Education

FG reaffirms commitment to reducing adult illiteracy in Nigeria

AS part of deliberate efforts to tackle adult illiteracy in Nigeria, the Federal Government has initiated about 13 new infrastructure projects at the National Mass Literacy and Adult Education Commission (NMEC), Kano Centre, through Public/Private Partnership (PPP).

According to reports, more than 76 million adults, representing 38 percent of the over 200 million population of Nigeria, cannot read or write despite increasing efforts to improve literacy levels in the country.

At the global level, a report by Action Education in September, 2023 indicated “that 773 million adults in the world, around 14% of the population, cannot read or write. Two-thirds of them are women. Yet literacy is a fundamental human right”.

Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, at a stakeholders’ engagement and sensitisation programme in Abuja, reiterated the commitment of the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the menace of illiteracy in the country headlong.

According to him, the projects to be executed in Kano will address the challenges of providing literacy education to adults across the country.

The stakeholders’ engagement is on the proposed Land Swap deal for the development of critical infrastructure in Kano State, to be delivered by Maslaha Homes.

Sununu said that it is unfortunate that Nigeria still had a significant number of adults who are either illiterate or have limited literacy skills.

According to him, this is a major challenge that hinders the nation’s overall development and progress.

“This is another milestone and progress in the ministry, and we will be having it with private public partnership, and this is also part of President Bola Tinubu’s eight-point agenda.

“Government cannot do it alone and all of us need this as stakeholders to bring development and move the country forward.

“We have a regulation guiding us which we will use to ensure that the plots that have laid fallow over the years are put to best use in our time,” he said.

The minister said the 13 new infrastructural projects will include state-of- the-art classrooms, clinic, library, hostels, a lecture theatre and recreational facilities that were hitherto lacking.

He added that the projects would not only enhance learning at the centre, but also provide a conducive environment for entrepreneurship within the impacted corridor.

“The Kano Centre of the National Mass Literacy Centre plays a crucial role in addressing this challenge by providing literacy education to adults across the country.

“However, to effectively fulfil its mandate and reach more people, it is essential to have the necessary infrastructure and resources in place.

“This is where the proposed development of 13 critical infrastructures through land swap Public-Private Partnership comes into play.

“Through this innovative approach, we will be able to leverage the expertise, resources and capabilities of the private sector to create modern and functional learning facilities for the Centre,” Sununu said.

Executive Secretary, NMEC, Professor Simon Akpama, expressed confidence that collective efforts and sustained collaborations between the public and private sector will make a significant impact on the lives of youths and adults.

Akpama said this initiative will also empower youths and adults to contribute their quota to national development.

Clement Idoko