The Association of Nursery and Primary Education Instructors of Nigeria (APIEN) said on Tuesday that it would help improve literacy in the rural areas through sensitisation and advocacy.
The President of the association, Mr Simeon Fowowe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that through advocacy, rural dwellers would understand the importance of literacy and education.
Fowowe said it was imperative for those in the rural area to understand that they could be liberated from poverty through education, adding that this could be achieved through advocacy and sensitisation.
According to him, those in the rural areas and local communities are most times neglected in the areas of education and health.
The president said that the association had taken up the responsibility of sensitizing them on the value of education.
“The rural people need to know that the only way out of poverty is through education.
“They need to understand that they should allow their children to go to school to get them out of the generational curse of poverty.”
According to him, even though private education is expensive, public education is free to a great extent .
“Through sensitisation and advocacy those in rural areas would understand that education was the key to success,’’ he said.
Fowowe noted that the literacy level in the country had improved slightly because an average Nigerian child was struggling to be educated.
He, however, expressed regret even educated people currently faced challenges such as non-payment of teachers salaries and .
He, however, encouraged Nigerians to embraced literacy in order to achieve development in all spheres of life.
ÀPIEN is an NGO engaged in sensitisation, advocacy and the protection of the right of the child to education and basic needs if life.