CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Gender equity is mostly acknowledged in underdeveloped nations across the world. This issue has the potential to undermine the long-term growth of any economy; hence, in order to avoid this, girls must have the same education as boys. Every Nigerian kid has the right to an equal educational opportunity, according to the national policy on education (2004). Women make significant contributions to national progress, but a deeper look at Nigeria’s education system reveals that female education is marginalized. This issue has hampered not just girls’ access to school, but also their performance in terms of national growth. Education has been a key resource utilized by both men and women to break down social oppression boundaries, obtain power, and flourish since its inception. Gender equality issues in higher education have been widely discussed throughout the 1990s, and have even been addressed in Regional Consultations in Havana in November 1996, Palermo in September 1997, and Beirut in March 1998. As a result, the principles of Universal Human Rights Article 26 paragraph 1 come into play, which supports that education, particularly higher education, is for everyone. As a result, the need to eliminate gender gaps in higher education is critical, because gender disparity hinders female career growth, depletes human resources, and increases illiteracy in Nigeria. Education for all in Nigeria began in 1948, when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated the policy of everyone having access to education. This was followed by the World Declaration on ‘Education for All’ in January 1990, which prompted the Nigerian government to promote female education in collaboration with some international organizations. This has yet to be realized since Nigeria is still in a state of political, social, and economic insecurity. According to research, female illiteracy in Nigeria accounts for around 45 percent of the population, with adult literacy accounting for 35 percent (UNESCO, 2000). In Nigeria, the proportion of girls in secondary, elementary, and university institutions is lower than that of boys. According to the UNESCO Report (1995), females made up 86 million of the 150 million children aged 6-11 who were not in school. Cultural and religious views, economic considerations, and a lack of access are among the causes cited as impeding female children’s education in Nigeria. According to current data, over 70% of women in Nigeria are illiterate, with 25.4 percent residing in urban areas and 50.2 percent living in rural regions. The issue of gender inequality has lingered for long in the history of Nigeria. It is noticeable almost in every facet of the Nigerian economy, in the sense that females are discriminated in the religious, political, and social phases of the Nigerian economy. Female education in Nigeria has several challenges, including illiteracy, poverty, religious belief, unplanned pregnancy, early marriage, and a preference for male children over female children. Similarly, schools in Nigeria are not gender friendly, and hence cannot satisfy the gender requirements and aspirations of pupils (particularly females). In keeping with the foregoing premise, the purpose of this study is to investigate gender equity issues in Nigerian institutions of higher learning. 1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Gender disparity is evident in Nigerian higher institutions, as evidenced by incidences of gender prejudice and discrimination such as sexual harassment (Aina, 2003). It is worth noting, however, that some African colleges do not take the issue of gender parity seriously (Gunawardana et al, 2005). Gender disparity is visible at Nigerian universities in the following areas: student enrollment, staff employment, and administrative rules. In terms of student enrollment, it is clear that most female students are admitted to faculties such as education, corporate and rural development, and humanities, as opposed to males who are admitted to engineering and other science-related faculties (Situation Analysis Report, OAU Ife, 2002).  This discrimination has crept into the educational system of Nigeria, especially the higher education. In the higher education, we have cases of gender inequality with cultists harassing the females; females’ assigned to specific departments/facilities, number of females admitted into the university, etc. Disparity in higher education still exists in staff recruitment, appointment and promotion. Other factors militating gender equality include cultural barriers, religious barriers and economic factors. These are some of the problems associated with gender equity in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. 1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY                          The major objective of this study is problems of gender equity in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.  Other specific objectives include: i.         To investigate the extent at which gender inequality prevails in higher institution. ii.       The identify the problems of gender inequality in Nigeria society .
iii.     To identify solutions to gender inequality in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. iv.     To examine the efforts made by the Nigerian government in fighting gender inequality in higher institutions. 1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS                          The following research questions guide this study: i.         To what extent does gender inequality prevails in higher institution? ii.       What are the problems of gender inequality in Nigeria society?
iii.     What are the solutions to gender inequality in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria? iv.     What efforts has the Nigerian government made in fighting gender inequality in higher institutions?
