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…urge bold rethink as leaders gather to reshape the future of learning

By Gloria Ikibah

The Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker 9th House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has said that education remains Nigeria’s surest path to survival and global relevance.

Addressing participants at a high-level stakeholder roundtable on the Future of Education in Nigeria, to commemorate the 2026 International Day for Education on Monday in Abuja, themed “Re-imagining the Future of Education in Nigeria: Collaborative Solutions for a Brighter Tomorrow”, Gbajabiamila stressed the urgent need to reposition the nation’s schools to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.

The gathering, drew policymakers, educationists and development partners committed to reforming the sector.

He applauded the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, for spearheading the conference, describing the initiative as a clear demonstration of the legislature’s commitment to national progress through educational advancement.

Gbajabiamila maintained that education must be viewed as far more than just another arm of the economy. For a country with Nigeria’s size and ambitions, he argued, it represents the foundation of long-term stability, prosperity and international competitiveness.

“Education is the bridge between potential and productivity; between aspiration and achievement,” he said, stressing that no country can compete globally without sustained investment in learning.

Reflecting on his time as Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Gbajabiamila highlighted his role in championing the Students’ Loans Bill, an initiative designed to remove financial barriers that prevent capable young Nigerians from pursuing tertiary education.

The legislation, he noted, was driven by the principle that opportunity should rest on merit and ability rather than social standing or wealth.

He pointed out that within the first three months of the current administration, Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave assent to the bill, clearing the path for the creation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and signalling early intent to prioritise access to higher learning.

The development, he suggested, aligns squarely with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, placing education at the heart of its broader reform strategy.

He also commended the 10th House of Representatives for intensifying oversight of tertiary education financing, backing measures to improve student welfare and advancing reforms aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability across the sector.

In his view, the legislature has demonstrated that its role extends beyond passing laws, positioning itself as a critical partner in steering Nigeria’s long-term development.

“As Chief of Staff to the President, you can always count on my support. Education will remain central to the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.

He urged participants to move beyond dialogue and generate actionable recommendations to improve funding efficiency, strengthen oversight, and ensure that existing laws reflect present realities.

“Nigeria’s brightest tomorrow will be built in the classrooms we strengthen today,” he added.

In her opening address, Special Adviser to the Speaker on International Cooperation and Educational Development, Abisoye Da Rocha-Afodu, traced the origins of the International Day of Education to its proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, a move intended to affirm education as a basic human right.

She drew attention to the scale of Nigeria’s education crisis, noting that more than 20 million children remain out of school — the highest figure worldwide. Among the persistent obstacles, she listed inadequate infrastructure, low teacher morale and welfare, outdated curricula and limited access to digital tools, all of which continue to hamper progress.

The conference, she explained, was designed to convene legislators, policymakers, development agencies and key stakeholders to chart practical, lasting responses to these challenges. Stronger collaboration between government bodies, private enterprise and local communities was identified as critical to widening access to quality, inclusive learning, particularly for girls and people living with disabilities.

On safeguarding public resources, she indicated that the House is advancing legislative proposals aimed at ensuring regular scrutiny and transparent use of funds allocated to education programmes.

Also Chairman House Committee on Federal Polytechnic and Higher Technical Education, Rep. Fuad Laguda, said the conference offered an opportunity to assess Nigeria’s education system against international benchmarks.

He noted that funding remains one of the most pressing challenges confronting the sector, particularly polytechnics and higher technical institutions.

Laguda stressed that collaboration was essential to meaningful reform, pointing out that participants from diverse sectors gathered to build synergy and chart a common path forward.

He added that any nation seeking sustainable development must invest heavily in education, stressing that Nigeria must raise its ambitions if it hopes to compete effectively on the global stage.

Although the International Day of Education is marked globally on 24 January, the event was rescheduled for February owing to the National Assembly’s January recess. The adjusted timing was also intended to allow for deeper engagement ahead of Ramadan and to focus attention on pressing concerns around funding, security and accountability within the sector.