The Federal Government has unveiled a program aimed at enrolling over 500,000 out-of-school children in its first phase. The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC) has commenced a two-day training for enumerators on automated data collection tools to tackle the challenges of out-of-school children. According to Dr. John Onimisi, Acting Executive Secretary of NMEC, the enumerators will capture data on youths aged 15 years and above who dropped out of school or never had the opportunity to continue their education.
The program will cover all 774 local government areas of the federation, with 376 enumerators from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) onboarded to facilitate the exercise. Additionally, 250 facilitators will drive the exercise in Abuja. The program’s emphasis is not only on literacy but also on vocational training, with the goal of ensuring that learners are enrolled in non-formal learning centers and complete the program successfully. Some learners may also transition to vocational programs after completion.
Monitoring of the program will be done in real-time through a dashboard linked to the National Identity Management System to ensure proper tracking and follow-up of learners. This initiative marks a renewed government commitment to addressing the country’s literacy gaps. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Universal Basic Education Commission have expressed support for the intervention.
According to the NMEC, Nigeria has a significant number of non-literate adults, with estimates suggesting over 30 million adults as of 2021. The country’s illiteracy rate stands at approximately 31%, with efforts being made to reduce this figure through initiatives like the Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) program, which targets 80 million underserved young non-literate Nigerians and adults.
The program will run in phases, with the first literacy cycle lasting between six to nine months, depending on contact hours. Pilot testing of the program will begin in four locations within the FCT before the nationwide rollout. The training for enumerators will enable them to use digital devices for data collection, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the program.
