By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Yusuf, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’Forum, Dr. AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, Universal Basic Education Board and UNICEF have called for a collective commitment and action to fix the Learning crisis in Nigeria.
Yusuf noted that in recent years, Nigeria has been grappling with a severe learning crisis that hinders youth from achieving their fullest potential, highlighting the consequences if the situation is not addressed.
He said,” The consequences of this learning crisis are far-reaching and profound. We risk widening the already significant education gap, perpetuating a cycle of poverty, illiteracy, diseases and stifling innovation and progress.”
Therefore, our nation must rise to protect the potential and aspiration of our youth, for they are our greatest asset and hope for a prosperous future,” said the minister.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Executive Governor of Kwara State, Dr. AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, who formed the commitment.
The NGF Chairman was represented by NGF vice-chairman and Governor of Oyo State, Mr Oluseyi Makinde said, “The Nigeria Governors’ Forum is committed to the provision of inclusive quality education through improved budgetary provision for the educational sector to address the learning crisis in the country.”
“We would consolidate our advocacy in guaranteeing that state governments in Nigeria allocate at least 15-20% of their fiscal budgets to education for subnational development.”
“We would consolidate our partnership and collaboration with the federal government, development partners and critical stakeholders in the education sector to address these challenges,” added Governor Makinde.
, Education Director, United States Agency for International Development Agency (USAID) Jana Wooden said, “USAID is committed to supporting inclusive foundational learning programmes through collaboration with the Ministry of Education, civil society organizations, implementing partners and other donors to meet the needs of children and youth in Nigeria and globally.”
Ms Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, strongly emphasized, “Nigeria must prioritize the learning crisis in its developmental agenda. A united effort, blending political leadership, technical expertise, and local community involvement, is pivotal.” She further added, “The time to zero in on and rededicate to learning is now, especially as the new administration chalks out its focus for the forthcoming five years.”
UNICEF reaffirms its support by collating insights from the conference and facilitating further refinement with stakeholders. A subsequent workshop is planned to validate that the Framework meticulously outlines the roles, duties, and resources essential for its execution.
The commitment follows the two-day National Conference on the Learning Crisis held on 18 and 19 October in Abuja.
Some of the challenges spotlighted during the conference include the lack of quality in educational investments, the dire need for enhanced teacher training, and the accessibility to superior textbooks in indigenous languages.
The Nigerian current educational landscape reveals a daunting reality, were merely 1 in 4 Nigerian children aged 7 to 14 can read with comprehension or tackle simple arithmetic.
The conference also spotlighted successful educational models such as the Reading and Numeracy Activity (RANA) and TaRL (Teaching at the Right Level).
The former has shown remarkable progress in elevating reading skills for Grades 1–3 students in both English and Hausa languages, catering to formal and Integrated Quranic Schools.
The latter has bridged learning gaps in Grades 4-6, adopting a unique approach of categorizing children based on learning capacities rather than conventional grading. Both models have proven effective in diverse humanitarian and developmental settings.
Meanwhile, the Federal and State officials, international donors, development partners and the private sector call for a ‘Framework of Action.’
The blueprint is aimed to elevate the educational quality, especially for students lagging, emphasizing the imperative components of quality education.
The proposed framework would highlight the significance of teacher training, advanced teaching tools, tech-integrated learning, and performance assessments.
Participants agreed on review and reform of Nigeria’s curriculum in line with global standards, placing a strong emphasis on practical skills.
Also, it was emphasized the use of local language of the immediate environment must be used to support early grade learning.
