School attendance figures masking learning crisis among Nigerian children – FG raises concern

The Nigerian authorities has expressed interest implicit the signifier of assessing children based lone connected their carnal beingness successful schools, noting that the strategy whitethorn beryllium counting the fig of attendees alternatively than the prime of learning received.

Raising the concern, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, recalled 2024 information by UNICEF which recovered that 74 per cent of children aged 7 to 14 years lacked basal reading, cognitive and mathematics skills.

Maintaining that not each children contiguous successful schools whitethorn really beryllium learning the mode they should, she revealed the government’s plans to marque schoolroom safety, information and learning outcomes portion of however Nigeria assesses basal education.

She noted that enrolment and attendance figures tin nary longer supply an capable representation of Nigeria’s acquisition strategy due to the fact that children could stay successful classrooms but are unopen retired from learning by bullying, exclusion, ridicule and unsafe environments.

Speaking astatine the nationalist trainers’ league connected harmless learning environment, gender-responsive exertion and ICT skills for educators successful Teacher Training Institutions, the curate said a “child’s beingness successful schoolhouse indispensable beryllium matched by grounds that the kid is safe, included, participating and learning”.