NCWS, Others Move To Reduce Illiteracy Among Women

WORRIED by the growing rate of illiteracy among women in the country which is said to be hovering at 60 per cent at the moment, the National Council for Women Society (NCSWS) and the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education (NMEC) are working out a programme that would promote literacy among women at the grassroots.

This is the outcome of talks held between the leadership of the NCWS, led by its National President, Mrs. Nkechi Mba, during its visit to the Executive Secretary of  NMEC, Mr. Jibrin Paiko in Abuja.

Mba said the council was appalled by the increasing number of illiterate women nationwide, noting that all efforts at eradicating illiteracy among women must be targeted at those in the rural areas.

With such a high number of illiterates, she said, government’s desire to empower them through micro-credit facilities would be a mirage, since a good number of them may not be in a position to judiciously use the facilities, owing to ignorance.

Mba said the council provides an avenue for the commission to reach out to all women in all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“We are not happy that 60 per cent of the women in the country are illiterate. We are ready to identify and collaborate with NMEC in whatever it is doing to address the situation.

On his part, Paiko expressed optimism that the collaboration between his commission and NCWS would help to reduce the illiteracy among women.

He urged the Council to embark on advocacy to get more women and girls to register at the various NMEC literacy centres across the country.

The NMEC boss disclosed that the commission has developed a number of policy documents, guides and curriculum on women and girl-child education, assuring of the federal government’s commitment to eradicate illiteracy, with the vote of N1billion released last year to revitalise mass literacy.

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