By Taiye Edeni/ Lizzy Okoji
Abuja – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) says it will collaborate with Non-Governmental Association for Literacy Support Services (NOGALSS) to fight for all Nigerians to be literate.
Mr Yao Ydo, the UNESCO Regional Director for West Africa, said this when members of the association paid him an advocacy visit on Wednesday in Abuja.
He commended the umbrella body of all NGOs on its commitment to eradicate illiteracy in Nigeria.
“It is a good thing to have this umbrella and we are very happy with it and we are going to make a better use of it.
“You have been doing a lot in many areas, including the fact that you are struggling that every single Nigerian become literate; you don’t want to leave anybody behind.
“Because of the socio-economic conditions, you are fighting that every Nigerian must benefit from literacy.
“And I want to tell you that UNESCO is willing to collaborate with NOGALSS on your mandate; we have the same mandate — fighting for every Nigerian to become literate.
“ So, we have to collaborate and work together to make it happen and I want to assure you of the willingness of UNESCO to work with you.“
He, however, advised that NOGALSS should adopt a different approach to get women and children in the communities literate by any means possible.
Earlier, Mr Noah Emmanuel, the National President of NOGALSS, who led the delegation, observed that the main objective of UNESCO Nigeria was to foster collaboration through education, to achieve peace.
He said that the vision of the association was to ensure that the citizenry could read and write in at least two languages, with the capacity to be self-reliant.
Emmanuel said that the organisation would assist the government to achieve its target of improving Nigeria’s literacy ranking through effective coordination.
“We believe that UNESCO Nigeria has as its main objectives, fostering collaboration through education to achieve peace, eradicate poverty and ensure sustainable development.
“Our vision is to see a society where the citizenry can read and write in at least two languages and have the capacity to access and utilise the information that are beneficial to their general well-being and self-reliance.’’
According to him, NOGALSS is primarily responsible for the identification, registration and collation of all NGOs in Literacy Support Services.
“The mission is to assist Nigeria to achieve its target literacy level and thus rank among the highest literate countries of the world through effective coordination of activities of relevant NGOs.
“Other avenues are advocacy, community sensitisation, partnership, collaboration and provisions of functional literacy at all levels.“
Emmanuel further said that his organisation would want to be a part of UNESCO partners in planning and implementation.(NAN)