Exploring Spatial Inequality in Educational Outcomes in Sokoto, Nigeria

Inequality in access to quality education remains a significant challenge for socioeconomic development across the world, specifically in low and middle-income countries. This study explores the spatial component of inequality in the educational outcomes of schools in the state of Sokoto, Nigeria using Moran’s I Spatial Autocorrelation Index and Spatial Gini Index. Subsequently, the study analyses how space influences the production of education by employing GWR. The data has been taken from the evaluation study of the NIPEP project in Sokoto. Significant spatial dependency and spatial inequality is observed in the educational outcomes of schools in Sokoto. The inputs of school facilities, SBMC involvement and Headmaster’s education level are found to have a significantly varying relationship with educational outcomes across space. The spatial analysis of education production can help policy makers explain geographically varying outcomes of projects, identify factors which result in its success and prioritize most deprived areas based on their need and effectiveness of intervention. Therefore, current policy outcomes should be evaluated spatially before being expanded and replicated to other areas.