Enrollment of Rural Farmers’ Children into Schools in Ibadan Oyo State Nigeria

Education is germane to liberating many people from high level of illiteracy and abject poverty. But lack of school enrollment among vulnerable children of such people living in the rural areas will further limit development, progress and the well-being they deserve. This study however was meant to assess the enrollment of rural farmers’ children into schools in Ido and Oluyole Local Government Areas, Ibadan, Oyo state. Purposive sampling technique was used for selection of the study area in the areas of Ibadan while random sampling was used to select 150 respondents from 10 communities in the 2 LGAs. Data collected were analyzed with both descriptive and inferential statistics. The result revealed that majority of the respondents (94.2%) were married, 63.3% were above 60 years, 50.8% of the respondents were Christian while 49.2% were Muslims. The result also revealed that the majority of the respondents had primary (45%) and no formal education (45%). The result also showed the enrolment levels of farmers’ children in schools that 49.2% of the respondents’ male children between the ranges of 2-4 are enrolled in schools with the highest percentage of enrolment about 59.2% of the respondents female children are enrolled in schools. More so, 43.3% of the total respondents’ children are enrolled in schools, implying low enrollment in schools due to their low standard of living and unemployment in the country as indicated by 61.7% of the respondents to be a challenge to school enrolment for their children. In conclusion, the government should come up with strategies of establishing program such as free education where rural farmers’ children can benefit from and also ensure access to loans to improve farm business of rural farmers, supplying them with input and improved varieties that will increase their yield with commensurate income to support the enrolment of their children in schools. This will encourage and support enrolment of their children in school and eventually improve their living standard in the society.