NMEC Rolls Out Digital Data Training to Combat Adult Illiteracy.

The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC) has launched a two-day training for enumerators in Abuja to use automated data collection tools aimed at tackling the issue of out-of-school children.

Acting Executive Secretary Dr. John Onimisi said the programme seeks to re-enroll over 500,000 youths aged 15 and above who dropped out or never continued their education.

The initiative also includes vocational training alongside literacy.

The exercise will cover all 774 local government areas, with 376 enumerators and 250 facilitators involved.

Real-time monitoring will be done via a dashboard linked to the National Identity Management System.

Dr. Onimisi noted this is NMEC’s first large-scale data effort since 2010, with delays caused by funding issues.

The programme will run in phases, with the first cycle lasting six to nine months.

NMEC Director of Programmes, Mr. Samuel Aziba, said pilot testing will begin soon in four FCT locations before nationwide rollout.

Nigeria has over 30 million non-literate adults as of 2021, highlighting the importance of the initiative.