FG must resolve Nigeria’s literacy crisis – NAS

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By Jeremiah Urowayino

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The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has demanded urgent and concrete action on the literacy crisis in Nigeria.

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NAS/PC, in a statement by the NAS Cap’n, Dr Charles Meribole, entitled ‘’Rewriting the Future: A National Emergency on Literacy, to mark 2026 International Literacy Day’’ noted that the 18.3 million out-of-school children in Nigeria and the 64 million adults who are illiterate are not acceptable for a country that is aiming for a thriving economy.

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He stated that the theme for this year’s celebration, “Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity,” speaks directly to the future Nigeria hopes to have.

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According to him, it is a matter of right for every Nigerian to have the foundational skills required to learn, participate, work, innovate and live with dignity.’’

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‘’ NAS/PC considers this year’s theme relevant to Nigeria in her quest to build a population capable of competing globally and accelerating prosperity. A literate population is better equipped with skills and knowledge to build a prosperous economy, protect its environment, and create a more inclusive society. A literate population has access to and power for innovative endeavours that reject ignorance, banish poverty, choose good governance, and change the trajectory of a nation’s development,” he added.

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Meribole emphasised that mass illiteracy has dire consequences, including being economically disadvantaged, susceptible to manipulation, and vessels of violence.

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He also linked mass illiteracy to the increasing level of insecurity, especially in Northern states, stressing that if the Federal Government is desirous of having a prosperous nation, then it must be ready to tackle the illiteracy crisis afflicting Nigeria.

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According to him, NAS/PC is of the view that literacy is a fundamental human right and a foundation for human development and a prerequisite for inclusive prosperity.

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He added that Nigerian cannot credibly aspire to build a productive, innovative, and globally competitive Nigeria while millions of Nigerians cannot write and understand what they read.

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Meribole acknowledged the Federal Government’s efforts to solve the literacy crisis through the HOPE for Quality Basic Education for All (HOPE-EDU) programme, unveiled by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, stressing, however, that the implementation must move from pronouncements to make foundational literacy a national emergency.

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He called for the safety of schools, especially in Northern Nigeria, to prevent mass abductions and the shutdown of schools; reform of the National Commission on Mass Literacy, Adult Education and Non- Formal Education with an expansion of its reach to rural communities; and education policies to be integrated with interventions addressing poverty, hunger, insecurity, displacement, social protection and gender inequality.

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‘’Nigeria’s dream of a $1trillion economy by 2030 can only become a reality with a highly literate population capable of applying its knowledge and skills as a pathway to economic prosperity. Nigeria must therefore move from mere pronouncements on the literacy crisis to implementing concrete plans to tackle it head-on. We must move from just budgetary allocations to measurable outcomes that indicate progress. And we must move from accepting the literacy crisis as an emergency to confronting it as a national challenge that is surmountable and which we have the power and the responsibility to solve,’’ he stated

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