Mr James Fadokun, Kwara Team Leader, Education Sector Support in Nigeria (ESSPIN), has said that Nigeria is still below average in literacy level.

Fadokun, who made the disclosure on Wednesday in Ilorin at the launching of Primary Four and Five Literacy and Numeracy Lesson plan, put the current literacy at 36 per cent. According to him, Nigeria numeracy level is at 38 per cent while the current life skills level is also at 38 per cent.

"The salaries of teachers are so poor and not motivating. Everyone must try to give teachers' development a priority," he said. He explained that the issue of teacher's development was crucial, gender sensitive and must be child-friendly.

Fadokun also said that Kwara was the pioneer state in the implementation of the Teacher Development Needs Assessment (TDNA). The state team leader noted that ESSPIN had introduced a lesson plan to guide teachers on teaching in the state.

"We have supported the state government on learning outcome benchmark where teachers, students and parents work together to improve learning. "This is found out to be the current best approach, as the teacher-centred approach is no more effective," he said.

He added that ESSPIN had distributed 25,000 copies of the lesson plan to the Kwara government. Also, the Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Musa Yeketi, commended ESSPIN in partnering with the government on education.

Yeketi, who was represented by Alhaji Mohammed Yahaya, Director Finance and Supply of the ministry, also launched the lesson plans for the primary four and five students in the state. (NAN)