Destinies truncated in Nigeria as schools shut gates over insurgent, terror activities

…Pupils, students trail behind calendar

…Country risks a generation learning ‘survival’ before ‘algebra.’

…Worsens UNICEF’s report of 74% of nation’s children lacking basic reading/math skills

The worsening insecurity in some parts of the country has drastically affected the smooth academic programme of many Nigerian pupils and students.

The rising wave of abduction of pupils and their teachers has come with an unfortunate closure of schools, which has put the pupils at an incredible disadvantage.

Currently, the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is going on, but in some states, schools are on a compulsory or forced holiday.

Nubi Achebo, director of academic planning at Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM), said what is happening in Oriire LGA, Ogbomoso axis, is a direct attack on the future.

“For pupils writing 2026 WASSCE right now, it’s a double jeopardy: delays in exam materials and late-night papers are already stressing candidates, and forced holidays mean missed revision, practicals, and counselling.

“When we talk of remuneration, it is only when you are alive that you can think of that. Over 603 students and teachers have been kidnapped in seven mass abductions since March 2024. That’s not just lost classes, it’s a loss of trust,” he said.

On the future of Nigerian children’s education, Achebo said that if schools remain targets, the country risks a generation learning ‘survival’ before ‘algebra.’ UNICEF already warns 74 percent of children aged seven to 14 lack basic reading/math skills.

“Insecurity widens that gap; schools close indefinitely, children drop out to work, and parents stop enrolling kids out of fear. Oyo alone has 674,000 children out of school. Continue this way, and “out-of-school” becomes “out-of-future,” he noted.

He calls for a catch-up plan for WASSCE candidates, a safe school and community model approach, and flexible learning while schools are shut, among others.

“WAEC and the Oyo Ministry of Education should run accelerated revision camps for affected centres once schools reopen. Extra tutorials, weekend classes, and free past-question drills can compress lost time.

“The minimum standards for safe schools and perimeter fencing, CCTV, and solar lights were recommended by the Oyo Assembly after the Oriire attack. But physical security alone won’t work. Oriire communities, vigilantes, Amotekun, and schools need real-time early warning groups. Schools are ‘sacred spaces’ under the Child Rights Law and must be protected like hospitals,” he said.

Christopher Nmeribe, an educationist, said that the trend of school children abduction amid the ongoing WASSCE is deeply troubling.

“When insecurity forces schools to close, children lose valuable learning time, fall behind their peers, and risk dropping out altogether.

“The long-term effect is a generation with reduced educational opportunities and a nation with diminished human capital,” he said.

Nmeribe emphasised that the way forward is for the government at all levels to prioritise school security, strengthen intelligence gathering, deploy security personnel to vulnerable areas, and invest in safe-school initiatives.

“Every Nigerian child deserves access to education without fear. Protecting schools is not just an education issue; it is a national security and development imperative,” he noted.

Jessica Osuere, chief executive officer at RubiesHub Educational Services, emphasised that the situation in Oriire and so many other communities in Nigeria is a painful reminder that insecurity is no longer just a security challenge; it is an education emergency.

“Every day a child spends out of school due to fear, abduction, or school closure widens learning gaps, affects emotional well-being, and threatens future opportunities.

“While their peers continue with lessons and examinations, affected pupils are left struggling to recover lost time, while most of them would develop serious psychological issues due to the trauma they went through in the hands of terrorists and may never return to school again, thereby creating deeper inequalities in access to quality education,” she said.

Osuere called on the governments at all levels to treat school safety as a national priority by strengthening security around learning institutions, improving intelligence gathering, and implementing effective education-in-emergencies plans.

“Communities, parents, civil society organisations, and development partners must also work together to provide alternative learning opportunities and psychosocial support for affected children,” she said.

She noted that if urgent action is not taken, the long-term cost will be a generation of learners deprived of the education needed to build a stable and prosperous Nigeria.

Mercy Nnokam, a teacher in Port Harcourt, said that with these insecurity challenges, Nigeria’s education system and the future of the children is greatly threatened and that breaks my heart.

“A lot of parents wouldn’t want their children back in school if the situation isn’t properly controlled. No parent wants to take the risk of losing any child or see their children go through terrible experiences in captivity, just like the recent case

“The school would not want to reopen if adequate security isn’t in place. And we know that such security isn’t guaranteed, especially when compared with the sophisticated weapons these bandits display on social media,” she said.

Nnokam emphasised that the students in schools forced to shut down would have gaps. “Some would have to repeat in other schools. And for those whose family already lost hope in the system, they would be forced to go for vocations to acquire skills.

“Painfully, some students in these categories are brilliant; they aspire to become our future leaders, lawyers, doctors, teachers, bankers, but see how most are going to end because of this ugly and terrible situation. It’s painful,” she noted.

Insecurity severely disrupted the WASSCE in several Nigerian states. School abductions heightened tension, while late-arriving examination papers forced students in states like Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, and Osun to write exams late into the evening in the dark.

Amid the surging insecurity in the country, fear and uncertainty have grown over the persistent abduction of students and teachers, which has cast a dark shadow over the ongoing WASSCE.

The 2026 WASSCE commenced on April 21, with practical papers and will end on June 19, 2026.

The concerns come amid two unresolved school abduction incidents in Borno and Oyo States, where many children and teachers have been held in captivity for more than three weeks after they were kidnapped.