by Hollie Nielsen, AWCC Scotland
In conjunction with our latest Global Issues Book Discussion Series selection of The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, this article will have a brief look at literacy in Nigeria.
As the Nigerian Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu stated in 2018, “Education is the bedrock of any country’s development and any country that does not educate its populace is bound to fail.”1
Overall, Nigeria has a lower than expected level of educational achievement given its moderately high per capita income. Put in context, Nigeria ranks 161 out of 189 countries in the UN’s Human Development Index; this puts Nigeria well below The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia and below the average for countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.2 Factors contributing to this lower level are poor physical facilities, inadequate sanitation, lack of textbooks and the lack of properly trained teachers. Primary education is officially free and compulsory (Six years of primary and three years of junior secondary education). However, 10.5 million of the country’s children aged 5–14 are not in school. There are also many over-age students and students who repeat years; it takes nine years on average to complete the six primary school years. “Between 2012 and 2018, some 80% of children in Nigeria completed the last grade of elementary school, with 81% of males and 79% of females.” However, only 59% of females finish high school, compared with 70% of males.3 “By way of comparison, Nigeria and South Korea both had a per capita income of about $800 in 1950 (at 1990 values). By 2008, this had about doubled in Nigeria, but was over $19,000 in South Korea: thirteen times higher than Nigeria. The difference has been attributed to education policy. South Korea chose to achieve universal primary education, while Nigeria invested mainly in universities while literacy rates remained low.”4
With respect to literacy,* the rates vary widely by region, poverty level, gender and age. Overall, Nigeria’s literacy rate in 2018 was 62.02%, a 10.94% increase from 2008.5 The highest literacy rates are in the southern regions; this area also has the lowest percentage difference between male and female literacy rates. In 2018, the male urban literacy rate was 86.4%; the rural rate 59.5%. The female urban rate was 74%; the female rural rate was 35.4%.3 Looking at wealth, “Young women from the wealthiest 20% of households are four times more likely to be literate than young women from the poorest 20% of households.”6 With respect to gender, “The female literacy rate in Nigeria is among the highest in West Africa. However, the difference between male and female literacy rates are substantial in both urban and rural areas.”3 Finally, age also has a significant impact on literacy rates. In total, the literacy rate of people older than 15 is 62%, with males at 70% and females at 53%. However, in the over 65 population, the total literacy rate is 28%, with males at 40% and females at 18%.7
These literacy statistics highlight the obstacles faced by main character Adunni in the book The Girl with the Louding Voice. She was from a rural area, poor and female. Her only advantage was her young age, which meant she had been to the village school for a couple years. With all of these strikes against her, it is amazing she was able to qualify for a scholarship and attend school, even though she was almost 15. According to Minister of Education Adamu, “drug use, malpractice, cultism, communal clashes, terrorism and various criminal acts such as armed robbery, human trafficking, kidnapping and juvenile delinquency, are all on the rise in Nigeria,” leading to more illiteracy. The government is tackling illiteracy and related poverty and unemployment by targeting children who are already out of school and encouraging them to return to school. In addition, the government is making efforts to dramatically increase the number of children entering school and to prevent students from dropping out due to cultural or financial reasons. “This includes the adoption of inclusive education where every Nigerian will be given the opportunity to go to school, regardless of background, ethnicity and gender,’’ Adamu stated.1
There is reason to hope. Rather than adopting vague, aspirational literacy and education targets, which have been missed in the past and are unlikely to be met in the future, Nigeria can focus on three vital areas where substantial progress can be made: “improving school quality, getting more children into primary school and increasing preschool coverage.”4 The Adunnis of the future may find it easier to become literate and educated so that they, too, can find their Louding Voices.
* “Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.”5
SOURCES
1 www.proliteracy.org/Blogs/Article/311
3 Simona Varrella Sept 8th 2021 statista.com
Photo from Unsplash
