The Federal Government has launched the Literacy Through Economic and Empowerment Strategy programme in the southwest to boost mass literacy and lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
According to The PUNCH, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy and Non-Formal Education Prof. Simon Ibor Akpama made this call on Friday during the launch of LEES for the Southwest held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy and Non-Formal Education, Prof. Simon Ibor Akpama, also called on the state governors to support the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to boost mass literacy.
He said LEES is an initiative designed to further add value to the vocational education programmes of NMEC when people are not only trained in how to read and write but are also trained in different skills such as tailoring, hairdressing, catering among others, and are supported with the working tools after their training.
Akpama said one good way for the state government to vigorously pursue the vision of lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty as encapsulated by the present administration is to subscribe to this LEES project because of its dual role of helping to increase mass literacy while reducing poverty.
He said, “We have several programmes targeted at reducing illiteracy in the country; among these are basic literacy, post-literacy as well as vocational education programmes which are meant to equip youths and adults with entrepreneurial skills.
“The whole idea behind this LEES project is that while you are trained on how to read and write, you are also armed with vocational skills that can serve as a veritable source of livelihood and you are supported with starter packs to take off and begin to make meaningful contributions to the development of our dear nation.
“The focus of this achievement-driven government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under his Agenda for Renewed Hope is to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. This is part of what we are aligning with through the resources provided by the Federal Ministry of Education.
“After these people have been trained in different skills under our vocational education programmes, we felt that if they are just trained without being equipped we might as well be aggravating further the challenge of unemployment and poverty in the country.
“So in alignment with the vision of the present administration of President Bola Tinubu, we have provided these beneficiaries with equipment for tailoring like sewing machines, we have also provided them with dryers as well as necessary equipment for catering and home economics. This is the first phase ending in Ogun State for the Southwest region.
“We have been to other other five regions too. What we however wish to achieve with this is to see the state governments replicating this initiative in their states. It is on this note that we are urging the state governors to support initiatives like this because it is in tandem with the vision of President Tinubu to reduce illiteracy and lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty”.
