International Literacy Day: Now Is The Time To Invest In Education In Nigeria

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) set 8 September as the day for the celebration of and reflection on literacy rates across the world, and this year's theme centres on "learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond".

This year's theme seeks to check improvements in the global educational system pre-COVID-19 period and during, and how discussions of educational policies have affected the reality on ground today.

Globally, over 1.2 billion children in 186 countries are affected by the disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March, schools across Nigeria were closed due to the raging disease called coronavirus, a disease that forced economies to shut down in a bid to check the spread of the virus.

School-age children and students in tertiary institutions were made to stay at home, with the Federal and States governments making provisions for these students to continue enjoying lessons even outside their classrooms.

The government had said that lessons would be broadcast at scheduled times on television and radio channels across the different states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The initiative was praised by many but the reality was in stark contrast with the plan that failed to take into consideration the economic disparity that determined if a huge number of these school students would benefit from this provision.

Chatting with some students, many said that they hardly participated in these broadcasts, citing its unfriendly and almost distant touch.

Others said that they were unable to sit in for these classes because of power cuts during the scheduled times.

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An educator at Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), identified simply as Mrs. Sanusi, said, "Yes, the government did make provisions for school students for learning during the pandemic so that they do not just sit at home and do nothing, but the problem is that most of these lessons are not tailored according to the needs of the individual kids.

"Prior to the pandemic, some children already found it hard to actively engage in lessons taught in the classrooms, but this pandemic has exacerbated the struggles of some of these children pertaining to the form of instruction.

"Another challenge is the issue of the persisting epileptic power supply. Children from homes where their parents subsist on the little resources they are able to gather and are unable to afford solar panels or generators that will facilitate their studies are left out of these classes.

"The online medium would have been the next best solution but seeing as the country is still suffering from a scary economic disparity, many families cannot afford the luxury to provide these amenities that would aid learning during this period."

Some schools in the country made provisions for digital classes; a privilege enjoyed by only a select few from select private schools, leaving one to wonder about the rest of the school-age population.

In some developed nations, the governments provided digital apparatuses to ensure that kids continue to enjoy school activities - sans the physical element.

This is an inflection point for the government to devise innovative ways designed to cater to our peculiar economic landscape to ensure that kids - especially those in remote areas where access to education, pre-COVID-19, was already in a piss poor state - are not hugely affected by the disruption.

It is time that this critical sector is recognised for what it is: vital. A significant investment in the education sector is a long-term investment in the development of a straggling youth population.