According to the Federal Government, at least 30% of Nigerians are illiterate.
The information was provided by Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, on Wednesday in Lagos, according to NAN.
Adamu spoke on the theme ‘Toward Safe Schools in Nigeria’ at the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) 2022 Summit.
Vivian Wategre, Director of Education Service in the ministry, represented the minister.
He stated that the Federal Government’s actions and policies toward safe schools demonstrate the Federal Government’s commitment to Nigeria’s present and future times.
According to the minister, 31 percent of citizens were illiterate as at 2021, down from 38 percent in 2015.
Adamu expressed the ministry’s commitment to raising the country’s literacy rate.
He stated that the government’s efforts to address the issue include collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Global Education.
The minister recalled that during the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEFA) in Abuja in May 2014, some Nigerian business leaders proposed the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI).
This resulted in the establishment of the Safe Schools Fund, which was funded by the federal government, the private sector, and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The National Council on Education approved the National Policy of Safety and Violence-Free Schools in August 2021.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has also approved the Safe School Declaration (SSD) Laws and Policies.