Nigeria’s education system has been declared to be in crisis by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), in partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and education reform body NewGlobe. This was revealed at a state-level workshop focused on foundational learning and the country’s out-of-school children crisis.
According to the NGF, while school enrollment figures are high, many children in primary school lack basic literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills, resulting in low academic performance, high dropout rates, and poor transition to higher education levels.
NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, emphasized that foundational learning is not just a goal but the base for broader education success. “Enrollment doesn’t equate to learning. Many primary school students lack foundational skills, making progression nearly impossible,” he noted through NGF Education Advisor, Leo The Great.
UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba, represented by Rasaq Akinyemi, acknowledged systemic barriers such as underfunding, poor teacher training, lack of materials, and weak community support, which hinder progress. She highlighted the need for collaboration to ensure no child is left behind, stressing that “basic education remains critical to national development.”
NewGlobe’s VP for Policy and Partnerships, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, echoed these concerns, stating, “Many Primary 6 pupils can’t read or write. We face not just an access issue, but a structural learning crisis. If a child can’t read by age 10, they are four times more likely to drop out.”
Participants called for immediate investment in teacher training and educational infrastructure, improved community involvement, evidence-based policies for monitoring and evaluation, and public-private sector collaboration for sustainable education financing
The workshop serves as a rallying point to drive reforms that will close Nigeria’s alarming learning poverty gap and drastically reduce the number of out-of-school children.
