Obi Unveils Education, TVET Reforms as Pillars of Economic Transformation

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has outlined key elements of his vision for a productive and prosperous Nigeria, promising sweeping reforms in education, healthcare and skills development aimed at transforming the country’s economy.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Obi recalled that his decision to contest the presidency was driven by a commitment to place Nigeria on the path of unity and national transformation. He said he would, in the coming weeks and months, unveil a comprehensive roadmap designed to curb abuse in government, improve the quality of life of Nigerians and promote unity, peace, sustained progress and prosperity.

According to him, the proposed roadmap is anchored on the principles of unity, inclusion, social justice, equity and the freedom of every Nigerian to pursue lawful aspirations.

Obi identified education and healthcare as the cornerstone of his development agenda, describing investment in human capital as the most critical infrastructure required for national progress.

He said meaningful reforms in the two sectors would enable Nigeria to harness the demographic advantage of its youthful population and accelerate national development.

The former Anambra State governor pledged that, if elected president, his administration would establish a task force to drastically reduce the number of out-of-school children across the country.

He also promised to prioritise Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), saying it would provide the skilled workforce needed to drive industrialisation, particularly through agriculture, value addition and industrial parks to be established in development zones across the country’s geopolitical regions.

Obi said his administration would improve funding for TVET institutions and strengthen their facilities through partnerships involving government, the private sector and social entrepreneurs, including faith-based educational institutions.

He added that the initiative would create apprenticeship opportunities in collaboration with the private sector, drawing inspiration from Germany’s dual education system.

The NDC candidate lamented the paradox of high unemployment coexisting with a shortage of skilled labour, a situation he said has compelled many Nigerian entrepreneurs to establish businesses outside the country.

He maintained that addressing the skills gap would facilitate Nigeria’s transition from a consumption-driven economy to a production-driven one.

Obi also pledged to strengthen character and civic education, stressing that trust, ethical leadership and shared national values would form an integral part of the governance model proposed by his administration.