Nearly 75% of kids in Nigeria lack reading skills by the time they turn 10, according to the government

Nigeria's learning crisis has deepened, with roughly three out of every four children at the basic education level unable to read and understand an age-appropriate text by the age of 10, according to the Federal Government.

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This stark reality was revealed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, who described the situation as unacceptable and emphasized the need for Nigeria to urgently adopt technology-driven learning to reverse the trend, speaking in Abuja at the Federal Ministry of Education and Universal Basic Education Commission Roundtable Convening Meeting on Digital Resources Available to Achieving Learning Outcomes.

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Alausa explained that learning poverty refers to a child's inability to read and understand an age-appropriate text by the age of 10, and in Nigeria, this affects three out of every four children, underscoring the urgent need to transform teaching and learning through digital technology.

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The minister stressed that digital learning is the future, and its deployment to every part of the country, including rural communities, is no longer a choice but a necessity, as manual methods are no longer feasible.

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A high-level meeting was convened, bringing together officials from the Federal Ministry of Education, the Universal Basic Education Commission, state commissioners for education, and other education stakeholders to address the learning crisis.

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Alausa urged state governments to fully utilize the digital learning platforms developed by the Federal Government, including the Nigeria Learning Passport, Inspire, Ignite, EduRevamp, E-Learn, the Greenfield Learning Management System, and virtual classroom solutions.

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These platforms, designed to complement classroom teaching, provide curriculum-aligned lessons delivered by some of Nigeria's best teachers and can help bridge the shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in subjects like Mathematics, English Language, Physics, and Chemistry.

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Schools facing shortages of subject teachers can connect learners to live or recorded virtual lessons, allowing students to interact with teachers online and ask questions, according to the minister.

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Despite substantial investment by the Federal Government and development partners, the minister lamented the poor utilization of these platforms, with the Nigeria Learning Passport currently having only about 2.3 million users, a figure that is insignificant compared to Nigeria's estimated 67 million learners in primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary schools.

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Alausa commended the United Nations Children's Fund for supporting the development of the Nigeria Learning Passport, which proved invaluable during the coronavirus pandemic and was subsequently deployed to sustain learning for children affected by insecurity and prolonged school closures.

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The minister noted that digital resources can also improve teachers' professional development by strengthening their digital literacy and classroom teaching skills, and called on state governments to organize orientation programs for school principals and teachers to ensure effective utilization of the platforms.

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The Universal Basic Education Commission is constructing digital learning resource centers equipped with computers, smart boards, and solar-powered electricity systems in schools nationwide to expand access to technology-driven education, according to Alausa.

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Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr. Aisha Garba, emphasized that technology has become indispensable in building an inclusive, resilient, and future-ready education system, and that the commission has established digital learning centers in primary and junior secondary schools.

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Garba disclosed that the commission has deployed smart interactive boards, strengthened education data systems, and introduced digital monitoring and evaluation platforms, and has also inaugurated Digital Champions to drive digital transformation within the agency and support state governments in implementing education technology initiatives.

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According to Garba, technology alone cannot transform education unless supported by effective coordination, strong partnerships, sustained capacity building, and a willingness among stakeholders to embrace innovation, and the roundtable meeting aimed to deepen collaboration among education stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of digital learning resources across Nigeria.

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Garba expressed confidence that the initiative would improve learning outcomes while advancing President Bola Tinubu's human capital development agenda through quality education, as Nigeria has consistently ranked among the countries with the highest levels of learning poverty globally.

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Learning poverty, as measured by the World Bank and the United Nations Children's Fund, refers to the percentage of children who cannot read and understand a simple age-appropriate text by the age of 10, combining children who are out of school with those who are in school but have not acquired foundational reading skills.

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Education experts have attributed Nigeria's learning crisis to chronic teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate funding, poor learning materials, insecurity, poverty, and prolonged school closures, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic and in conflict-affected communities.

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In recent years, the Federal Government, with support from development partners, has invested in digital learning initiatives, including the Nigeria Learning Passport and other virtual education platforms, to improve access to quality instruction, strengthen teachers' capacity, and ensure learning continues during emergencies.

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The latest push for wider adoption of these technologies forms part of ongoing efforts to improve foundational literacy and numeracy and reduce the country's learning poverty rate, according to the Federal Government.