International Literacy Day: Nigeria’s Out Of School Children Reduces To 6.9m

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has revealed that an estimated 6.9 million children are out of school in Nigeria in addition to the estimated 38 percent of non literate population in the country.

He made this known in Abuja while briefing Journalists on the commemoration of the 2021 International Literacy Day.

According to the Minister, investing in education of the parents will have ripple effect in the reduction of the number of out of school children.

Adamu who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, stressed that the Federal Government is determined to confront adult literacy programmes with the same zeal it is addressing out of school children.

He further stated that the theme of the 2021 IDL, Literacy For A Human Centered Recovery: Narrowing the Digital Divide , “is apt and timely considering the focus and Change agenda of this administration to reposition all sectors of the economy including Education”

On his part, the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay charged the Federal Government to come up with diverse solutions for distance, face-to-face and hybrid learning for literacy.

Azoulay, who was represented by UNESCO Regional Education advisor, Mammadou Sow, also called for equitable and inclusive access to technology-enabled literacy programmes to be integrated into learning of reading and writing skills and digital skills.

He added that there was also need for the country to develop a national framework that would provide sound financial structure for literacy education.

He further called for the adoption of an appropriate type of technology to support the good teaching approach, learning content, assessment and certification.

He pushed for action to facilitate literacy teaching and lifelong learning among youths and adults.

In November 1966, UNESCO proclaimed 8th September of every year as the International Literacy Day, to draw global attention to the status of literacy and lifelong learning, as well as highlight the linkage between literacy and the development of individuals and Nations.