Analysis of Rural and Urban Universal Basic Educational Divide in FCT Abuja, Nigeria

This study investigates the rural-urban divide in the implementation of Universal Basic Education (UBE) in Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory (FCT) using a mixed-methods approach. The research was conducted across all six Area Councils of the FCT—Bwari and Abuja Municipal (urban) and Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, and Abaji (rural). A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 40 public primary schools, from which data were collected through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews involving 240 teachers, 120 administrators, and 10 senior education officials. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, while NVivo was employed for qualitative thematic analysis. Findings reveal significant disparities between urban and rural schools in terms of infrastructure, teacher qualification, access to professional development, learning conditions, and timely funding. While enrolment rates were similar, rural schools exhibited higher dropout rates and lower attendance, mainly due to poverty, child labour, and inadequate infrastructure. Statistical tests confirmed that most of these differences were highly significant (p < 0.05), except for enrolment rates. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions, improved funding mechanisms, and equitable policy enforcement to bridge the educational divide and ensure the successful implementation of UBE across all regions of the FCT.