Identifying and Recruiting Effective Primary School Teachers in Northern Nigeria

The provision of primary education in Northern Nigeria is undermined by inadequate teacher recruitment and deployment policies and practices. School needs are not taken into account, too many unqualified teachers are... [ view full abstract ]

The provision of primary education in Northern Nigeria is undermined by inadequate teacher recruitment and deployment policies and practices. School needs are not taken into account, too many unqualified teachers are appointed through long-established patterns of patronage while qualified teachers are overlooked and teachers often refuse ‘hardship’ postings or leave them early.  This paper examines the development of a series of evidence-based recommendations intended to challenge the policy inertia that currently limits the recruitment and deployment of effective primary teachers in Kaduna and Kano States.  It highlights the importance of engaging key education stakeholders in generating policy-related evidence and involving them in the development of recommended changes.  Particular attention is paid to the significance of inter-sectoral collaboration between academics and policymakers and how this enabled the acceptance of policy recommendations.  Although focused on Northern Nigeria, the paper is relevant to other regions where the dominance of vested interests inhibits meaningful policy change.