Educational Inequity as a Driver of Intergenerational Poverty Among Rural Households in Southwestern Nigeria

Education is widely recognized as a critical pathway out of poverty; however, persistent disparities in access to quality education in Nigeria continue to reinforce socio-economic inequality. This study investigated the influence of socio-economic factors on educational inequality and the persistence of intergenerational poverty among rural households in Southwestern Nigeria. Anchored in Human Capital Theory, Social Reproduction Theory, and the Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty framework, the study adopted a descriptive correlational survey design. A total of 900 respondents comprising students, teachers, and parents were selected from Osun, Oyo, and Ogun States using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were gathered through a validated instrument—the Socio-Economic Determinants, Educational Inequality, and Poverty Cycle Questionnaire (SEDEIPCQ)—which produced a reliability coefficient of 0.87. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS (Version 29) and the PROCESS Macro. The results showed that parental income, educational attainment, and occupation significantly influenced students’ access to quality education (R² = 0.45, p < 0.05). In addition, residential location was found to partially mediate the relationship between socio-economic status and educational inequality (β = 0.16, p < 0.05). The findings further indicated that children from economically disadvantaged and less-educated households in rural communities encounter systemic constraints that hinder educational participation, skill development, and future employability, thereby sustaining poverty across generations. Respondents strongly supported policy measures such as scholarship schemes, infrastructural development, and the incorporation of vocational and digital competencies into school curricula. The study concludes that educational inequality simultaneously reflects and reinforces poverty, underscoring the need for comprehensive policies that integrate socio-economic empowerment with equitable and skills-based educational provision.