Assessment of Social Safety Net Intervention to Reduce the Impact of Subsidy Removal on Public Secondary Schools in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria

This study evaluated the social safety net measures implemented to mitigate the effects of the removal of the fuel subsidy on the public secondary schools of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria. The study, in particular, focused on the extent to which social safety net interventions have limited the adverse impact of subsidy removal on public secondary schools and explored factors that limit the effectiveness of the interventions. With the elimination of fuel subsidy in Nigeria, transportation costs, inflation, prices of educational materials, and economic hardship for teachers, students, and parents, have risen. A descriptive survey research design was employed in the study. The study population consisted of public secondary school teachers' and administrators in FCT, ABUJA. The number of respondents is determined and selected by simple random sampling technique with a sample size of 185 respondents. Data collection was conducted using a structured questionnaire called Social Safety Net Intervention Questionnaire (SSNIQ). Mean scores and descriptive statistics were used for analysis of data collected. Results indicated that transportation problems, increased school operating expenses, increased student absence, and increased financial hardship are not being significantly lowered by social safety net interventions implemented after subsidy removal in public secondary schools. The study also identified inadequate funding, weak implementation of intervention programmes, weak monitoring systems, inflation and lack of government support as factors affecting the effectiveness of the interventions. The findings of the study were that the negative impact of subsidy withdrawal on public secondary schools in FCT, Abuja has not been sufficiently covered by the current social safety net interventions. The study suggested that there is need to increase government funding, enhance monitoring of intervention programmes, offering transportation support for both the teachers and the students as well as effective implementation of educational palliative measures.