SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AND COMPLETION RATES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NIGERIA: THE MODERATING EFFECTS OF PARENTAL INCOME AND TAXATION
Department of Auditing and Taxation, Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
Prof. Olive Stumke
Department of Auditing and Taxation, Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
Abstract
This study adopted quarterly time series data from 1999Q1 – 2024Q4 and ARDL model to examine the moderating effects of parental income and taxation on school enrollment and completion rates among secondary students in Nigeria. It was revealed under school enrollment that while personal income has positive significant influence, taxation showed negative impact. The interaction term indicated that higher taxation significantly decreases the positive effect of income on enrollment. Conversely, under school completion rate, higher income amazingly showed significant negative effect, thereby suggesting the existence of opportunity cost of being in school and/or labour market pull in the country. Interaction term revealed that taxation moderates this negative income effect on school completion. Insecurity and cultural factors were shown to be consistently discouraging both enrollment and completion rates among secondary students in Nigeria. The study recommended that there is need for governments targeted tax relief and policies that would encourage perceived value of educational enrollment and completion.
Keywords
School Enrollment, Completion Rates, Secondary Students, Nigeria, Parental Income, Taxation, ARDL model
