From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate International Literacy Day (ILD), the federal government has expressed it desire to improve budgetary provisions to address adult
illiteracy and out-of-school children.
Minister of education,  Adamu Adamu while speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday, at the commemoration of the 2021 ILD, explained that non-literate parents are more likely to have out of school children.
ILD was proclaimed by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in November 1966 to draw global attention to the status of literacy and lifelong learning, as well as highlight the linkage between literacy and the development of individuals and Nations.
Adamu said Investing in Education of the parents will have ripple effect on the reduction of out of school Children.
“It is a fact that non-literate parents are more likely to breed out of school
children, thereby compounding the phenomenon facing our nation today.
Government is determined to confront adult literacy programme with the same zeal we are handling out of school children. We look forward to improving budgetary provisions in this regard in the coming years.
“It is our belief that confronting adult
illiteracy and paying attention to out of school children is a comprehensive
and women, achieve literacy and numeracy’. The aim is that by 2030, all young people and adults across the world should have achieved relevant and recognised proficiency levels in functional literacy and numeracy skills that are equivalent to levels achieved at successful completion of basic education’.
He also urged all stakeholders, including the Press, to make a difference by complementing government’s efforts in the fight against
illiteracy in our various schedules, homes, families and immediate communities.
UNESCO’s representative Mammadou Lamine Sow,  in his remarks stated that to promote education there must be  diverse solutions for distance, face-to-face and hybrid learning for literacy; Support Equitable and inclusive access to technology-enabled literacy programmes; integrate
learning of reading and writing skills and digital skills and adopt an appropriate type of technology to support the good teaching approach, learning content, assessment and certification.
“While we celebrate this year’s International Literacy Day, let us spare a thought on these issues and rethink literacy delivery in Nigeria to accelerate our march towards the achievement of SDG 4: quality education.”