Nigerian Women Return to School: Balancing Learning with Livelihood

Sokoto, Nigeria – Whenever her curious 7-year-old returns from school with homework, Habiba Abubakar, 28, must ask neighbors for help. Before she herself started school, she couldn't help her child and felt ashamed about it. In 2021, Abubakar returned to class after a 13-year gap, enrolling at the Women's Continuing Education Center (WCCE) in Sokoto State. Now a mother of four, she can help her children with their homework.

Abubakar's interrupted education is common in northern Nigeria, especially in rural communities where girls often drop out due to cultural practices such as early marriage or poverty. According to UNICEF, more than half of the region's girls are not in school.

Jennifer Agbaji, a social responsibility expert and executive director of the NGO BVPRI, calls the second-chance education initiative a positive intervention but says it must not be limited to traditional classrooms. She argues that many women may still be excluded if learning depends on physical presence alone.

How the System Works

WCCE was established in 1997 under the military governor of Sokoto State, aiming to provide adult education and vocational skills for women. Unlike public schools that run six years, the center offers a three-year primary program and a six-year secondary program. Learners are exempt from tuition fees thanks to state government efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children. After her divorce, Abubakar relied on her father's support to continue studying. She says she used to pay 5,000 naira (about $3.5) per term, but now it's free. However, learners still cover transport, books, and living costs.

Challenges

According to Agbaji, beyond poverty and early marriage, structural barriers include gender bias that prioritizes domestic duties over education. Many women lose confidence after years away from school. Fatima Attahir, who wants to become a nurse, returned to class after 12 years. She helps with her family's trading business to cover living expenses while studying. She believes the primary program should last six years instead of three to build a solid foundation for a medical career.

Before her divorce, Abubakar had to wake earlier than usual to prepare breakfast, clean the house, and take her children to school. In class, she often felt tired and sleepy. After the divorce, transport costs became a burden. Her father later gave her 10,000 naira (about $7) to start making cakes and snacks, helping her afford school expenses. Another learner, Hafsat Aliyu, leaves her two-year-old with her in-laws while attending class, selling cakes during breaks to earn transport money. Her husband pays for books, while she covers her own expenses.

Physics teacher Nuraddeen Ladan Dogon Daji says the biggest challenge is that learners' pace of understanding differs from that of younger students. Still, some excel—one recent learner won the state's annual knowledge competition. Additionally, the center's vocational training now only offers sewing, instead of the original diverse skills, and learners must buy their own supplies like scissors.

The Way Forward

Agbaji emphasizes that Nigeria needs to adopt a lifelong learning framework, investing in adult education, distance learning platforms, and community education. She argues that excluding education prolongs poverty, limits economic opportunities, increases the risk of abuse, and affects future generations because children of educated mothers are more likely to go to school.