Alhaji Adamu Adamu, Nigeria’s Minister of Education,
Thursday described the rate of illiteracy in the country as alarming...
The
minister made the remark when he paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Alhaji Atiku
Bagudu of Kebbi State in Birnin Kebbi Thursday. According to News Agency of
Nigeria ( NAN ), the minister and the delegates were in the state for a two-day
International Literacy Day conference organised by the National Commission for
Mass Education. Adamu said the country had about 65 million to 75 million
illiterates, describing the figure as unbecoming and high, considering the
country’s population. “Education is the bedrock of any country’s development
and any country that does not educate its populace is bound to fail. “Unfortunately,
in Nigeria, we have a very large population of illiterates; the illiterates
figure, considering our population, is unbecoming,’’ he said. Adamu, who was
represented by Jonathan Mbaka, the Director of Basic and Secondary Education,
Federal Ministry of Education, said that the federal government was targeting
educating out-of-school children. The minister said this was part of its
strategic plan to reduce the number of the illiterates in the country. “The
government is doing all it can to reduce the number of children that are out of
school. “This includes the adoption of inclusive education where every Nigerian
will be given the opportunity to go to school, regardless of background,
ethnicity, and gender,’’ he said. Adamu commended the governor’s wife, Hajiya
Aisha Bagudu, for reducing the number of out-of-school children and illiterates
in Kebbi State through her Mass Almajiri Literacy and Poverty Alleviation
Initiative ( MALPAI ). Responding, the governor said that most of the security
challenges the country faced were manifestations of the level of illiteracy in
the country. “We have an army of people whose inability to read can be
exploited by divisive elements in the country Bagudu commended them for
ignoring the fears and tension created by a few group of people by assembling
in the state to deliberate on how to reduce illiteracy in the country. “I am
very proud that we are hosting eminent delegates from across the federation at
the time like this, where there is tension and fear in Nigeria. “For you to
ignore fears that a few people cannot intimidate us is commendable. “Our
destiny remains in our hands and not allowing inconsequential elements to
determine our fate is also commendable,’’ he said. The governor attributed the
high illiteracy rate in Nigeria to Boko Haram insurgency, saying that many of
the sect’s followers only knew the Quran but could not interpret and digest its
meanings.
Alhaji Adamu Adamu,
Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Thursday described the rate of
illiteracy in the country as alarming.
The minister made the remark when he paid a courtesy visit to Gov.
Alhaji Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State in Birnin Kebbi Thursday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ), the minister and the
delegates were in the state for a two-day International Literacy Day
conference organised by the National Commission for Mass Education.
Adamu said the country had about 65 million to 75 million illiterates,
describing the figure as unbecoming and high, considering the country’s
population.
“Education is the bedrock of any country’s development and any country
that does not educate its populace is bound to fail.
“Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we have a very large population of
illiterates; the illiterates figure, considering our population, is
unbecoming,’’ he said.
Adamu, who was represented by Jonathan Mbaka, the Director of Basic and
Secondary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, said that the
federal government was targeting educating out-of-school children.
The minister said this was part of its strategic plan to reduce the
number of the illiterates in the country.
“The government is doing all it can to reduce the number of children
that are out of school.
“This includes the adoption of inclusive education where every Nigerian
will be given the opportunity to go to school, regardless of background,
ethnicity, and gender,’’ he said.
Adamu commended the governor’s wife, Hajiya Aisha Bagudu, for reducing
the number of out-of-school children and illiterates in Kebbi State
through her Mass Almajiri Literacy and Poverty Alleviation Initiative (
MALPAI ).
Responding, the governor said that most of the security challenges the
country faced were manifestations of the level of illiteracy in the
country.
“We have an army of people whose inability to read can be exploited by
divisive elements in the country
Bagudu commended them for ignoring the fears and tension created by a
few group of people by assembling in the state to deliberate on how to
reduce illiteracy in the country.
“I am very proud that we are hosting eminent delegates from across the
federation at the time like this, where there is tension and fear in
Nigeria.
“For you to ignore fears that a few people cannot intimidate us is
commendable.
“Our destiny remains in our hands and not allowing inconsequential
elements to determine our fate is also commendable,’’ he said.
The governor attributed the high illiteracy rate in Nigeria to Boko
Haram insurgency, saying that many of the sect’s followers only knew the
Quran but could not interpret and digest its meanings.
Read more at: https://dailytimes.ng/news/illiteracy-rate-nigeria-alarming-says-countrys-fg/
Read more at: https://dailytimes.ng/news/illiteracy-rate-nigeria-alarming-says-countrys-fg/
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