31% of Nigerians still can’t read, write – FG

The Federal Government says about 31 per cent of the nation’s population cannot read and write, despite huge investment in the education sector in Nigeria.

Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Opiah, made this known during ministerial briefing on the 2022 International Literacy Day with the theme: ‘Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces; Exploring Opportunities and Possibilities’.

He said it was heartwarming to note that the current statistics of 2022, based on estimations, captured the non-literate population at about 31 per cent of the estimated total population, saying was a significant reduction from the hitherto statistics of 38 per cent in 2015.

This is even as the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has revealed that more than 771 million youth and adults around the world still do not possess basic literacy skills-60 per cent of whom are girls and women.

The minister however noted that International Literacy Day is observed all over the world to reaffirm commitment to promoting education and literacy, adding that it was an opportunity to rethink the fundamental importance of literacy learning spaces to build resilience and ensure quality, equitable, and inclusive education for all.

He said the theme was also apt as it adequately would help to increase awareness about the diverse literacy learning spaces which centred on the needs of youths and adults.