The former governor of Anambra State and Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has emphasized the need for Nigeria to establish at least 1,000 universities to improve the quality of education.
Obi, reflecting on his recent visit to Indonesia, highlighted the importance of prioritizing education and development in the nation.
In a post shared on X, Obi described his meeting with Indonesia’s Education Minister, Nunuk Survani, and her team to discuss educational systems. He noted that Indonesia’s education system serves approximately 50 million pupils at the basic education level, with over three million teachers.
Obi highlighted the country’s strict standards, requiring all teachers to have a degree and professional certification. The implementation of a compulsory basic education policy in Indonesia has helped achieve a 99% school enrollment rate, tackling the issue of out-of-school children.
Obi also drew attention to Indonesia’s investment in education, with 20% of the national budget allocated to the sector, underscoring its critical role in national development. He pointed out that Indonesia’s tertiary education system boasts more than 4,000 universities, while Nigeria has fewer than 10% of that number, despite a population that is nearly 80% of Indonesia’s. Based on this ratio, Obi argued that Nigeria should have at least 1,000 universities to meet the educational needs of its population.
During his visit, Obi also met with Indonesia’s Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi, and the Ministry of MSMEs. He learned about Indonesia’s advancements in universal health coverage, emphasizing preventive care as a key public health strategy. Obi highlighted the country’s efforts to reduce disease burdens through proactive measures, including the full government subsidy of health premiums for low-income individuals. The country is also focused on training primary health workers, particularly in rural areas, to ensure inclusive healthcare.
At the Ministry of MSMEs, Obi discussed the country’s support for small and medium-sized enterprises, noting that Indonesia provides mentorship, training, equipment, and financial assistance. He pointed out that around $20 billion of the total bank loans in Indonesia is allocated to MSMEs at an interest rate of 3% to 6%, with the government covering the difference from the commercial loan rate of 12% to 13%. In contrast, Nigeria’s allocation for its over 40 million SMEs is less than 10% of what is available in Indonesia, compounded by various environmental challenges.
Obi concluded that his meetings in Indonesia underscored the country’s dedication to advancing healthcare, education, and economic growth, positioning it as a valuable model for developing nations.
He said, “To maintain high standards, all teachers are required to have a degree and teachers professional certification. With the strict implementation of its compulsory basic education policy, Indonesia has achieved a 99% school enrollment rate, significantly addressing the issue of out-of-school children.
“With 20% of its annual budget allocated to education, Indonesia prioritizes a critical pillar of national development.
“As we all know, the more educated a country is, the more developed it becomes. At the tertiary level, Indonesia has over 4,000 universities, while Nigeria has less than 10% of that—despite having a population that is about 80% of Indonesia’s.
“Based on this ratio, we should have at least 1,000 universities,” Obi stated.
He continued,” The government fully subsidizes premiums for low-income individuals and is aggressively expanding the training of primary health workers, even in rural villages, to ensure truly inclusive Healthcare.
” This contrasts with our situation in Nigeria, where the total loans available to over 40 million SMEs are less than 10% of what is allocated in Indonesia, compounded by several other negatively impacting environmental factors,” he added.
