The Nexus between Government Secondary Education Expenditure and Quality of Education in Nigeria

Abstract

The decline in the educational system in Nigeria has been a burning subject of research over the years due to its essence in National development. This study examined the Nigerian government education expenditure in comparison with selected countries in Africa, the quality of education in the country and explored the relationship between the government secondary education expenditure and the quality of education at that tier of education system. Data for the study was collated majorly from the World Bank database and official documents of relevant government agencies. The data analysis showed that Nigeria recorded the lowest figure in government education expenditure across all the years under study (2010-2018) except in 2012 when it recorded 8.55% ahead of Seychelles at 6.77%. Nigeria's all-time high was in 2015 (9.26%) and the all-time low was in 2018 (5.94%). Nigeria recorded a high secondary school enrollment rate in 2013 of 56.21% and a corresponding government education expenditure of 8.68%, followed by a decline in enrollment (10.59%) in 2014 despite an increased expenditure of 0.36% over the previous year. The analysis also found a relationship (r=0.61) between government education expenditure and secondary school enrollment. The study among other recommendations suggests that the Nigerian government should prioritize education during budget allocation to improve the quality of education at all levels.