Three in four Nigerian children can’t read by age 10, FG

Nigeria faces a severe learning crisis, with the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, revealing that approximately three out of every four children at the basic education level cannot read and comprehend age-appropriate material by the age of 10. This "learning poverty" is deemed "unacceptable" by Alausa, who stressed the urgent need to integrate technology into education to reverse the trend.

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Learning poverty means that by the age of 10, a child cannot read and understand an age-appropriate text. In Nigeria today, three out of every four children are learning poor. That is simply unacceptable.

Speaking at a roundtable meeting on digital resources for learning outcomes in Abuja, Alausa emphasized that manual teaching methods are no longer feasible. He advocated for the widespread deployment of digital learning solutions across the country, including rural areas. Several digital platforms, such as the Nigeria Learning Passport, Inspire, and Ignite, have been developed by the Federal Government to supplement classroom teaching and address shortages of qualified teachers in subjects like mathematics and science.

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We don’t have a choice. We have to use technology. It is no longer feasible to continue to do things manually. Digital learning is the future, and we must deploy it to every part of the country, including the most rural communities.

However, Alausa expressed concern over the low adoption rates of these platforms, despite substantial investment from the government and development partners. The Nigeria Learning Passport, for instance, has only 2.3 million users, a figure considered insignificant compared to Nigeria's estimated 67 million learners. "We have invested significant resources in these platforms. If they are not used, then it becomes a wasted investment," he stated, urging stakeholders to utilize the available resources effectively.

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This is still extremely low. We have invested significant resources in these platforms. If they are not used, then it becomes a wasted investment. We cannot continue to suffer in the midst of plenty.