87% of 10-Year-Olds in Sub Saharan Africa Can’t Read and Understand a Simple Story – World Bank

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:18 pm

The World Bank has indicated that about 87% of children in Sub Sahara Africa cannot read and understand a simple story at the age of 10.

It has described the situation as a global learning crisis, adding that many children were in school but were lacking quality education.

The World Bank Acting Country Manager, Dr Beatrix Allah-Mensah, disclosed this at the International Day for Eradication of Poverty-End Poverty Day (EPD) 2019 held at the World Bank office in Accra yesterday on the theme “Ending Learning Poverty: What will it Take”.

“Since reading is one important gateway skill, all children should be able to read in order to develop more complex foundational cognitive and socio-emotional skills as they grow up,” she added.

She said despite substantial progress in education across the continents, significant gaps in education investments were leaving many unprepared for an uncertain world with a fast-changing nature of jobs.

The Acting Country Manager said 53% of children in low and middle income countries in late primary age cannot read and understand a simple story.