UNICEF: Learning crisis stalling development in Nigeria

The United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) says a learning crisis is stalling development in Nigeria.

Yetunde Oluwatosin, UNICEF education specialist, spoke on Wednesday at a media workshop on foundational literacy and numeracy in Benin, Edo state.

The workshop titled “Turning the tide on Nigeria’s learning crisis, a south-west media dialogue on foundational literacy and numeracy” was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Edo state ministry of education and the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lagos state directorate.

Oluwatosin said 73 percent of 10-year-olds in Nigeria are still having the challenge of reading or comprehending simple text.

She said three out of four children in Nigeria could not read with meaning or solve simple mathematical problems.

Oluwatosin said limited infrastructure, insufficient supply of teachers, and limited learning data, especially on proficiency level are some of the factors accounting for poor learning among children.

She said UNICEF has reached more than 1.8 million children with learning materials between 2018 and 2022.

Oluwatosin said that UNICEF is planning to reach another 4.8 million by 2027, primarily in northern Nigeria.

She added that foundational skills are needed to stop the crisis trend and improve learning outcomes in primary schools in the country.