CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Education is viewed as crucial to empowerment. As a result, it is the key to national development. According to Ismail (2021), education is the sum of all the processes by which a person develops his or her abilities, attitudes, and other forms of positive behavior in the society in which he or she lives. Similarly, Eugene (2018) states that education is the knowledge of how to maximize one's potentials. To put it simply, a human being does not have proper sense until he or she is educated. This means that without the proper commitment, all education is pointless. People who do not have the necessary commitment will not be able to take the initiative to put it into action, and thus will not be successful. n  It is widely acknowledged that high-quality education is a major source of human empowerment that helps to eradicate poverty around the world. With proper education, labor is transformed from unskilled to skilled, increasing productivity and, by extension, income. Formal, non-formal, and informal education are all options. Formal education is provided through the school system. It is organized, planned, and systematically structured with life as its content and definite forms on the other hand, formal education takes place outside of the formal school system. Despite being less structured. It is more task and skill oriented, as well as more adaptable and learner-centered. Informal education is spontaneous and unplanned. Women and girl child education is a close articulation of formal, non-formal, and informal education approaches to and mechanisms for awakening an all-around development of women's potential.

Women's and girl child education has received a lot of attention recently, with a clear link to socioeconomic development. The lessons of international instruments and summits, such as the UN General Assembly's 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAN), the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, and the recent Beijing + 5 initiative, emphasizing the importance of women's education, have not been lost on policymakers and stakeholders in Nigeria. In addition to investing in formal education, the Federal Government of Nigeria has made efforts in adult and non-formal education to address women's education. As correctly stated by Kokoette (2021), investing in formal, adult, and non-formal education and training for girls and women has proven to be one of the means of achieving sustainable economic growth and development due to its exceptionally high social and economic return. According to her, women constitute roughly half or more of the population of any given country. As a result, no country can afford to exclude this percentage from the critical process of formal education.

Furthermore, a study of relevant research on women's education and development unequivocally proved the multiplying influence of women's education on socioeconomic growth. Education can help women improve their skills as self-employed workers and raise their living standards. Women become more orderly and productive as their skills are improved. Self-employment encourages female and female entrepreneurs to establish themselves in small and medium-sized businesses that are ready to take chances and invest in a volatile market. In this situation, women are expected to start sustainable enterprises and generate revenues that will allow them to compete for higher-paying jobs in the labor market. Access to and attainment of educational credentials must be equalized if more women are to be entrepreneurs, earn high incomes, and work at the highest levels of organizations. In any event, educated women can enjoy a higher quality of life and have a greater "voice" in decision-making in the home, community, workplace, and society. More importantly, education provides her with the self-esteem and confidence she needs for a public life (Eneje, 2021). Furthermore, education is crucial for occupational accomplishment, which is a major component of socioeconomic position.

Several research studies on women's education and its relationship to socioeconomic development have been done. More study is required in this area to determine its relationship to the socioeconomic development of women in professional positions or occupations. The current research study aims to analyze the effect of education to the socioeconomic growth of female bankers in areas where research studies appear to be lacking.

Women's participation in development has been hampered by a lack of education. Gender roles in society have relegated women to the home front, preventing them from participating in and benefiting from development efforts. The current research study identifies education as a critical factor that will assist women in playing their role in nation building. It is worth noting that Nigeria ranks low in terms of development (UNDP, 1996). This is why Nigeria launched a slew of educational initiatives aimed at increasing girl child enrollment, retention, and completion at all levels of formal education, as well as establishing programs to promote women's adult and non-formal education.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

One of the elements impacting women's contributions to national development has been recognized as a lack of education. Regrettably, seventeen years after launching several educational programs in both formal and adult education, it appears that there is still a low level of knowledge affecting women's ability to contribute to growth. The great majority of Nigerians, particularly women, appear to be afflicted by a high level of poverty, which has resulted in the pitiful condition of the Nigerian kid in terms of health and education.

According to Oyewale (2019), the high prevalence of illiteracy in Nigeria has resulted in a substantial percentage of women being untrained, forcing them to choose low-wage jobs. As a result, individuals are unable to participate in family, community, and workplace decision-making. According to the Human Development Index (2015), an adult literacy rate of at least 65 percent will be achieved by 2030. As a result, the policy intended to empower women to obtain skills and information that would equip them for the great challenges ahead.  Therefore upon this background that this study seeks to review on the nexus between women education and socio-economic development in Nigeria

1.3    PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to critically review on the nexus between women education and socio-economic development in Nigeria. Other specific objectives includes:

1.  To determine whether  education contribute to women employment in high paying- jobs.

2.  To investigate whether skilled women earn better income and enjoy good standard of living than those who are not skilled.

3. To ascertain  if education enhance the capability of women bankers towards attaining important position in their communities and place of work?

4. To establish if education related to raising the self worth and confidence of women in their public life?

 1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The questions that will guide this present study are:

1.  Does education contribute to women employment in high paying- jobs?

2.  Do skilled women earn better income and enjoy good standard of living than those who are not skilled?

3. Will education enhance the capability of women bankers towards attaining important position in their communities and place of work?

4.  Is education related to raising the self worth and confidence of women in their public life?

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