Emirs express concern over 9% literacy level in North-East

The six emirs in Bauchi State have expressed concerns over claims by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that only nine per cent of children between ages seven and 14 in the area have reading skills.

Despite the policy mandating each primary school to have functional Early Childhood Centres (ECD), UNICEF disclosed that the state education sector plan indicated that there was nothing of such, saying of the 3,295 public primary schools, there are only 448 ECDs, and 784 junior secondary schools. 

UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Bauchi State, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, while speaking at a one-day community mobilisation and back to school campaign at the palace of Dr Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu in Bauchi, said learning outcome for children at the basic education level has the worst indicator, especially in the North-East.

In Bauchi for instance, Rafique noted that the early childhood development index indicated that only 26 per cent of children are on track, foundational reading skills for seven to 14 years is at nine per cent, while the foundational numeracy for the same age category stood at eight per cent.

“Numerous obstacles prevent consistent learning achievement, school attendance, timely enrolment, and completion. Some of these obstacles include inadequate evidence-based policy and planning, limited budget allocation, significant shortages of qualified teachers and classrooms, poor infrastructure, poor teachers’ remuneration, cultural norms, health and safety worries, and dependence on children for income and household tasks,” she stated.

The Emir of Dass, Usman Othman, in his response, called for proper monitoring of the state education workforce and infrastructure. The monarch said many teachers indulge in dereliction of duty, while learners are left unattended to.

On his part, the Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Adamu, commended UNICEF and the state Universal Basic Education Board for recognising the traditional institution as one the major stakeholders in community mobilisation. He assured of their readiness to champion the back to school campaign to increase enrolment.