Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, says nearly 60 million Nigerians are illiterates, assuring that literacy centres will reduce the high percentage of illiteracy in the country.
Echono made this known at the Federal Government College Otobi, during the inauguration of a pilot Literacy Centre for the North Central Geo-Political Zone.
The permanent secretary expressed regret that the illiteracy rate among the youths and adults is high, saying that the literacy level at the lower cadre of the colleges is also alarming.
According to him, Literacy Centres to be established in 104 Federal Government Colleges are aimed at reducing the high rate of illiteracy at the low cadre of the staff of the institutions, stressing that the Federal Government designed the literacy programme to cater for them and others in the host communities.
He said literacy was both a social and human right issue and called on the learners at the pilot centre to remain committed and take their studies with all seriousness.