3 Research methodology

The research investigated the operations of 55 non-state schools working across Lagos in 2014. For the purpose of the study, ‘non-state’ refers to schools owned, financed and operated without government involvement (Bray, 1996). Indeed, the survey focused on private schools that function, or aspire to function, as financially sustainable enterprises, collecting fees to pay costs such as rent and teacher salaries. This does not preclude them from pursuing additional sources of income, nor affiliation to a particular religious or social group3 Similarly, the research concentrated on schools as “institutions operating according to a formal timetable, following a standard syllabus, for children who attend during school hours” (Tooley and Dixon, 2006, p.448). This excluded crèches, casual learning centres and nonformal tuition or lessons, but expressly included schools operating with and without government approval.

Given the debate around inclusion and equity, the survey also targeted schools used by low-income families living around or below the poverty line. To this end, schools were classified as follows, based on their annual fees:

 Low-cost: N 0-25,000 (approximately £0-80);

 Medium-cost: N 25,001-50,000 (£80-160); and

 High-cost: N 50,001 and above (£160+).

The ‘low-cost’ classification was derived on the basis of what would be affordable for a poor family spending between 10 and 11 percent of its total expenditure to cover the schooling costs of all the family’s children4 (Tooley, 2013). Likewise, a medium-cost school would be affordable to families living on incomes up to twice the poverty line. Low- and medium-cost schools therefore constituted the majority of schools surveyed (44 out of 55) on the basis that they educate 82 percent of poor children enrolled in private schools in Lagos (Tooley, 2013).

The research adopted a mixed methods approach to survey the operational, resourcing and systemic market constraints affecting the 55 private schools. Such an approach enabled the study to tackle the core investigation using both quantitative and qualitative parameters to achieve multiple perspectives (Teddlie and Tashakkori, 2012). Schools tended to cater for nursery and primary levels only and were selected in collaboration with their representative associations, given the strained relationship with government and sensitivities around data collection. This could give rise to some self-selection bias since more established schools were likely to be known to the associations and more willing to share their information. Indeed, some proprietors declined to provide details of their finances for fear of potential tax implications, notwithstanding clarifications about how the data would be used.

Schools were chosen from 15 local government and council development areas within Lagos and across the different fee bands, as shown in Table 3. The instrument was initially piloted in four schools to check for the validity and reliability of responses. The final surveys were then administered by trained enumerators across the 55 schools.

The instrument comprised qualitative and quantitative questions related to schools’ planning and resource requirements, in particular relating to regulation, access to finance and use of school improvement services. Specifically, the survey examined topics including: cash flow and financial management

3 There are several private school associations operating in Lagos that represent schools operating with a specific religious ethos or affiliation.

4 This calculation uses a Lagos-specific absolute poverty line of N309 per capita per day based on the need to purchase adequate food and essentials for one adult (Yngstrom, 2014).

Enabling environments for education: Resourcing requirements for inclusive non-state schooling in Nigeria

capabilities; human resource and school management practices; business strategy and planning; staff development and leadership training; and the use of both financial and non-financial external services. Further, the research was triangulated using evidence from other investigations and observations in order to make informed inferences on such complex issues as regulation. Responses were analysed through a mix of descriptive statistics and qualitative evaluation. Overall, a wide dataset was obtained although the sections below focus on key findings in respect of school’s resourcing requirements.

This calculation uses a Lagos-specific absolute poverty line of N309 per capita per day based on the need to purchase adequate food and essentials for one adult (Yngstrom, 2014).