Steps taken to boost mass literacy rate

Stakeholders at an event to mark the 51st International Literacy Day held at Birnin Kebbi, recently, described adult literacy as one of the neglected components in Nigeria’s education sector. In spite of government’s effort, illiteracy is said to have remained prevalent among adults, especially women, in rural communities and among members of poor households. This […]

Stakeholders at an event to mark the 51st International Literacy Day held at Birnin Kebbi, recently, described adult literacy as one of the neglected components in Nigeria’s education sector.

In spite of government’s effort, illiteracy is said to have remained prevalent among adults, especially women, in rural communities and among members of poor households. This is worsened by poor quality education because most school children haven’t learnt basic reading and math skills. 

 Kebbi State Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Muhammadu Magawata Aliero, said some of the issues that might have hampered the successful implementation of national mass literacy campaigns included poor and inadequate planning, lack of political will to formulate policies and diligent implementation of mass literacy programmes and mass literacy campaigns.

Others included insufficient mobilization and deployment of human and material resources needed for a sustainable effort to achieve mass literacy and lack of synergy among the stakeholders in the mass literacy campaign in the country.

The chairman, Advocacy for Positive Behavioural Patterns Initiative, Bamidele David Mann, said lack of fund is one of the reasons why government could not tackle illiteracy in the country.

“When government pumped money into the education sector they need to do it with some level of decorum in conjunction with community leaders who are closer to the people to achieve the desired goal,” he noted.

Mann, however, stated that the free meals policy in schools would encourage children to learn basic reading and writing skills.

He said policy inconsistency in the public service had prevented the efforts on illiteracy to yield the desired results.  

“If we have a continuation in policy, we will achieve the desired objective. For example the feeding programme introduced by this administration, if the next government should continue with the programme we will achieve the desired goal of eradicating illiteracy in the country,” he said.

Executive Secretary of National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC), Professor Abba Abubakar Haladu, said that government has taken steps to deal with the challenges facing mass literacy efforts.

He said the commission had constructed 13 community learning centres, two in each of the geo-political zones and the FCT, and established 789 basic literacy classes, 21 in each of the 36 states and the FCT and 12 in Federal Government Colleges. 

He said the allowances of adult literacy facilitators were paid at the appointed time while sufficient learning materials were also provided.

He said the commission has developed relevant policy documents, including an operational plan for a National Mass Literacy Programme, policy guidelines and communication strategy.

He said several workshops to review a number of non-formal education teaching and learning materials, including curriculum for basic and post-literacy, English language, Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo basic literacy primers have been held.