Education and Class Stratification in Nigeria
Agwadu Lhebade
Keywords: Educational access, class, exploitation, capitalism, inequality
Abstract
This paper examines the nexus between education and class stratification in Nigeria through the Marxian theoretical lenses. The paper argues that education is a critical component of human progress; regrettably, colonialism codified and perpetuated class divides in Nigeria in manners that underlying structures and patterns of material production and distribution in the country have deprived a great majority of persons in the country to attain education. This has also bequeathed unequal distributions of rights and powers among and between distinct groups in the Nigerian society. Data was collected through primary and secondary sources. Findings established that education in Nigeria creates and maintains classes by restricting access to certain forms of knowledge to a confined group of individuals while denying others access. Education offers different kinds of knowledge to different people thereby preparing them unequally for different roles in society. The paper concludes that education creates and maintains a class structure in Nigeria that promotes inquality. The paper recommends that Nigeria should review its educational policies to make room for wider access at all levels of education.
Author Biography
Agwadu, Lhebade
Department of Political Science,
Federal University Wukari, Nigeria.
agwadu@fuwukari.edu.ng