Assessing the Effectiveness of Inclusive and Equitable Education for Life-Long Learning Opportunities in Upper Basic Schools in North-Central Nigeria

This study assessed the effectiveness of inclusive and equitable education in fostering lifelong learning opportunities among learners in public upper basic schools in North-Central Nigeria.A descriptive survey design was adopted.The population comprised teachers and school administrators in public upper basic schools, from which 298 respondents were selected using a multistage sampling procedure.Four research questions and two directional hypotheses, tested at the 0.05 level of significance, guided the study.Data were collected using validated instruments: the Implementation of Inclusive Education Practices in Upper Basic Schools Questionnaire (IIEPUBSQ), the Equity in Learners' Access, Participation, and Learning Opportunities Questionnaire (ELAPLOQ), and the Effectiveness of Inclusive Pedagogical Practices in Promoting Students' Readiness for Lifelong Learning Questionnaire (EIPPPSRLLQ).Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.782, 0.734, and 0.739, respectively, indicated acceptable internal consistency.Data were analysed using mean, standard deviation, Pearson product-moment correlation, and simple linear regression.Findings revealed that inclusive education practices were implemented to a moderate extent, while equity in learners' access, participation, and learning opportunities was high.Systemic barriers, including inadequate resources, infrastructural constraints, and institutional limitations, challenged implementation.Inclusive pedagogical practices had a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship with learners' readiness for lifelong learning.Institutional factors significantly and positively predicted the effectiveness of inclusive and equitable education.The study concludes that strengthening inclusive pedagogical practices, addressing systemic barriers, and improving institutional support are essential for promoting lifelong learning opportunities.It recommends investment in teacher professional development, inclusive learning resources, school infrastructure, supportive leadership, and policies addressing systemic barriers.