BENIN CITY – As Edo State joins the rest of the world to celebrate the 2008 International Literacy Day, local government chairmen and other stakeholders in adult literacy programmes have been enjoined to partner with the state government for the successful sensitisation campaign towards increased awareness of the populace on the benefits of literacy.
The call was made by the state Commissioner for Basic Education, Barrister Uyi Ogbemudia, in a state – wide Radio/Television broadcast to the people of Edo State in commemoration of this year’s International Literacy Day. She noted that the theme for the 2008 International Literacy Day Celebration was centered on health related issues, such as Malaria, Tuberculosis, HIV /AIDS and child Mortality; asserting that it was a fact that literacy was the remedy against these deadly diseases.
Barrister Uyi Ogbemudia lamented that Nigeria, as a country, had an illiteracy rate of roughly half her population and ranked 5th among the world’s nine most populous nations with high illiteracy rate, according to UNESCO statistics.
She observed that non-formal education was a potent means of extending skills and knowledge to those who had no education at all and those who dropped out of school. She said, this exposure was popularly called “Second Chance”.
In her words “this form of education helps its recipients to respond to the demands of their political and occupational environments”.
The Commissioner stressed that literacy was at the heart of Basic Education for all and essential for the eradication of poverty, reduction in child mortality and ensuring sustainable development, peace and democracy. She added that the large scale provision of adult literacy programmes was essential at the local community level to provide a safety net of second change education for AIDS orphans and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH).
Barrister Uyi Ogbemudia expressed gratitude to Edo State Governor, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, for his excellent support towards realising the fundamental objectives of adult and non-formal education in the state; emphasising that education for all was the responsibility of all.
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