Extremist ideology, political violence and women access to education in Africa: insights from north-east Nigeria

Abstract

The outbreak of violence has always generates untoward consequences for the education sector, impacting negatively on safety of learning environment, security of teachers and students alike. Underscoring the linkage between education and political violence, scholars have note that education often act as two edged sword. Since time immemorial, education has serves as instrument to prevent, mitigate and ameliorate conflicts between and within social groups. However, education can also serves as trigger, contribute to and a cause of conflict. This largely occurs through lack of qualitative access to educational services for the poor and through the nature and content of curriculum. When education emerges as victim of violence, women and girl-child are often impacted more as violence are often disproportionately directed at girl-child in their learning environment with the objectives of dissuading parents from sending girls to school. Drawing from the experiences in North-East Nigeria, this article discuss violence directed at learning institutions, teachers and students. It highlights how extremist ideology and violence of the Boko Haram group generates fears in the heart of parents, dissuade them from sending girl-child to school and thus restricts access to education for women and girl-child.

Keywords: Political Violence, Girl-Child, Education, Boko Haram, Nigeria