Education in Skipped Generation Households

In Nigeria, the foster care system in which grandparents function as caregivers operates under fluid conditions, with little or no formal support for the grandparents (Ijadunola, M. Y., Obiyan, M. O., Odia, B. O., Ogun, O. O., Fajinmi, O. B., Uzezi, P. U & Abiola, A. J., Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care 29:62−67, 2017). Consequently, grandparents who are entrusted with caring for their grandchildren frequently encounter social and economic difficulties, which can have a negative impact on the quality of life of the household and, by extension, hinder the grandchildren’s access to high-quality education (Popoola, B. I., Togonu-Bickersteth, F., Aransiola, J., Akintomide, A., & Ekundayo, O., Journal of Family Issues 43:2295−2316, 2022). The dynamics of the skipped generation alternative family structure in Nigeria, as well as its impact on the education of grandchildren, have not been well-documented from the African perspective. This chapter therefore discusses issues relating to grandparent caregivers and grandchildren educational experiences within the skipped generation households (SGHs) in Nigeria. The chapter interrogates issues affecting learning activities within the family such as school attendance, assistance with schoolwork, academic performance, school fees payment, provision of school materials, and grandchildren’s perception of the general effect of skipped generation households on their education. In addition to these, factors relating to grandparent caregivers such as their educational background, cultural background and orientation, financial and health status, and how these variables positively or negatively impact the educational experiences of grandchildren in skipped generation households in Nigeria are examined. From a policy perspective, the discussions in this chapter are worthwhile. This is because an understanding of who children live with and the effects of the dynamics of family structures on their education will help in conceptualizing better social and educational policies aimed at providing quality education for grandchildren in skipped generation households in Nigeria.