DEPRIVATION: AN IMPEDIMENT TO THE PROGRESS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Many Nigerians hare attributed the falling standard of education in tins country to inadequate Government support of the educational sector as well as the insufficient number of trained and qualified teachers. This author is, however, of the opinion that the falling standard of education in Nigeria is, primarily, as a result of deprivation. Deprivation, by the consensus among scholars, is the lack of what is essential for adequate development or a failure to satisfy basic needs. There are a number of children whose educational progress has been impeded by environmental handicaps, such a s poverty, poor housing conditions, inadequate parental care, linguistic and emotional deprivation, lack of parental interest in their education, material deprivation and absence of a father-figure, and a background offering little stimulation, among others. Furthermore, there is no doubt that those children would have recorded improved school progress if there had been an improvement in the condition in which they live. It is strongly recommended that governments (Federal, State and Local) should do everything possible to alleviate the suffering of the Nigerian populace and raise their levels of awareness about the importance of education so that children could get their desired education.