29% of teachers in conflict-hit Borno communities risk leaving profession, study finds

The Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) says 29 percent of teachers in conflict-affected communities in Borno state are experiencing high levels of stress and are at risk of leaving the profession.

In a report released on Tuesday in Abuja, the centre attributed the growing pressure on teachers to prolonged insecurity, displacement and repeated disruptions to education in the north-east.

“Twenty-nine percent of teachers reported high levels of stress and a risk of leaving the profession,” the report said, warning that the trend could worsen the region’s already fragile education system.

The report noted that the findings were based on research conducted across Maiduguri metropolitan council, Jere and Konduga LGAs.

It said the study surveyed 100 households and included 17 school observations, 80 focus group discussions and 57 key informant interviews.

The report found that nearly half of schools in the affected communities had been forced to shut down at some point because of conflict or insecurity.

It stated that 48 percent of schools had experienced temporary closures, while some LGAs recorded an average 37 percent decline in enrolment since 2020.

It further revealed that 65 percent of households had at least one child out of school, while the dropout rate across all levels was 23 percent higher for girls than boys.

It also found that 62 percent of schools lacked disaster preparedness or contingency plans, leaving them vulnerable to conflict and climate-related emergencies.

The report said 52.9 percent of teachers had received adequate training in the past 12 months, while 47.1 percent reported inadequate training.

It noted that teacher development is critical to education recovery in fragile and conflict-affected areas.

“When schools experience disruption, whether from flooding or insecurity, teachers need updated skills in remedial education, psychosocial support, and adaptive instruction. Without regular training, even when schools reopen, the quality of recovery is weakened,” the report said.

The report identified insurgency, communal clashes, farmer-herder conflicts, climate-related disasters and mass displacement as key drivers of the education crisis in Borno and other parts of the north-east.

It added that severe teacher shortages, uneven deployment of personnel, damaged infrastructure and gender disparities were major barriers to school enrolment and retention.

The report suggested improved teacher recruitment and deployment in high-risk areas, psychosocial training for teachers, expansion of accelerated education programmes and stronger coordination of stakeholders to address the challenges.