UNICEF wants presidential candidates to prioritise education

UNICEF has called on all presidential candidates to consider investments in education a top priority in their manifestos.

A statement by Ms Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Nigeria Representative, to commemorate the International Day of Education, made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, urged them to deliver on the commitments made by President Muhammadu Buhari at the UN Secretary General’s Transforming Education Summit in September 2022 to end the global learning crisis.

It said in Nigeria, 75 per cent of children aged 7 to 14 years could not read a simple sentence or solve a basic mathematics problem.

It added that for children to be able to read, they must be able to learn to read in the first three years of schooling.

• NIGERIA DAILY: Does The Middle Class Still Exist In Nigeria?
• Nigerian born Okorafor joins Louisville Cardinals

It stated that UNICEF was committed to supporting Nigeria’s government to transform education and to prevent the loss of hard-fought gains in getting children into school, particularly poor, rural children and girls, and ensuring that they remain in school, complete their education and achieve their full potential.

The statement also said UNICEF, together with partners, would continue to support federal and state governments to reduce the number of out-of-school children by providing safe, secure and violence-free learning environments in formal and non-formal settings, engaging communities on the importance of education and providing cash transfers to households and schools.