The Federal Government has called for a shift in Nigeria’s education system from measuring school enrolment and attendance to assessing whether pupils are actually learning, participating and feeling safe in school.
The Director of Colleges of Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Uba, made the call at the National Trainers’ Workshop on Safe Learning Environment, Gender-Responsive Technology and ICT Skills for Educators in Teacher Training Institutions in Nigeria.
Represented by Chris Uchenna of the ministry, Uba said the need for the shift had become urgent amid Nigeria’s learning crisis.
She cited UNICEF data indicating that 74 per cent of children aged seven to 14 lacked basic reading and mathematics skills in 2024.
According to her, the government is working towards an education system that not only gets children into classrooms but also guarantees their safety, inclusion, participation and improved learning outcomes.
She said, “We must look beyond enrolment figures and physical attendance to determine whether children are actually participating, learning and feeling safe in school.”
Uba added that effective learning remained central to developing the country’s human capital.
Also speaking, the representative of the Committee of Provosts of Colleges of Education, Dr James Olisa, commended the Federal Government’s anti-bullying initiatives in schools but called for stronger monitoring to ensure effective implementation.
Olisa said schools must provide a conducive environment for teachers and learners if students were to remain in school and benefit from education.
He stressed that policies designed to protect students would have little impact without proper monitoring and enforcement.
Participants at the workshop are expected to cascade the knowledge gained to about 500 teacher educators in their respective institutions.
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