Lagos to send illiterate residents to adult school

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, says no fewer than three million adult residents who are not literate will be sent to school by the state government.

The governor said the move would accelerate the government’s plan of turning the state into Africa’s megacity.

Ambode, who spoke at the inauguration of a new literacy programme tagged, “Eko n’ Kekoo” (Lagos is learning), at the Police College, Ikeja, organised by the Agency for Mass Education and the Office of Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Education.

He said the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation statistics showed that 54 million people were illiterate in Nigeria, adding that the number was larger than the population of South Africa.

He said, “In Lagos, research shows that 13 per cent of the population, that is three million persons, are illiterate. This level of illiteracy is unacceptable. The number will not help the vision of Lagos as Africa’s model megacity.

“This is because illiterate persons lack essential life skills which make them vulnerable to the activities of criminals and other anti-social groups.”

Ambode, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Oluranti Adebule, said a minimum level of literacy was therefore required, adding that basic literacy was essential in the state.

“Our goal is to achieve 100 per cent literacy in the state. Towards this end, we plan to increase the number of basic adult learning centres from 532 to 1,000.

“We will also engage additional 1,000 facilitators, who will be trained in basic skills and techniques in the teaching of adult education. I encourage residents of Lagos to take this opportunity to learn,” the governor said.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said the initiative was aimed at making illiterate adults self-reliant and employable.

Source PUNCH.