Security Challenges and Sustainability of Gender Equality in Access to Quality Education in South-East Nigeria

This study investigated the influence of security challenges on the sustainability of gender equality in access to quality education in South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to ascertain forms, causes and consequences of security challenges on the sustainability of gender equality in access to quality education in the South-Eastern states of Nigeria. Five research questions and five corresponding hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level of significance. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised estimated 63, 935 respondents that comprised 22,576 male and female teachers and 41, 359 parents in the study area. Multi-stage random sampling technique was adopted and 759 respondents comprising 378 teachers and 381 parents were randomly selected. The instrument for data collection was a 46-item structured questionnaire on a 4-point modified Likert scale designed by the researchers with response options ranging from Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), to Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD). Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics involving mean and standard deviation, while hypotheses were tested at a .05 level of significance using independent sample t-test statistics. Results of the study revealed among others that human, perceived socio-political Exclusion, cultural and internal factors which resulted in agitation for self-rule through the instrumentality of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), constitute security challenges to sustainability of gender equality in access to quality education in the South-East Nigeria which affect sustainability of gender equality in access to quality education as it increases school dropout rate, and unfriendly learning environment. The study recommended among other things that, Federal and South-East state governments should use dialogue and strategic communication framework to curb security challenges that threaten quality education in the South-Eastern Nigeria and that constructive engagement of youths through Technical and vocational education, and the unconditional release of the IPOB leader could curb the security challenges in the area.