, identifies four features that are essential to
realizing the right to education. They are known as the 4As.
Availability
Accessibility
Acceptability
Adaptability
The content of education and the way it is delivered, must be
relevant, acceptable for all, including minorities, and of good
quality; and
Education must be free, and there must be a sufficient number
of educational institutions and trained teachers, as well as
education materials, so that education is available to all;
The institutions and programmes must be: (1) Accessible to all,
without discrimination, including marginalised groups; (2) Physically
accessible within a safe and reasonable distance and accessible to
those with disabilities; and (3) Accessible in terms of cost: primary
education must be free for all, whereas secondary and higher
education must be affordable and progressively made free;
Education must be flexible and able to respond to the needs of
students in different social and cultural settings. This includes
those with learning difficulties as well as gifted children.

3. This study takes a look at one of the 4As –
Accessibility – and precisely:
The institutions and
programmes must be: (2)
Physically accessible within a
SAFE and reasonable distance.
A closer review of past and present UTME
applications to tertiary institutions (Universities)
in the Northern part of Nigeria and the
resultant effect – if any – of Boko Haram on
Admission seekers.

4. MAP OF NIGERIA SHOWING
THE 6 GEO-POLITICAL
ZONES

5. There are 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Of these, 19 States are located in the Northern part of
Nigeria, while the remaining 17 are in the Southern part.
The geo-political zones are:
NE
NC
NW
SE
SS
SW
North East
North Central
North West
South East
South South
South West
While most Northern states are under threat of the sect;
the North East is currently the operational base, with
Borno, Yobe and Adamawa being the most affected.

6. BORNO
YOBE
STATE
POPULATION
(ESTIMATE)
APPELLATION
ADAMAWA 3.8m Land of Beauty
BORNO 5.0m Home of Peace
YOBE 2.8m The Young Shall Grow
While most Northern
states are under threat of
the Sect; the North East is
currently the operational
base, with BORNO, YOBE
and ADAMAWA being the
most affected.

7. TOTAL NUMBER OF UNIVERSITY:
Total number here implies number of Universities offering
admission during the stated academic session
129
2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
113 116 122 126
(as at June, 2014)

8. 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
112 116 122 125
No. of Universities in the North (N), in the South (S):
41 71 42 74 46 76 48 77
DISTRIBUTION OF UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA

9. UTME APPLICATIONS (2011 – 2014)
NORTH SOUTH NORTH %
2011/12 503,530 976,269 34.03%
2012/13 525,486 967,284 35.20%
2013/14 625,204 1,093,497 36.38%
2014/15 663,390 948,955 41.14%
There is an appreciable increase in the number of
Candidates seeking admission opportunity into
Universities located in the Northern part of the country
irrespective of the activities of Boko Haram.
What is it like in the most affected North East?

10. UTME APPLICATIONS (2011 – 2014)
NORTH
EAST
NORTH
CENTRAL
NORTH
WEST
NORTH
EAST %
2011/12 76,655 202,431 192,596 15.22%
2012/13 75,279 267,669 149,082 14.33%
2013/14 75,528 307,574 226,511 12.39%
2014/15 87,867 322,215 238,330 13.25%
FCT: 2011/12 - 31,848 | 2012/13 - 33,456 | 2013/14 - 15,591 | 2014/15 - 14,978
Universities in North Eastern Nigeria have the minimum
number of Applicants for the records observed between
2012/12 and 2014/15 academic sessions

11. MOST AFFECTED NORTHERN STATES
ADAMAWA BORNO YOBE
2011/12 21,037 27,585 2,234
2012/13 20,445 18,649 2,810
2013/14 16,752 22,612 2,543
2014/15 13,244 20,428 3,432
UNIMAID is the only university in Borno state.
Adamawa state has 3 Universities, Bauchi – 2,
Gombe – 2, Taraba – 2, and Yobe – 2.

12. Clearly, there is change of interest in Universities in the
North East, candidates now prefer to seek admission in
other Northern region – North West and North
Central.
It was also observed that there is no much to show
that interest has shifted to Southern universities. In
fact; between 2011/12 and 2014/15, there has been a
growing interest in Northern universities from 34.03%
in 2011/12 to 41.14% in 2014/15 academic sessions.
What has happened is that Candidates have sought
admission in other Universities in the North due to the
12 newly created Federal universities with majority
located in the North.

13. Still, it is apparent that there is massive waste of
investment in Education in those affected States. For
instance, even though UNIMAID enjoys better
budgetary allocation from the Federal Government
than some of its counterparts in the North, most
Students are no longer interested in seeking admission
in UNIMAID due to threat to life.
All these points to the need for
Government to do all it can to restore
peace to the region and make Education
ACCESSIBLE to as many as would love to
embrace it without threat to human life.

14. Data Source:
- Joint Admission and Matriculation Board
Analysis by: Wale Micaiah
e: walegate@yahoo.com
b: walemicaiah.blog.com
w. www.statisense.com