Presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 general elections Mr Peter Obi has said poverty and insecurity remained significant obstacles that undermine efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world, estimated at over 18.5 million.
Obi said insecurity was caused by poverty and pulling people out of poverty is key to reducing criminality.
Speaking during the 2023 graduation ceremony of students from Pacesetters Schools in Abuja yesterday, the former Anambra governor noted that deliberate investment in education was necessary to achieve this goal.
Obi said addressing poverty and insecurity in Nigeria is crucial for increasing access to education and reducing the number of out-of-school children.
He noted that poverty and insecurity were significant obstacles that undermine efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
He said education is the most important thing any nation needs.
He cited various studies that demonstrated how education differentiated development and underdevelopment, adding that education is essential for human development, health and increasing the nation’s per capita income.
He stated that without an educated society, it would be impossible to have a healthy society or lift people out of poverty.
He recalled that during a meeting with development experts involved in advocacy across the 36 states, he discussed the problem of security in Nigeria.
Obi stressed the critical importance of education and highlighted the alarming statistic that UNESCO reported.
He compared this number to the combined populations of countries like Norway, Iceland, Singapore, and Dubai, which were less than 20 million.
