Popular trade Union leader and Director General of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, Comrade Issa Aremu has advised Federal government to further strive to improve the country’s literacy level.
Aremu who was represented by Mr. Joel Afolayan gave the advice as a guest speaker at a program held in commemoration of International literacy day organized by National library of Nigeria, Kwara branch on Thursday.
The guest speaker noted that, “As the world’s economy becomes increasingly knowledge based, so the need for literacy among small & medium enterprises that constitute a high percentage of our GDP has become a priority.”
Speaking to the audience in Yoruba and English languages, Aremu noted that, the essence of the programme is to promote the benefits of reading to enhance the individual’s personal growth and knowledge as well as to better their life.
“Literacy is not just about educating, it is a unique and powerful tool to eradicate poverty and a strong means for social and human progress,” he said.
International Literacy Day, designated by UNESCO in 1967, is an annual awareness day which marks the importance of literacy to all countries and cultures. It takes place annually on the 8th of September.
Aremu lamented that despite numerous efforts since 1967 to fight literacy challenges around the world, the problems still persists, with 771 million illiterate people around the world unable to read or write.
He said despite the celebration of international literacy Day and efforts to fight illiteracy, “literacy challenges persist with 771 million illiterate people around the world, most of whom women, who still lack basic reading and writing skills and are faced with increased vulnerability.”
At the programme which was built around a number of literacy activities. Participants were five categories of artisans taken through different areas of literacy developed around the theme.
The aim is to encourage the love of literacy and develop an awareness of how they can benefit from literacy, several other Speakers expressed their excitement about the celebration particularly when they had to speak.
