‘Literacy key to reduction of child, maternal deaths’

Executive Secretary of the National Mass Education Commission (NMEC), Alhaji Jibrin Paiko, has said that literacy is key to the reduction of child mortality, maternal deaths and child marriages in the country.

A statement from NMEC said Paiko stated this in Awka, Anambra State while speaking with journalists as part of this year’s national celebrations to mark the International Literacy Day (ILD).
Paiko said the commission is concerned over the findings of the 2013/2014 Education For All Global Monitoring Report (GMR) that says if all women had primary education, child mortality could fall by sixth per cent and maternal deaths by two thirds.
“Child marriages would fall by 14 per cent if all girls in sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia had primary education and by 64 per cent if they had obtained secondary education. Based on current trends, the GMR projects that it will take until 2072 for the poorest young women in developing countries to learn to read,” the executive secretary said.
He therefore tasked governments, particularly state and local governments, to take up the fight as, according to him, illiteracy thrives most at their levels.
Paiko said in spite of the slow global progress in reducing the number of illiterate adults, the commission has not relented in its efforts to improve the status of literacy in the country through various activities and programmes.
The executive secretary said this year’s celebration with the theme “Literacy for Sustainable Development” was apt as the link between literacy and sustainable development was an opportunity to remember the fact that “literacy does change and save lives.”
“We are not under illusion that we have miles to go to accomplish what we have set out to achieve,” he said and appealed to all states and other partners to redouble efforts towards reducing the level of illiteracy among Nigerians.
“Literacy is one of the most powerful accelerators of sustainable development,” he maintained.

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