Adult education, critical to tackle out of school children phenomena – Minister

Education Minister, Professor Tahir Mamman has said that the most potent way of tackling out of school children phenomena in Nigeria is to give adequate attention to adult education, emphasising that educated adults are more prone to educating their children.

The Minister of State for Education Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu also shared the same view as the two ministers spoke at a briefing session with the leadership of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education in Abuja, Nigeria.

The duo are unanimous on the need to tackle Adult illiteracy, stressing that “Adult illiterates constitute the fountain from which out of school children keep flowing.”

Speaking further, Prof. Tahir Mamman, said one of the fundamental ways to deal with the ever increasing number of out of school children is to educate the parents, adding that “An educated parent is more likely to educate his/her child.”

Professor Tahir Mamman identified funding, advocacy and commitment as key elements necessary in tackling the menace of adult illiteracy.

The Minister directed the leadership of the National Commission for Mass Literacy to furnish his office with the current number of adult illiterates in the Country, their location and strategies for taking them off that shelve.

Aligning with the Minister on the same page, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu emphasised that “Adequate funding is critical in raising the Literacy level of the country.”

Dr. Sununu wondered why the National Commission for Mass Literacy was removed from the funding envelope of the Annual National Budget, promising that he would take up the matter with his colleagues at the National Assembly.

The Minister of State explained that the Mass Literacy Commission is not a revenue yielding Agency, but the provider of a critical National Service.

Briefing the two Ministers earlier, the Director General of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non Formal Education, Prof Simon Akpama told the Ministers that investment in the Adult Education subsector has the potential of not only improving the overall Literacy level of the country but“Will also drastically reduce the number of out of school children in Nigeria.”