By Izuchukwu Okosi
ITS enormous human and natural resources notwithstanding, Nigeria is not one of Africa’s favourite countries in literacy rankings, according to a staggering revelation from WorldAtlas.
Information provided by educational geography website shows that Nigeria, which has produced a Nobel prize winner among other notable African leaders, sports icons, top medical experts, African movie superstars and tech wizards is not rated among the top 10 on the continent.
Prime Business Africa reports that cost of acquiring education in Nigeria is rising astronomically, even as general cost of living hits the rooftops unabatedly.
WorldAtlas with 25 years of experience and reputation in research works named Seychelles, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa as the countries with most literate individuals, having a 95% percentile.
Seychelles is named the only nation to have actualised United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) ‘Education For All’ programme.
Sao Tome and Principle (92% percentile) comes second in the ranking, while Libya, Namibia, Mauritius, Cabo Verde, Botswana, follow in that order. Zimbabwe and Swaziland tied in 10th position in a list that named top 10 most literate African countries.
Literacy is generally regarded as a critical part of a person’s progress, social development and economic health that allows the population to individually and collectively increase their household incomes and reverse low-income conditions.
Adult literacy rate is a percentage of people of ages 15 and above who can read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.
Interestingly in Nigeria, the high cost of tuition fees in institutions of higher learning have continued to skyrocket.
The Covenant University ‘s annual tuition fee is N1.8 million while America University Yola is about N3m.
Tuition fee at the Babcock University goes for N2 million every academic year.
Intriguely private Secondary Schools in the Federal Capital territory Abuja go for more than a Million Naira. Conversely a two-year LLB Programme in any British University could go for £20000 per annum without health insurance, accommodation, visa, travel cost etc.