The Justiciability of Right to Free Basic Education Conundrum in Nigeria, South Africa and India: From Obstacle to Miracle
Keywords:
Human right; International law; Judicial activism; Fundamental objectiveAbstract
Objectives: The right to free basic education is guaranteed under the national, international and regional laws. While many states protect the right to education in their Constitutions in form of fundamental right, which is enforceable in courts, others, including Nigeria, do so in form of directive principle of the state policy which is perforce, unenforceable. Its non justiciability has constituted an obstacle, making its realization a smokescreen. Implications: A global monitoring report by UNESCO Education for All on sub-sahara Africa indicated that about 33 million children of school age are still not enrolled in school in the region. Nigeria, together with six countries reportedly had more than one million out-of-school children while several million adults are also illiterates. Value: This paper therefore, examined the legal framework for the right to basic education in Nigeria, appraising the applicable domestic, regional and international instruments. The paper also applauded the recent breakthroughs recorded by Nigeria through judicial interventions. The author drew comparative lessons from South Africa and India and consequently proffered recommendations towards the actualization of the said right.
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39. Taiwo E.A (2013) ‘A Review of the Legal Instruments Protecting the Right to Education in Nigeria’ [2013] 1 (1), Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti Law Journal, 72.
2. Aguda A.O (2000) Understanding the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (MIJ Professional Publishers, 2000), 87 – 88.
3. Aguda T.A (1993) ‘Judicial Attitudes to Individual Rights in Nigeria’ in Ajomo M. A. & Owasanoye, B. (eds), Individual Rights under the 1989 Constitution (Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Lagos, 1993), 68.
4. Akingbehin E.O ‘Death Row Phenomenon: A Violation of a Condemned Prisoner’s Right to Freedom from Torture, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment in Africa?’ (2017), 6 (1) International Journal of Legal Studies and Research, 3.
5. Akingbehin E.O ‘The Jurisprudential and Legal Polemics on the Derogability of the Right to Life in Nigeria: Lessons from South Africa, Hungary and India’ in A. V.Atsenuwa, B. A.Oni, A. Sanni & I. K.Ilobinso (eds), Criss Crossing Law and Jurisprudence: Festschrift for Prof. Akindele Oyebode (University of Lagos: 2018), 366.
6. Beiter K.D (2006) The Protection of the Right to Education by International Law (Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2006), 90 – 91.
7. Brand D, (2005) ‘Introduction to Socio-Economic Rights in South African Constitution’ in D.Brand & C.Heynes (eds), Socio-Economic Rights in South Africa (Pretoria University Law Press, 2005), 1.
8. Chegwe E. N. ‘Legalism and Realization of the Right to Life’ [2000] 2 (1), Nigerian Journal of Public Law (A Publication of the Department of Public and Private Law, University of Nigeria) 241.
9. Coetzee S. (2010) ‘Discipline in Nigerian Schools within a Human Right Framework’ [2010] 10 (2), African Human Rights Law Journal, 483.
10. Coomans F. (2007) ‘Content and Scope of the Right to Education as a Human Right and Obstacles to its Realization’ in Donders, Y & Volodin, V. (eds), Human Rights in Education, Science and Culture (Legal Developments and Challenges) (UNESCO Publishing/Ashgate, 2007), 183.
11. Cranston M. (1973) What are Human Rights What are Human Rights? (The Brodley Head, 1973) 21 and Osita Eze, Human Rights in Africa: Selected Problems (Macmillan, 1984), 5.
12. Dall F.P (1995) ‘Children’s Right to Education: Reaching the Unreached’ in Himes, J.R. (ed), Implementing the Convention on the Rights of All the Child (Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, The Hague/London/Boston, 1995), 143.
13. Dugard J. (1994) ‘International Human Rights’, in Van Wyk, Dugard, J., de Villiers B & Davis D. (eds), Rights and Constitutionalism: The New South African Legal Order. (Juta & Co, 1994) 173.
14. Ebodolahi M. (2008) ‘Using Structural Interdicts and the South African Commission to Achieve Judicial Enforcement of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ [2008] 83, New York University Law Review 1565 – 1606.
15. Eze Osita (1984) Human Rights in Africa: Selected Problems (Macmillan, 1984), 5.
16. Govindjee A. &.Taiwo E.A, ‘Globalization and its Effects on the Emerging Jurisprudence on the Right to Education in South Africa and Nigeria’ in Addicott, J.F, Bhuiyan, J.H & Chowdhury M.R (eds), Globalization, International Law and Human Rights (Oxford University Press, India, 2012) 111-146 @ 127.
17. Hausermann J. (1992) ‘The Realization and Implementation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ in Beddard, R. & Hill, D. M (eds), Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Progress and Achievement (Macmillan Academic and Professional Ltd., 1992), 47.
18. Hogson D. (1988) The Human Rights to Education (Ashgate/Dartmouth, 1988), 1
19. Ibadapo-Obe A. Essays on Human Rights Law in Nigeria (Concept Publications Limited, 2005), 30.
20. Malemi E. (2012) The Nigerian Constitutional Law (Princeton Publishing Company 2012), 106.
21. Manoj K.S, ‘Right to Education; India and International Practices’ [2008] 48 (2), Indian Journal of International Law, 188 – 207.
22. McConnachie, C. & Skelton, A. ‘The Constitution and the Right to Basic Education’ available at <https://eelawcentre.org.za/constitution-right-basic-education-authorire-chris-mcconnachie-rhodes-university-ann-skelson-centre-child-law-cameron-mcconnachie-legal-resources-centre> accessed 24 January, 2020.
23. Mill J.S (1974) in his work, On Liberty. available at <https://platostandford.edu./entries/mill>accessed 9 January, 2020.
24. Miamingi R. ‘Inclusion by Exclusion?: An Assessment of the of Socio-Economic Rights Under the 2005 Interim National Constitution of Sudan’ [2009] 9 (1), African Human Rights Law Journal 76 – 102 @ 77.
25. Mubangizi JC: (2004) “The Protection of Human Rights in South Africa: A Legal and Political Guide” [2004] Available at <https://books.google.com.ng/books/about/Theprotectionofhumanrightsinsouth.html?id=MLJLP.2yM8YcC&redir_esc=Y> accessed 9 March, 2020.
26. Nwaowu F. ‘The Role of Universal Primary Education in Development: Implementation Strategies and Lessons from Past Mistakes’ [2008] 37 (4), Africa Insight, 138 – 139.
27. Nwatu S.I (2012) ‘Legal Framework for the Protection of Socio-Economic Rights in Nigeria’ [2012] Nigerian Judicial Review, 10, 22.
28. Nweze C.C. (2001) ‘Education of the Concept of Socio-Economic Rights in Human Rights Jurisprudence: International and National Perspectives’ [2001] 1 (1), NBJ 79.
29. Ogunniran I. (2020) ‘Enforceability of Socio-Economic Rights: Seeing Nigeria Through the Eyes of Other Jurisdictions.’ available at <http://www.ajolinfo/index.php/naujilj/article/view138181> accessed 24 February, 2020.
30. Olowu D. ‘Human Right and the Avoidance of Domestic Implementation: The Phenomenon of Non-Justiciable Constitutional Guarantees’ [2006] 69 (1), Saskatchewan Law Review, 39 – 78.
31. Olowu D. ‘The Right to Social Security in Nigeria: Taking up the Gauntlet’ [2007] 1 (2), CALS Review of Nigerian Law and Practice 91 – 107.
32. Okeke C. Towards Functional Justice: Seminar Papers of Justice Chukwudifu A. Oputa (Gold Press Ltd., 2007), 5.
33. Oni S. O. & Oyewo A.T. ‘A Critical Appraisal of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy in Nigeria’ [2019] 2, Redeemer’s University Law Journal, 244.
34. Plant R. (1992) ‘A Defence of Welfare Rights’ in Beddard R. & Hills D. M. (eds), Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Progress and Achievements, Ibid, 22.
35. Shehu A.T (2013) ‘The Enforcement of Social and Economic Rights in Africa: The Nigerian Experience’ [2013], 2 (1) Journal of Sustainable Development, Law and Policy, 102.
36. Singh K. (2008) ‘Right to Education and Equality of Opportunity in Education: An Analysis of Constitutional Obligations in African States’ [2008] 16, African Yearbook of International Law, 425.
37. Smith R.K.M (2005) Textbook on International Law Rights, 2nd ed. (Oxford University Press, 2005), 45.
38. Tagi S.M (2018) ‘Towards an Enhancement of the Legal Regime for Access to Primary Education in Nigeria’ [2018] 9 (2), Nnamdi Azikiwe University Journal of International Law and Jurisprudence, 148.
39. Taiwo E.A (2013) ‘A Review of the Legal Instruments Protecting the Right to Education in Nigeria’ [2013] 1 (1), Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti Law Journal, 72.
Published
2021-03-18
How to Cite
Akingbehin, E. O. (2021). The Justiciability of Right to Free Basic Education Conundrum in Nigeria, South Africa and India: From Obstacle to Miracle: Array. Acta Universitatis Danubius. Juridica, 17(1). Retrieved from https://dj.univ-danubius.ro/index.php/AUDJ/article/view/834
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