The Enugu State Government says it will partner with non-formal
education agencies to revitalize adult and youth literacy in the
state.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, represented by his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia
Ezeilo, made this known when he received in audience the members,
National Programme Steering Committee to the Revitalization of Adult
and Youth Literacy in Nigeria Project (RAYL), the National Commission
for Mass Literacy, Adult and non-formal education (NMEC) and UNESCO
who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Enugu yesterday.
Alarmed by UNESCO’s estimate that illiteracy rate among Nigeria’s
150million population was still high in 2015, Governor Ugwuanyi said
there is urgent need for concerted efforts by major players in the
educational sector to improve the state of affairs.
He said the RAYL project is, therefore, “a well- thought out and very
important vehicle for tackling this challenge and I must commend the
federal government through the Ministry of Education and other
relevant agencies and UNESCO, for teaming up to bring the project to
fruition and indeed, for their leadership in coordinating efforts
towards addressing the challenges of illiteracy amongst Nigeria adults
and youths including Enugu state”.
Earlier, the Regional Representative for UNESCO in the country, Dr.
Saidu Jallow, said that they were in Government House, Enugu to
solicit the assistance and support of the state government towards
bridging the gap between the core illiterate adults and youths and
their literate counterparts through designed literacy programmes.
According to Dr. Jallow, this could only be achieved through
partnership and collaboration with the state government and other
relevant agencies.
He commended the state governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for his
giant strides in the provision of democracy dividends to the people in
the areas of roads, education, healthcare delivery service, housing,
electricity and others.
Other speakers, including Dr. Mrs. Ifeyinwa Nneoli Ukaegbu of the
office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on MDA/SDG Abuja,
appealed to the state government to assist the agency achieve its
laudable objectives/policies in the areas of accommodation, fund and
other logistics.
