The IA Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has issued a heartfelt appeal to both the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government (LASG) to make education a top priority, emphasizing its critical role in driving economic growth and development.

During an Education Awareness Walk held on Thursday in Lagos, the founder of the NGO, Mrs. Ibironke Adeagbo, conveyed her organization’s readiness to collaborate with the LASG in providing free education.

The event commenced at the Ikeja under bridge and culminated at the Lagos State House of Assembly, with participants brandishing placards and singing songs to underscore their message.

Mrs. Adeagbo implored the LASG to allocate a more substantial portion of the 2024 budget to education. She stressed the importance of raising public awareness about the significance of childhood education, as it plays a pivotal role in ensuring future economic activity and reducing the likelihood of unemployment and associated security challenges.

“We appeal to you, legislators, to prioritize education and enact the necessary legislation to eliminate child illiteracy in the state and the entire country,” she urged.

Furthermore, the IA Foundation expressed its willingness to collaborate with the government in achieving these goals, focusing particularly on the education of the girl child. Adeagbo proposed the creation of a task force to identify and reintegrate out-of-school children into the education system.

Acknowledging the magnitude of the problem, she pointed out that over 20 million children in Nigeria were currently not attending school, and the foundation was determined to make a difference by sending these children back to school.

In response to this proposal, the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Richard Kasumu, who represented the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, commended the IA Foundation for its relentless efforts to eradicate child illiteracy. He expressed the government’s support for initiatives like this aimed at enhancing education and, in turn, the overall development of the country.