Free and Compulsory Education Policy and Primary Education Development in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria (2016–2023)

Although education is critical to the development of any country, as the bedrock for transformation, over the years, this sector has seemed to have been neglected and has become unaffordable to the majority of ordinary citizens. It is on this note that this study investigated the impact of the free and compulsory education policy on the development of primary education in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, between 2016 and 2023. The study was anchored on the policy implementation theory. The research adopted a descriptive survey design and drew a sample of 400 respondents from a population of 2,333,039 using the Taro Yamane formula. Data collected via structured questionnaires were analysed using simple percentages and the Chi-Square statistical tool. Findings revealed that the policy significantly increased pupils' enrollment, improved academic performance, and enhanced school completion rates. However, challenges such as uneven implementation, infrastructural gaps, and a lack of adequate teachers hindered optimal outcomes. The study, therefore, recommended that the infrastructural gap should be filled for optimal outcomes as well as the recruitment of more teachers to enhance pedagogical training, community sensitisation, and targeted support systems to improve the effectiveness of the policy.