Chidiebere Onyia, the Secretary to the Enugu State Government (SSG), has unveiled that a recent assessment conducted by the government exposed a troubling reality – 50% of pupils in the state lack basic proficiency in both English reading and simple mathematics problem-solving.
This shocking revelation was shared during Onyia’s keynote address, titled “Smart Basic Education and the Future of Africa,” at the quadrennial convention of the Old Boys Association of Union Secondary School, Awkunanaw.
The deficiency was brought to light in November 2023 when the Enugu State government conducted its Baseline Assessment of primary schools. Onyia expressed deep concern over the current teaching methodologies, emphasizing that they fail to equip students with essential scientific, technological, productive, and digital competencies.
“On top of this, our children suffer a ‘Skills Gap’ because existing modes of teaching do not equip children with scientific, technological, productive, and digital competencies,” Onyia lamented, citing the alarming findings as part of what the World Bank, UNICEF, and UNESCO have defined as the ‘Nigerian Learning Crisis.’
However, Onyia assured that the state government is taking proactive measures to address these issues. He highlighted that Governor Peter Mbah has spearheaded comprehensive education reforms to align with the changing global demands. The new education policy in Enugu State now incorporates bio-digital technology, aiming to drive industrial growth and provide students with the skills needed for the modern world.
“In Enugu State, we now believe that in addition to providing continuous training and professional development to teachers within the school systems, we must also transform how teachers teach, as well as how students learn,” Onyia added, outlining the commitment to reshape the education system for a brighter future.
