Obi urges prioritizing education for national development

Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) has emphasised the importance of education in tackling national issues for socio-political growth and economic development.

Obi stated this on Sunday at the Graduation of Cohort 3 of the “Thinking into Results Programme’, organised by Thought Energy Consulting.

“Unless we start talking of a knowledge-based economy and start moving ourselves from consumption – that’s now ruining our economy – to production, we need to invest in education. It is the most critical measure of development today,” he said.

The former presidential candidate called for the need for more capital development, stating that “Physical infrastructure cannot replace human infrastructure and we need to do that first.

“You need to invest in health. These are the two things you need to do first, and then invest in pulling people out of poverty. And education and health help you to do that. Otherwise, you are wasting your time”, he added.

He explained that education should be at the basic level ensuring that nobody is left out. Obi, speaking on possible measures to boost the country’s education sector, explained the need to boost the educational budget and channel it in the right direction.

Chidi Agbapu, managing director, of Thought Energy Consulting, while speaking on the programme, said it had shown that with a mental shift, nations can grow once their citizens prosper and develop.

According to Agbapu, once an average citizen achieves success through self-development, it invariably impacts the people around them and the economy at large.

“So, if every family finds happiness, finds purpose, does things in a very rational, fair means if every country is good, there won’t be armed robbers on the streets. There won’t be miscreants on the streets. Like I said, there’s nothing like a country. It’s a collection of individuals that make up a country,” he stated.

Meanwhile, previous graduates of the programmes who spoke at the event encouraged more participants and recounted how the programme shaped all aspects of their lives, from their finances to health, among others.