Students' Perceptions of Future Challenges in the Nigerian Education System in the Post-COVID-19 Period: A Descriptive Survey

Abstract

Nigeria's education system continues to confront longstanding pressures related to educational quality, financing, access, teacher supply, infrastructure, insecurity, and the after-effects of COVID-19-related disruption. This descriptive survey examined how a sample of students perceived future educational challenges and possible responses. Data were collected in June 2026 from 100 secondary-school, undergraduate, and postgraduate students using the 15-item Issues, Trends and Future Challenges in Education Questionnaire, which forms part of a wider study of education in Africa. Responses were summarised in SPSS using frequencies and percentages. The most frequently identified future challenge was lower educational standards (37%), followed by sustainable funding (28%), affordability of education (19%), and graduate unemployment (16%). The most frequently selected proposed solution was the provision of scholarships (54%), followed by improved education funding (21%), better facilities for practical learning (10%), increased staff strength (6%), measures to address insecurity (6%), and stronger industry partnerships for internship experience (3%). These findings describe the priorities expressed by the participating students; they do not constitute forecasts of future conditions or estimates of intervention effectiveness. The results indicate that student perspectives may provide a useful complementary source of evidence for education planning when interpreted alongside administrative data, learning outcomes, financing indicators, teacher-workforce evidence, and broader socioeconomic conditions.