Education and Development: Dynamics of Access, Equity, and Social Justice in Nigeria

Widening access to education as social justice is basic in any discourse on educational investment, growth and development in developing country such as Nigeria. Presently, there is disconnect between educational development expectations and public policy frameworks designed to drive the united nations sustainable development goals(SDGs) in 2030 through access, equity and social justice in educational provision in developing countries. This paper focuses on education and development deficits in the light of the challenges of ensuring access, equity and social justice as envisaged in the SDGs 169 targets. The paper adopted a qualitative research method as it is analytical in framework. Among other things, this study showed the elements of exclusions and inequalities which are prevalent in public policies that are meant to achieve sustainable development goals through education. The paper sustains that inequalities, corruption, leadership deficit and weak institutions among others constitute major obstacles to access and social justices in educational delivery in Nigeria. Also, financial and information poverties respectively were found to have accounted for sustained deprivation indexes in access to educational development which compromise access, equity and social justice for sustainable development in developing countries. Recommendations are made on ways to mitigate exclusionary factors on access, equity and social justice in educational development in developing countries.