The Federal Government has pledged to collaborate with development partners to tackle the challenges of out-of-school children and promote mass literacy.
This pledge was made by the Minister of State for Education, Dr Suwaiba Ahmad, during a meeting with Wolfgang Leumer, Senior Programme Manager of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), in Abuja on Tuesday.
Leumer was accompanied by representatives of the Non-governmental Association for Literacy Support Services (NOGALSS).
Ahmad emphasised the role played by development partners in advancing grassroots education.
She noted that the current approach, which pilots initiatives in only six states and selected local government areas, limits the overall impact given Nigeria’s vast population and 36 states, and the FCT.
“By the time you are working on one aspect, another people are working in another area in other states. And within this pilot states, it’s only working in some selected local government areas.
“So you find out that some of these monies you are pumping and looking at the overall population its something that is insignificant and that is why the impact is not being felt across the country.
“So what we are trying to do is to align development partners so we can sit down together, pool our resources together and see how government can come in.
“So that whatever initiative looking at, every state is also part of it, so that if you are working on a state, let us focus on that state and ensure that all members of that state benefit from that initiative,” she said.
Earlier, Leumer reiterated the mission of the Global Campaign for Education, which advocates for equal access to education as a fundamental public good and a cornerstone for development.
“We have seen the importance of digital literacy in addressing educational disparities.
“GCE is focused on ensuring equal education for all, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is a prerequisite for sustainable development,” Leumer stated.
He added that GCE’s digitalisation efforts in various countries aim to make education more efficient and accessible, particularly for underserved communities.
Meanwhile, the National President of NOGALSS, Noah Emmanuel, outlined the organisation’s digital literacy initiative, which aims to provide basic digital training to 1,200 learners across six states.
He called for collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure the project’s success.
“As a key stakeholder in education, your ministry’s support is vital to realising this project.
“It aligns with the federal government’s vision for inclusive, functional education, especially in areas such as digital literacy, non-formal education, and lifelong learning,” Emmanuel said.
He assured stakeholders of NOGALSS’s commitment to transparency and accountability, adding that the project aims to leave a legacy of empowerment and inclusivity.
He also revealed that plans are in place to graduate 43 students trained in Computer Software and Hardware Engineering and 56 students trained as chefs from two of the organisation’s member groups. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
