After several deliberations spanning many weeks, schools in many states in Nigeria finally resumed on January 18, 2021. However, following resumption in Lagos, the Lagos State Government announced that about 24,000 students were yet to resume. While there are varying reasons for this high level of absence, the figures have brought up the conversation on the impact that the pandemic and subsequently lockdown and closure of schools would have on the literacy levels in the country.
While the quality of education in higher institutions has been questionable, literacy level has nevertheless in general steadily risen by 10.9 per cent to 62.02 per cent between 2008 and 2018. Even though the number of students yet to resume may simply be as a result of parents being uncomfortable with sending their children to school during the pandemic or the fact that a number of students always resume a week or two late normally, the pandemic, lockdown and school closure that followed may have a more serious impact on education in the country than it is obvious right now…..
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