For decades, Nigeria’s education system has grappled with challenges rooted in poverty, infrastructure decay, and systemic inequality. However, in northern Nigeria, these issues have been magnified by a far more insidious threat: terrorism. Since the rise of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2009, education in the region has endured sustained and often violent assaults, resulting in the closure of schools, displacement of students and teachers, and the collapse of community trust in formal learning systems.
Before the onset of widespread terrorism, northern Nigeria was slowly closing the educational gap between the North and the more academically advanced South. Though colonial resistance to Western education initially slowed progress, the region witnessed expansion through the establishment of government schools, universities, and policies like the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme. In the early 2000s, targeted reforms began to take shape. Efforts to modernize the Almajiri system and integrate Qur’anic education with basic literacy were introduced. NGOs and development partners also invested in girl-child education, especially in underserved rural areas. Yet, this steady growth came to an abrupt halt with the emergence of Boko Haram, whose very name translated as “Western education is forbidden” symbolizes its violent opposition to formal schooling.
The impact of terrorism on education in the region has been both structural and psychological. Insurgents targeted schools as symbols of government presence and Western influence, attacking teachers and abducting students, particularly girls. The infamous 2014 Chibok abduction, where 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped, shocked the world and underscored the vulnerability of educational institutions in conflict zones. Hundreds of schools in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states were either destroyed or abandoned. Parents began withdrawing children from school out of fear, while many teachers fled the region or refused postings in high-risk areas. The effect has been catastrophic. According to UNICEF, Nigeria today has over 10 million out-of-school children, the majority of them in the North.
As violence displaced millions of people, makeshift camps sprang up across the Northeast. However, these Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps often lacked educational infrastructure. Though NGOs and international agencies attempted to set up temporary learning centers, these were frequently underfunded, overcrowded, and under-resourced. Many displaced children, especially girls, dropped out permanently or became trapped in cycles of early marriage, child labor, or recruitment by armed groups. Those who did return to school often faced learning loss, psychological trauma, and poor academic outcomes due to years of interrupted education.
Recognizing the interconnectedness of security and education, the Nigerian military has stepped beyond combat roles to support education recovery in the North. Troops have helped liberate and secure communities, enabling the reopening of schools. Through Operation Safe Corridor, the military provides basic education and vocational training to rehabilitated insurgents, aiding in their reintegration into society. The military also operates Command Schools and runs civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) initiatives, such as rebuilding classrooms, donating learning materials, and organizing outreach programs in affected areas. In many volatile regions, these efforts have been crucial in restoring educational access and public confidence.
In 2014, the Nigerian government, in collaboration with international partners, launched the Safe Schools Initiative, aimed at protecting education in emergency zones. The initiative focused on relocating vulnerable students, fortifying school infrastructure, and increasing community surveillance. However, implementation has been inconsistent. Continued attacks and mass abductions in states like Kaduna, Niger, and Zamfara show that insecurity has not only persisted but spread beyond the North East, evolving into a broader national crisis involving banditry and rural violence.
The battle to reclaim education in northern Nigeria cannot be won by military might alone. The solution lies in a multi-sectoral approach that combines security, governance, education reform, and economic development. Key strategies include expanding psychosocial support in schools to help traumatized students reintegrate and learn, investing in teacher training and safety, especially for female educators in conflict zones, strengthening the integration of Qur’anic and formal education systems to provide culturally relevant and inclusive learning, and scaling up education for IDPs while investing in alternative learning models like radio education and mobile classrooms.
The future of northern Nigeria hinges on the restoration of education as a pillar of stability, development, and peace. Insecurity has robbed millions of children of their right to learn, but with coordinated action and sustained investment, that trend can be reversed. A secure classroom is more than a shelter from bullets it is a beacon of hope in a region yearning for peace and progress.
