Security and Socioeconomic Factors on School Dropout in Northwest Nigeria: A Case Study of Katsina State

This study examines the impact of security and socioeconomic factors on secondary school dropout in Northwest Nigeria, using Katsina State as a case study. Education is a critical driver of human capital development, social transformation, and economic growth; however, persistent insecurity and socioeconomic deprivation continue to undermine school in the region. The researcher Employ a mixed-method descriptive cross-sectional research design, the study collected data from 100 respondents including students, parents, teachers, and education officials across schools in Katsina Zonal Education Quality Assurance. The instruments were structured questionnaires, school dropout records (2019–2025), and key informant interviews, with reliability established at Cronbach's alpha of 0.82. Analytical techniques involved frequency distributions, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses. Findings reveals that significant upward trend in dropout rates, increasing from 6.38% in 2019 to 12.79% in 2025. Insecurity, characterized by banditry, kidnapping, attacks on schools, and forced displacement, significantly predicts dropout, while socioeconomic variables poverty, parental unemployment, and low parental education independently and significantly influence student discontinuation. Importantly, the combined effect of security instability and socioeconomic deprivation amplifies the risk of dropout, highlighting a multidimensional structural vulnerability. The study underscores the need for integrated policy interventions, including enhanced school security, economic empowerment programs, psychosocial support, and targeted educational initiatives, to improve and ensure educational continuity.