Rate of illiteracy in Nigeria reaches 38%, over 60 million people affected

The Ministry of Education has disclosed that Nigeria currently has more than sixty million people who are illiterate.

To put this into perspective, about 38 percent of youths and adults in the country cannot read and write or engage in any formal discourse.

The deputy director of basic and secondary education, Prinzo James, revealed this baffling reality while representing the Minister of education, Adamu Adamu at an event marking the International literacy day in Kano.

“With these unwholesome statistics in our hands, it becomes evident that concerted efforts are required in order to accelerate the processes for combating illiteracy among children, youths and adults,” he pointed out.

Education in Nigeria has deteriorated into the lowest standards in recent times and the result is a highly ignorant society where illiteracy and poverty is endemic.

With 11 million children reportedly out of school in 2018, it could be argued that the end is not in sight, but Mr. James is optimistic about reversing this ugly trend.

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“I would like to assure you that preparations are underway by the federal government to launch a national mass literacy campaign with a view to addressing the high rate of youth and adult illiteracy in the country,” he said.

One can only hope that whatever intervention that the government will adopt will eventually lead to a desirable result.