The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education (NMAC) has revealed that Nigeria has 65 million illiterates who can neither read or write in any form.
The commission also disclosed that there are 10 million out-of-school children in the country.
The Executive Secretary of NMAC, Prof. Abba Haladu made this revelation while addressing the House Committee on Basic Education chaired by Rep. Julius Ihovbere (APC-Edo) on Thursday, October 17, 2019.
According to Vanguard, Haladu emphasized the need for government at all levels to have the political will to fight illiteracy to enhance sustainable development in the country.
“This is a very big challenge and the informal education sector will play a big role to return sanity to the country.
“We need to do something in a big way as a country to eradicate illiteracy,” he said.
The executive secretary said there was the need for the Federal Government to support the launch of the mass literacy programme the commission was developing.
He said the programme would improve the level of literacy in the country.
“We are calling on the House Committee to collaborate with the Senate and Executive to see how the menace of illiteracy can be eradicated in Nigeria,” he said.
Also responding to questions raised from committee on the commission being understaffed, he said it intended to utilise the staff to ensure effectiveness in the education system.
The executive secretary said that the commission currently had staff strength of 577 with recruitment conducted between 2011 and 2015.
KanyiDaily recalls that President Buhari said it is now a crime for parents to deny their children basic education in the country.
Buhari stressed the need to take very seriously and enforce very rigorously the statutory provisions on free and compulsory basic education.
