Obiageli Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education, has emphasized that the key to resolving Nigeria’s economic challenges lies in enhancing productivity and competitiveness among its citizens. She highlighted the urgent need to expand access to quality education, particularly by addressing the crisis of poor foundational literacy and numeracy skills among children before the age of 10.
Ezekwesili stated that the government’s role and the implementation of good governance are crucial in responding effectively to the issue of low literacy and numeracy skills. She stressed that addressing poverty and inequality in the country requires a focus on improving productivity and competitiveness.
In a statement on her verified Twitter account, Ezekwesili drew attention to the state of global education, revealing that nearly 9 in 10 children in Sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read and understand a simple text by the age of 10. Globally, the percentage of children facing this challenge has risen to 70%, up from 57% before the COVID-19 pandemic.
She emphasized the need for intentional government action and good governance to tackle the issue effectively. Ezekwesili called on citizens to stay engaged and strive for effective governments and good governance to achieve positive change in Nigeria and across Africa.