The Nigerian Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has urged the international community to prioritize investment in education as the most powerful driver of sustainable development during a high-level panel at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The Minister’s call to action came at the launch of the 5th Financing Campaign of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) for 2026–2030.
The pivotal side event was co-hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, underscoring the global political will to address educational deficits.
Speaking on a panel focused on transforming education systems, Dr. Alausa emphasized the crucial role of partnerships in delivering quality education to every child. He positioned the fight against Nigeria’s significant out-of-school children (OOSC) population as a cornerstone of the nation’s education agenda.
“Education is the heart of sustainable development, peace, and prosperity,” Dr. Alausa stated, aligning Nigeria’s priorities with the global theme. “For Nigeria, tackling one of the world’s largest out-of-school children populations is a non-negotiable commitment.”
The Minister outlined key pillars of Nigeria’s National Education Strategy and Renewed Hope (NESRI) 6-point agenda, which includes expanding access to learning, enhancing teacher training and welfare, promoting inclusive and safe schools, and leveraging technology to improve learning outcomes.
Dr. Alausa directly appealed to governments, development agencies, the private sector, and civil society to collaborate and invest in education, describing it as the fundamental catalyst for innovation, stability, and shared prosperity.
Expressing optimism, the Minister concluded that the GPE 2026–2030 Replenishment Campaign has the potential to be a historic turning point for global education, rallying partners to turn commitment into concrete action for the world’s children.
