Three Out Of Every Four Nigerian Children Cannot Read At Age 10— Education Minister Olatunji Alausa

 

The Federal Government has expressed concern over Nigeria’s worsening learning crisis, revealing that about three out of every four children at the basic education level are unable to read and understand an age-appropriate text by the age of 10.

Speaking at a roundtable meeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Education and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, described the situation as unacceptable and stressed the urgent need to embrace digital learning to improve educational outcomes across the country.

According to the minister, learning poverty remains one of Nigeria’s biggest education challenges, making it necessary to adopt technology-driven teaching methods. He said digital learning platforms can complement classroom teaching, help address the shortage of qualified teachers, and provide students with access to quality lessons regardless of their location.

Alausa noted that the Federal Government has already developed several digital learning platforms, including the Nigeria Learning Passport, but lamented that they remain underutilised. He disclosed that while the Nigeria Learning Passport has about 2.3 million users, the figure is still very low compared to the country’s estimated 67 million learners.

He urged state governments to promote the use of the platforms by training school administrators and teachers while ensuring effective implementation in schools. He also disclosed that UBEC is constructing digital learning resource centres equipped with computers, smart boards and solar-powered electricity to expand access to technology-driven education nationwide.

The minister added that the digital platforms would strengthen teachers’ skills, improve foundational literacy and numeracy, and ensure uninterrupted learning during emergencies.