Vice President Kashim Shettima has described education as the single most rewarding public investment, stressing that it offers higher returns than any other sector.
We gathered that speaking at a high-level event jointly convened by the Permanent Missions of Nigeria and Italy in collaboration with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in New York, Shettima highlighted the transformative role of learning in shaping economies and societies.
He noted that each additional year of schooling not only raises lifetime earnings but also lowers the risk of fragility and conflict.
“GPE has a record of mobilising partners and delivering results at scale. Over recent years, the partnership has approved and disbursed significant grant volumes and leveraged innovative financing to reach millions of children,” Shettima said.
The Vice President stressed that targeted investment in education tackles the root causes of instability, poverty, and youth unemployment, while also multiplying returns through financing, policy backing, and strategic incentives.
According to him, Nigeria is already strengthening early childhood education, upgrading teacher training, and investing in disadvantaged regions. “A notable GPE grant in Nigeria is helping us to integrate religious schoolchildren into mainstream education and train teachers across states, especially to support girls education,” he added.
Shettima urged international donors to safeguard and expand development aid for basic education while prioritising flexible and predictable funding for long-term impact. He emphasized that a fully replenished GPE would unlock crucial grants and technical support needed in countries with the greatest educational gaps.
“Nigeria stands ready to work with all partners to make GPE 2030 a turning point and replenishment that delivers both scale and measurable learning for the children we are privileged to serve. We hope that our collective action match the scale of our children’s promise,” he said.
Responding, Jakaya Kikwete, Chair of GPE’s Board of Directors, announced plans for the body’s most ambitious financing campaign yet, aimed at mobilising $5 billion, alongside another $10 billion from innovative sources.
“Together we will improve education for nearly 750 million children and train 10 million teachers by 2030. Transforming education system is essential so is transforming education financing. We must shift away from short time fragmented support to long term sustainable investment strategies,” Kikwete said.
He emphasized that quality education had powered half of the world’s economic growth over the last 50 years, adding that it remained the foundation for peace, growth, and opportunity in the decades ahead.
