#MNDA_Reflections DAY10 Closing the Facility-Density Gaps in the Niger Delta Primary Schools

The Niger Delta has experienced agitations emanating from the consequences of crude oil exploration. The basic cause of these agitations has been the question of social and infrastructural deficits in the region; specifically, educational facilities (primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary educational institutions), health facilities (primary health care centres, hospitals, Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres), water supply and sanitation, transport facilities (road, rail and sea) and power supply facilities.

These ingredients of development have baselines, which represents the standard in which people live. Percentage of facilities required to close the density gap in terms of primary education in the Niger Delta is palpable. In a research conducted by African Centre for Shared Development Capacity Building in conjunction with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the percentage increase in number of primary school required by the States to catch up with national average is, Abia 2.74%, Akwa Ibom 53%, Bayelsa 37.9%, Cross River 29%, Delta 90%, Edo 8.11%, Imo 37.93%, Ondo 33.33% and Rivers 33.93%.

These data presents estimates of the percentage increases in the stock of primary and secondary schools that are required to close the gaps between the densities of each of the nine Niger Delta States and the corresponding national densities. It shows that all but one of the Niger Delta States will require considerable increases in the number of primary schools in order to catch up with the national average. Abia State will need to ensure that the increases in the number of primary schools is in line with the population growth so as to maintain the density. Relatively large increases will be required in Delta and Akwa-Ibom States in order to catch up with the national density. There is need for at least 30% increases in the stock of primary schools in Bayelsa, Cross River, Imo, Ondo and Rivers states in order to catch up with the national density while Edo will need at least 8% increase in the stock of its primary schools in order to catch up with the national density.

In essence, there is need to significantly increase the number of primary schools in 8 of the Niger Delta States while ensuring that the number of primary schools in Abia State keeps in step with population growth rate of the State.