Teachers' Perceptions of Impacts of Fuel Subsidy Removal on School Attendance Among Secondary School Mathematics Students in Kwara State, Nigeria

The removal of fuel subsidies in Nigeria has had widespread socio-economic implications, particularly in the education sector. This study examined teachers' perceptions of the impacts of fuel subsidy removal on school attendance among secondary school mathematics students in Kwara State, Nigeria. Employing a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 200 secondary school teachers selected through stratified random sampling across the three senatorial districts of the state. A structured questionnaire titled Teachers’ Perception of Fuel Subsidy Removal Impact on School Attendance (TPFSRISA) was used as the primary instrument for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that teachers perceive a significant decline in students’ class attendance, attributing it primarily to increased transportation costs, financial constraints on households, and longer travel times. Moreover, rural schools appeared to be more adversely affected than urban counterparts. The study concludes that fuel subsidy removal has exacerbated existing barriers to education access in Kwara State and recommends that government interventions such as transportation support or targeted subsidies for education-related expenses be urgently considered to mitigate its negative effects on school attendance.