Female Enrolment in Adult/Basic Literacy Declines in Nigeria
The NBS Statistical Report on Women and Men in Nigeria 2022 has revealed that female enrolment into Adult/Basic Literacy has declined to 38.32 per cent in 2022.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 4: Quality Education
- Goal 5: Gender Equality
The NBS statistical report analyzes the status of women and men across Nigeria from 2020 to 2012 using statistics from agencies at the federal and state levels. The report covers six key economic policy domains:
- Population
- Health
- Education
- Employment
- Power and Decision-Making in Governance
- Violence Against Women and Crime
The report states that female enrolments into Adult/Basic Literacy increased from 40.55 per cent in 2020 to 46.10 per cent in 2021, but dropped to 38.32 per cent in 2022.
Male enrolments were consistently higher than female enrolments in 2020, 2021, and 2022, with percentages of 59.45, 53.90, and 61.68 respectively.
In terms of specific states, Lagos had the highest female enrolments in 2020 with 20,345, Sokoto recorded the highest in 2021 with 203,608, and Bauchi had the highest in 2022 with 60,698.
On the other hand, Adamawa had the least female enrolments in 2020 and 2021 with 37 and 320 respectively, while Yobe had the least with 6,508 in 2022.
The report also highlights that female enrolments into Nomadic Schools were consistently below average from 2020 to 2022, ranging from 49.28 per cent to 44.21 per cent.
Furthermore, the percentage of female enrolments in public and private primary schools decreased slightly from 48.50 per cent in 2020 to 48.92 per cent in 2022. In comparison, male enrolments were slightly higher during the same period.
For public and private junior secondary schools, the percentage of female enrolments decreased from 49.80 per cent in 2020 to 48.73 per cent in 2021, but rose to 51.47 per cent in 2022.
Similarly, the percentage of female enrolments in senior secondary schools was 49.10 per cent in 2020 and decreased to 48.82 per cent in 2021.
According to the National Universities Commission (NUC), the percentage of female enrolments in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic sessions were 43.46 per cent and 44.49 per cent respectively.
The report also highlights the percentage of teachers without a teaching certificate in various education levels. In public and private early childhood care development and education (ECCDE), 14.03 per cent of female teachers and 4.32 per cent of male teachers did not have a teaching certificate.
In public and private primary schools, 6.47 per cent of female teachers and 15.45 per cent of male teachers were without a teaching certificate. Similarly, in public and private junior secondary schools, 6.13 per cent of female teachers and 9.85 per cent of male teachers lacked a teaching certificate.
Regarding literacy rates, the Nigeria Living Standard Survey (NLSS) 2019 reported that 72.30 per cent of women and 77.30 per cent of men between ages 15 and 24 were literate in English.
Additionally, the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS)/National Immunisation Coverage Survey (NICS) report revealed that 7.40 per cent of women and 17.20 per cent of men read newspapers at least once a week.
When it comes to media consumption, females had lower rates compared to males. For example, 34.40 per cent of females listened to the radio at least once a week, while 50.80 per cent of males did the same. Similarly, 42.70 per cent of females and 48.90 per cent of males watched television at least once a week nationwide.
In terms of technology usage, 13.40 per cent of females and 21.80 per cent of males reported using a computer. The percentage of women and men who have ever used the internet was 24.00 per cent and 41.60 per cent respectively.
Lastly, the report indicates that 58.2 per cent of females and 73.4 per cent of males owned a mobile phone. The percentage of females and males who used a mobile phone at least once a week during the last three months stood at 78.10 and 65.80 per cent respectively.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.
- SDG 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Female enrolment into Adult/Basic Literacy
- Female enrolments into Nomadic Schools
- Percentage of female enrolments in public and private primary schools
- Percentage of female enrolments in public and private junior secondary schools
- Percentage of female enrolments in senior secondary schools
- Percentage of female enrolments in universities
- Percentage of female teachers without a teaching certificate in early childhood care development and education (ECCDE), primary schools, and junior secondary schools
- Literacy rates among women and men
- Reading habits (newspapers, radio, television)
- Computer and internet usage
- Ownership and usage of mobile phones
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy. |
– Female enrolment into Adult/Basic Literacy – Female enrolments into Nomadic Schools – Percentage of female enrolments in public and private primary schools – Percentage of female enrolments in public and private junior secondary schools – Percentage of female enrolments in senior secondary schools – Percentage of female enrolments in universities – Percentage of female teachers without a teaching certificate in ECCDE, primary schools, and junior secondary schools |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life. |
– Percentage of female enrolments in universities – Percentage of female teachers without a teaching certificate in ECCDE, primary schools, and junior secondary schools – Literacy rates among women and men – Reading habits (newspapers, radio, television) – Computer and internet usage – Ownership and usage of mobile phones |
Source: guardian.ng
