Gender Accessibility and Equality in Education: The Implication to Manpower Development in Nigeria

Abstract

There seem to be a global progress made regarding equity between men and women in the field of education. In spite of this, the educational gap between both sexes has not been bridged in Nigeria. Even with the universal declaration of Human Rights in 1948, article 26 for instance, estimates reveal that more than half a billion adult women aged 15 and above were illiterate in 1990, which is 63 percent of all illiterates in the world. It is in recognition of this that the UNICEF strongly raised the issue of removing constraints and disparities that will place the girl child education at a disadvantaged position. This paper appraises the gender differences in education accessibility and equality of Nigerians. It equally assessed some of the constraints to gender equality in education and concludes that gender imbalance in education accessibility and equality if not addressed will have an adverse effect to manpower development in Nigeria.