Malam Adamu Adamu, minister of education, on Wednesday, December 5, in Kano, said that Nigeria has about 60 million illiterate youths and adults. Adamu, who was represented by Prinzo James, deputy director, basic and secondary education, Ministry of Education, said this at the 2018 International Literacy Day Celebration, NAN reports.
The minister of education said that out of this figure, females accounted for nearly 60 percent of the population, while a total of 11 million children were out of school.
According to him, the increasing low level of literacy skills achieved by the millions of learners who completed some formal school education, made the situation more complicated.
Adamu said the present state of affairs called for urgent attention as the country strives to ensure the attainment of SDGs by 2030.
“With these unwholesome statistics in our hands, it becomes evident that concerted efforts are required in order to accelerate the processes for combating illiteracy among children, youths and adults.
“Therefore, every effort aimed at bringing together multiple stakeholders should be committed to advancing literacy and lifelong learning, and will receive support of the Ministry of Education.
“The Ministerial Strategic Plan for the education sector has considered the importance of youth and adult literacy and gave the sector a prime position in the document.
“I would like to assure you that preparations are underway by the federal government to launch a National Mass Literacy Campaign with a view to addressing the high rate of youth and adult illiteracy in the country,” he said.
The minister said that the theme of the 2018 Literacy Day, “Literacy and Skills Development,” was apt, as the global trend was on skill development for youths and adults.
He said literacy must be taken beyond the cognitive domain to the critical level that imbues the citizen with thinking skills and functional literacy.
via: INFORMATION NIGERIA
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