At least 30% of Nigerians, according to the Federal Government, are illiterate.
Adamu Adamu, the minister of education, provided the information 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.
The minister was represented by Vivian Wategre, Director of Education Service in the ministry.
He stated that the Federal Government’s actions and policies toward safe schools demonstrate its commitment to Nigeria’s present and future.
According to the minister, as of 2021, 31% of citizens were illiterate, down from 38% in 2015.
Adamu expressed the ministry’s commitment to increasing the country’s literacy level.
He said the government’s effort to address the challenge includes collaborating with the United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Global Education.
The minister recalled that in May 2014, some Nigerian business leaders floated the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI) during the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEFA) in Abuja.
This led to the Safe Schools Fund launch, with capitalization from the Federal Government, the private sector, and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
In August 2021, the National Council on Education approved the National Policy of Safety and Violence-Free Schools.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has also sanctioned the implementation of the Safe School Declaration (SSD) Laws and Policies.