Educational evaluation in a political context: Whose interests are served?

Abstract

This paper examines the politicisation of educational evaluation in Nigeria and its effects on education quality, governance, and social justice. Educational evaluation, which aims to assess programmes, policies, and institutional performance, is often influenced by political interests that determine what is measured, who conducts the evaluation, and how results are used. Policymakers, senior administrators, and politically connected actors tend to benefit from these evaluations, while teachers, learners in rural or under-resourced areas, and low-income communities are frequently excluded. Nigerian case studies from primary, secondary, and tertiary education show how political considerations affect evaluation goals, methods, evaluator selection, data interpretation, and dissemination of results. Politicised evaluation distorts educational priorities, produces inequitable resource allocation, undermines institutional credibility, reduces teacher morale, and limits student learning. These outcomes reinforce social inequalities and weaken the capacity of education to promote fairness and opportunity. The paper argues that evaluation should be transparent, independent, merit-based, and inclusive, allowing meaningful participation from all stakeholders. Evidence-based evaluation can improve educational quality, enhance accountability, and provide equitable learning opportunities. It is suggested, among others, that depoliticising evaluation is essential for ensuring that education serves public interest rather than political expedience, and for supporting reforms that address structural inequalities in Nigerian education. KEYWORDS:

Keywords

accountability,education quality,politicisation,social justice,transparency

Citation