29% of Teachers in Borno Face Burnout Amid Ongoing Insecurity
A new report by the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) has revealed that nearly one in three teachers working in conflict-affected communities across Borno State are experiencing severe stress and may leave the teaching profession.
The report, unveiled in Abuja, highlights the devastating impact of prolonged insecurity, displacement, and repeated school disruptions on education in Nigeria’s North-East.
According to the findings, 29 percent of teachers admitted they are under intense pressure and are considering abandoning the profession, raising fresh concerns about the future of education in one of Nigeria’s most affected regions.
Research Covered Three Borno LGAs
The study focused on Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Jere, and Konduga Local Government Areas, where researchers carried out extensive fieldwork involving:
Surveys of 100 households
Observations across 17 schools
80 focus group discussions
57 key informant interviews
The findings paint a troubling picture of an education system struggling to recover from years of conflict.
Schools Continue to Face Major Disruptions
The report found that insecurity has forced many schools to shut down temporarily over the years.
Key findings include:
48% of schools have experienced temporary closure due to conflict.
School enrolment has dropped by an average of 37% in some local government areas since 2020.
65% of households have at least one child who is currently out of school.
Girls face a significantly higher dropout rate, estimated at 23% higher than boys.
Teachers Need More Support and Training
Beyond security concerns, researchers identified inadequate professional support as another major challenge.
While 52.9% of teachers reported receiving training within the past year, 47.1% said they had little or no access to professional development.
The report stressed that teachers require regular training in:
Psychosocial support
Emergency education
Remedial learning
Classroom management during crises
Without these skills, the quality of education recovery remains weak even after schools reopen.
Many Schools Lack Emergency Preparedness
Another concern raised by the report is the absence of disaster response planning.
According to the findings, 62% of schools have no contingency or emergency preparedness plans, making them vulnerable to both security threats and climate-related disasters.
Researchers warned that this leaves thousands of children at greater risk of prolonged learning interruptions.
Experts Call for Urgent Government Action
CSEA’s Director of Research, Adedeji Adeniran, described education as a fundamental human right and warned that prolonged disruption could have lasting economic and social consequences.
He urged governments across West Africa to prioritize education funding and develop alternative financing mechanisms capable of protecting schools during emergencies.
Recommendations
The report recommends:
Recruiting more teachers for high-risk communities.
Expanding psychosocial support programmes.
Increasing teacher training opportunities.
Strengthening remote learning initiatives.
Improving collaboration between government agencies and development partners.
Investing more in emergency education systems.
Experts believe implementing these measures will help improve resilience and ensure that children in conflict-affected communities continue learning despite ongoing security challenges.
