‘Only 1.5% early grade pupils in northern Nigeria read effectively’

Only one and a half percent of children at primary school early grade in public schools in states of northern Nigeria are able to read and answer comprehension questions, 72 percent of them cannot read a single word, a Literacy and Pedagogy Specialists, Dr. Andrien Barnnes of Florida State University, United States of America has […]

Only one and a half percent of children at primary school early grade in public schools in states of northern Nigeria are able to read and answer comprehension questions, 72 percent of them cannot read a single word, a Literacy and Pedagogy Specialists, Dr. Andrien Barnnes of Florida State University, United States of America has claimed.

Dr Barnnes, who was part of the USAID supported specialists that undertook a survey on early grade reading in some states of Northern Nigeria recently, stated this in an interview at the roundtable session in the Nigeria Centre for Reading Research and Development (NCRRD), National conference on children’s books and the teaching of early grade reading in Nigeria.

She attributed the shortfall in reading proficiency among the early grade pupils to paucity of high-quality teaching and learning materials as well as well trained and motivated teachers in public schools.