Professor Chidiebere Onyia, the Secretary to the Enugu State Government (SSG), has revealed that 50 per cent of pupils in the state can neither read in English nor solve simple mathematics questions.
Onyia stated this while delivering a keynote address titled, ‘Smart Basic Education and the Future of Africa’ at the quadrennial convention of the Old Boys Association of Union Secondary School, Awkunanaw, on Thursday in Enugu.
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According to the SSG, the government discovered the shortcoming in its Baseline Assessment of primary schools in the state, conducted in November 2023.
“Our findings were shocking. After six years of primary school, 50 per cent of our children cannot read a single word in English and those who can read struggle with comprehension.
“50% of our children cannot solve simple subtraction challenges. What we found out in Enugu State is written large across our nation.”
He expressed displeasure that in Nigeria, 3 out of 4 children who completed basic education lack numeracy and literacy proficiency.
“The World Bank, UNICEF, and UNESCO have defined this as ‘the Nigerian Learning Crisis’.(Independent.ng)
