The candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, has lamented that while education remains the most effective tool to fight insecurity, poverty and inequality, Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu remains the country with the highest number of out-of-school children.
He noted that Nigeria has about 20 million out-of-school children.
Obi said this on Wednesday in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) as Nigeria joined other nations of the world to commemorate this year’s International Day of Education.
According to him, Nigeria ranks 124 out of the 140 countries measured on education.
Obi said, “Education, as I have consistently maintained over the years, remains the most vital investment any nation can make in its citizens.
“As a critical tool of national development, education addresses many national and global issues of concern. Education remains a powerful tool in fighting poverty and inequality, in spreading peace and national cohesion, and in demanding and delivering good governance in a nation.
“It is the most effective instrument for migrating from poverty and ending insecurity. It has been observed and accepted that the more a country is educated, the more developed the country is.
“The corollary is also true that; the less educated the country is, the less developed that country will be.”
The former Anambra governor said, “In our country Nigeria, we are not where we should be because we have not invested in this critical tool – education, and that is driving our low development features, creating poverty and insecurity.
“Nigeria remains the country with the highest number of out-of-school children, with about 20 million out-of-school children, and with a rating of 124 out of the 140 countries measured on education.
“This day, therefore, presents us, the leaders, an opportunity to soberly reflect on the priority we set on education and take urgent measures to address the shortcomings.
“We need to make more aggressive investments in the education sector and secure our nation so that learning can be accessible to all our citizens.
“My commitment remains to a New Nigeria where education is prioritized through adequate investment in the sector which will help our development, and in pulling people out of poverty.”
