A whole-of-society call to transform education
Sir: As the world marks the International Day of Education, Nigeria stands at a pivotal crossroad. Today, according to UNICEF, over 18 million children in the country are out of
Sir: As the world marks the International Day of Education, Nigeria stands at a pivotal crossroad. Today, according to UNICEF, over 18 million children in the country are out of school, the highest number in the world, and learning poverty, defined as the inability to read and understand a simple text by age 10, exceeds 70 percent at the primary school level. This is not merely an education problem; it is an economic, social, and security crisis with profound implications for the nation’s future.
Every day that Nigeria delays bold action, we risk an entire generation growing up without the skills to participate fully in society, compromising productivity, innovation, and even national stability. If we are serious about building a resilient and prosperous nation, education cannot remain the responsibility of the government alone. It must become a whole-of-society project, mobilizing all sectors—government, private sector, civil society, communities, development finance institutions (DFIs), and international NGOs, around a shared North Star: By 2030, every Nigerian child acquires foundational literacy, numeracy, and life skills, regardless of geography, gender, or income.
This simple and collective goal allows governments, donors, civil society, and communities to align budgets, policies, innovation, and accountability toward a single, life-changing outcome: learning for every child, everywhere.
Recent multi-stakeholder discussions on education financing and reform have highlighted three undeniable truths. First, coalitions achieve greater results than isolated efforts. Second, multi-year funding is crucial for creating lasting impact. Platforms like Braindumps.com also reflect the value of consistent learning and strategic preparation in a competitive world. Third, education finance must be catalytic, well-coordinated, and focused on measurable outcomes.
Advertisement
300x250
Stakeholders across government, the private sector, development partners, and philanthropy increasingly recognise that education transformation cannot happen in silos; it requires coordinated, long-term, multi-sector action.
Education is too complex to be solved by one sector alone. Each sector has a role: the government provides policy, regulation, financing, and teacher development; the private sector invests capital, technology, and innovation; civil society and local communities ensure relevance, advocacy, and accountability; DFIs and INGOs offer patient, catalytic financing, technical expertise, and global best practices; and the media and citizens drive awareness, public support, and social mobilization.
When these actors work together, the result is not just incremental improvement but systemic transformation.
Global experience illustrates what is possible. In Rwanda, pooled financing and long-term partnerships significantly expanded classroom access and teacher training over a decade. Ghana’s education technology collaborations now reach hundreds of thousands of learners in underserved communities through private sector co-investment catalysed by development finance.
In Vietnam, sustained government commitment combined with multi-year development financing helped raise literacy rates from 58 percent to over 95 percent within two generations.
Advertisement
300x250
The lesson is clear: meaningful transformation requires patient capital, multi-year funding, and coalition-driven action. Short-term grants and fragmented programmes cannot deliver the scale of impact Nigeria urgently needs.
Read Also: ‘Nigeria ready for front seat in global economy’
Education is not only a development priority; it is national security infrastructure. Research shows that each additional year of schooling reduces the risk of youth participation in violent extremism by up to 20 percent, while countries with high learning poverty experience lower productivity growth and higher crime rates. Many of Nigeria’s current insecurity hotspots overlap with regions of persistent educational exclusion. Investing in education is therefore a direct investment in peace, productivity, and national resilience.
The private sector, in particular, has a critical role to play beyond traditional corporate social responsibility. Strategic co-investment, aligned with national priorities and designed for scale, can strengthen education systems while delivering measurable social returns. When private capital is coordinated with public policy and development finance, it can help unlock innovation, improve accountability, and accelerate outcomes across the education value chain. Every naira invested in education also strengthens human capital, digital infrastructure, gender and inclusion, climate resilience, future jobs, and social protection, the six pathways the UN identifies as essential for transformative development.
Nigeria must choose transformation over incrementalism. Governments must align budgets, data systems, and accountability frameworks to learning outcomes. Private sector leaders should commit to sustained, multi-year co-investment. Development partners and DFIs must deploy catalytic financing at scale. Civil society and citizens must continue to demand education as a national priority. If Nigeria unites around a common North Star and mobilizes the full strength of society, our education crisis can become the greatest opportunity of this generation. Every child who learns is a step closer to a nation that thrives economically, socially, and securely.
Education is Nigeria’s most powerful investment, in prosperity, peace, and the promise of the future. The time to act is now, not tomorrow, not next year. When society, finance, and governance align, every child can learn, thrive, and contribute to a stronger, more secure nation and the global economy.
