UK envoy: Literacy drive targeting children will help Nigeria achieve SDGs

Abby Bernard, deputy head of mission at the British Deputy High Commission, says literacy is essential in ensuring that Nigeria achieves sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030.

She spoke at the closing ceremony of the 2022 CAPF SDG literacy drive, implemented by Renewable Energy & Environmental Sustainability for Africa Initiative (REES AFRICA) and The Neo Child Initiative (TNCI).

The project was sponsored by the Chevening Alumni Fund, and it capped off on Friday in Lagos with a presentation on ‘Mainstreaming Education for Sustainability (EfS) into Nigeria’s Childhood Curriculum’.

In a chat with TheCable at the event, Bernard said projects of this ilk could create a ripple effect that would ensure wider nets of education necessary for Nigeria to achieve the laid down SDGs.

“This project is a perfect example of how a small amount of investment, well-executed and with collaborations can produce great outcomes and impacts in the future and what better way to start than with children of Nigeria,” she said.

“The children will talk to each other, go home and talk to their families and, of course, they are future leaders — not only of Nigeria but of the planet.

“We heard from speakers today that we are not touching children but adults and teenagers as well. It has a wider effect. It creates a cycle of education that help drive towards attaining the SDGs.”

On her part, Yetunde Fadeyi, founder of REES Africa, broke down how the literacy drive was embarked on, adding that the impact was immediate.

“We had the literacy drive across six states in Nigeria — Lagos, Oyo, Kaduna, Edo, Enugu and Abuja. We were just focused on public schools. And also focused on primary school and junior secondary school kids. We deployed storytelling, songs and practical lessons during the SDG literacy drive,” she said.

“The was instant impact. Because we moved them from a level of ignorance to a level of knowing. We engaged them with songs, and they picked up knowledge on SDGsthat they never know before.”