87% of Lagosians are Literate - Report

The Lagos State Government has said 87 per cent of the residents in the state are literate.


Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Abdul-Fatai Olukoga, explained that the figure meant that over 17.5 million out of the 20 million people living in the state could read and write.


Olukoga said this at a press conference in Lagos on Thurday as part of activities to celebrate the 2012 International Literacy Day in the state.


He added that the government was designing more programmes to make sure that the less than three million illiterate people become literate.


He said, "Government has established different programmes spread across local government areas to improve literacy level in the state, especially in rural communities.


"The annual celebration of literacy day is geared towards creating awareness and sensitisation campaigns in communities with high percentage of illiteracy rate."


He said the government would organise literacy activities such as reading and writing among residents as a measure of scaling up the literacy level.


The special Adviser said the 2012 event with the theme, 'Literacy for peace' would focus on essential relationship between literacy and peace.


"Through literacy, we promote knowledge, which in turn brings behavioural change that will enable us to resolve conflicts  peacefully," he said.


Olukoga said the celebration, which is  slated between September 6 and 9, would allow the government to reach out to more illiterate people and make them literate.


He said the state currently had 466 non-formal education centres operated by the councils,  non-governmental organisations,  faith-based organisations and Rotary Club, among others.


He urged stakeholders to collaborate with the Agency for Mass Education to make literacy a policy priority so that every individual could develop  their potential and participate in shaping the  society.