Title: Covid-19 Pandemic: An Evaluation Of Nigerians' Preparedness For Education In Emergencies
Authors: Gideon Abayomi Oloyede Josephine Kele Oloyede
Volume: 9
Issue: 7
Pages: 86-94
Publication Date: 2025/07/28
Abstract:
Education is a vital instrument in dealing with emergency situations. Nigeria like every other country all over the world is currently under the plague of the deadly coronavirus disease, tagged "COVID-19 pandemic." This paper was aimed at evaluating Nigerians' preparedness for education in emergency situations. The study evaluated the awareness and responsiveness of various educational stakeholders be it the government, school management, teachers, parents as well as students to education in emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education in emergency is a set of plan or activities that permit structured learning to continue in a period of emergency, crisis or continuous instability. The emergence of COVID-19 in Nigeria has further heightened the prevailing economic crisis caused by the global decline in the price of crude oil, the militants induced crisis in the Niger-Delta region, the recent epidemic of Lassa fever, the rampaging Fulani herdsmen in addition the insurgencies of Boko-Haram. The likelihood of surviving present crisis requires a level of preparedness. Emergency preparedness in this paper refers to planning process which encapsulate all measures that in place prior and during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic which are aimed at preventing health or life-threatening situations, loss of lives and mitigation of any conditions capable of disrupting the continuity of educational activities. This involves ensuring that all educational stakeholders respond as speedily and as efficiently as possible to the crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic is a menace to education system as all schools' normal activities have been disrupted. Everyone, but more importantly children merit more instantaneous attention to ensure the survival and continuity of their education as this is their formative stage in life and it is more improbable for them to weather the effect of COVID-19 pandemic for an extended period of time. During COVID-19 pandemic, particular groups of children may be at risk of being denied access or face specific barriers to access their normal education due to their inability, health, economic or social status. Descriptive survey design was used for the study and was carried out in South-western Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was use in the selection of sample. First, purposive sampling technique was use to select those eligible to participate in the study, these include government officials in education sector, school managers, teachers, parents/guidance and students. Next, snowball sampling technique was use to complement purposive sampling as all respondents cannot be reached during this COVID-19 pandemic, therefore additional respondents were source through referral. Instrument entitled: Evaluation of Nigerians' Preparedness for Education in Emergencies Questionnaire (ENEEQ) was used to obtain data for the study with Cronbach Apha reliability coefficient of .85. The data for the study was collected through online google form. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. The findings of the study shows that there is no active involvement of the government, school management, teachers, parents and students in the continuity of educational activities during COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, available infrastructural facilities in the study area did not support the continuity of educational activities during COVID-19 pandemic; hence, it was concluded that Nigerians are not yet prepare for education in emergencies. It was recommended among others that the government considers massive investment in educational technology (Edu-Tech) and provision of funds to support physical infrastructure in education sector.