The National Commission for Colleges of Education said it has added Early Grade Reading into the 2020 edition of the Nigeria Certificate in Education Minimum Standard.
Speaking at the opening of a four-day Southwest Zonal Pre-Service Sensitisation Early Grade Reading Workshop, organised by NCCE at the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Executive Secretary, NCCE, Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, who was represented by the Provost, FCE, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr Rafiu Soyele, said the essence of the workshop was to salvage the dwindling state of reading skills in the society, particularly at the early school stages.
“The expectation of the ES is that the Early Grade Reading project will go a long way in impacting positively on the Federal Ministry of Education’s strategic plans to rebuild basic education in Nigeria and at the same time address the issue of poor reading skill among early grade Pupils,” he said.
A facilitator from Creative Associates, Mr Nurudeen Lawal, noted that the United States Agency for International Development had been supporting education and assisting young graders to develop an interest in reading.
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He said, “Reading performance is low worldwide and so USAID deemed it fit to improve reading culture among youngsters.”
National Commission for Colleges of Education