'Education for All Not Possible By 2015' - Minister

The Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, says Nigeria cannot achieve Education for All (EFA) by 2015 as the country has no accurate data to assess the level of literacy among citizens.

Speaking at the 2014 International Literacy Day yesterday in Abuja, Wike described the statistics for literacy in Nigeria as worrisome, saying 60 million or 38 per cent of the 160 million adults' population in the country could not read and write.

Wike put the number out-of-school children in Nigeria at 10.5 million, urging state and local governments to redouble their efforts towards improving mass literacy programmes in their domains.

"The literacy index of any developing country is used as a yardstick for measuring its progress and development. It is also a viable tool for the realization of the MDGs goals and Education for All (EFA). Through literacy, poverty is reduced and skills are enhanced," he said.

Wike said the federal government had set up a committee to work with the Bureau of Statistics to get accurate data for country's literacy rate, saying without accurate data, Nigeria cannot eradicate illiteracy.

Noting that some states were yet to access their funds with the UBEC, the minister said states have a greater role to play in achieving education for all.

Earlier, the chairman, Board of Trustees of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education (NMEC), Esther Uduehi, asked the government to declare a state of emergency in the sector.

She identified poor funding, absence of political will and inconsistent policy implementation as major obstacles hindering mass literacy programmes in the country.

The Executive Secretary of the NMEC, Alhaji Jibrin Paiko, called on public office holders and non-governmental organisations to partner with the commission to eradicate illiteracy.

By Yusha'u A. Ibrahim

View the original article here