Speaker
Description
Zaki, A. R.
Zamfara State College of Education, Maru
rilwanuzaki@gmail.com
Track: Inclusion, Equity and Digital Access
Digital inequity poses a critical threat to early childhood development, particularly in fragile, conflict-affected contexts where structural vulnerabilities intersect with systemic exclusion. In North-West Nigeria, sustained insecurity has displaced communities, decimated educational infrastructure, and widened pre-existing digital divides, leaving early learners disproportionately marginalised. This study examined equity in digital access and its influence on early childhood learning outcomes in conflict-affected communities of Zamfara and Kebbi States. Specifically, it assessed the availability of digital learning tools, determined the extent of gender-based disparities in digital access, and evaluated the influence of administrative planning on the allocation of digital resources in ECCDE centres. Three corresponding research questions guided the inquiry. A descriptive survey design was adopted; the population comprised ECCDE teachers, head teachers, and local government education planners. Multistage sampling yielded 240 respondents. A structured questionnaire, validated by three experts and pilot-tested (r=0.81), served as the instrument. The mean, standard deviation, and Pearson's correlation were used for data analysis. Findings revealed significant inequities in digital access strongly correlated with diminished learning outcomes. The study recommended strengthened administrative frameworks, gender-responsive digital provisioning, and context-sensitive ECCDE digital policies for conflict-affected communities.