Globally, the International Day of Education is commemorated on January 24th of every year. Focusing on the power of education to navigate and shape the rapid pace of technological advancements, the theme for the 2025 celebration was “AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation.”
Delivering an address on the occasion, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, said education is a basic human right and an essential building block for every person to reach their full potential, and for societies and economies to grow and flourish.
“Today’s rapid technological breakthroughs — like Artificial Intelligence — hold enormous promise to support students of all ages across their learning journeys. But the tremendous rewards are matched by some daunting risks. As AI-driven systems become more powerful, human intention and machine-driven impacts can easily misalign,” the UN Scribe maintained.
Emphasising that 2025 International Day of Education reminds humanity that unlocking the potential of Artificial Intelligence also depends on keeping human agency — and human rights — at the heart of rapidly evolving technology, Guterres charged that the world must ensure that Artificial Intelligence supports students and teachers through access to information and cutting-edge curricula and other learning tools.
“And we must work to guarantee that all users have the tools and knowledge required to use this technology smartly, safely and ethically — including through UNESCO’s Competency Frameworks to support learners and teachers as they incorporate Artificial Intelligence into their learning,” he added.
Reeling off statistics, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – in its global monitoring report for 2024/25 – stated that globally 251 million children were out of school. Whereas 129 million of that figure were boys, 122 million were girls. Factors driving this syndrome were given as including poverty, social norms against educational participation and armed conflict.
Explained the report; “Globally, 251 million children, adolescents and youth are out of school, with a reduction of just 1% since 2015. The out-of-school rate is 33% in low-income, 19% in lower-middle-income, 8% in upper-middle-income and 3% in high-income countries […] conflict also takes a major toll on education development. The primary completion rate has increased four times faster in Togo than in Yemen, two countries that were at the same level in 2006.”
In a sample of 30 low and middle-income countries, we are told, there are 53 adult males from the poorest 20% of households that could read a simple sentence for every 100 males from the richest 20% of households who could do so.
The report further informs that median public expenditure spending on education has fallen from 4.4% of gross domestic product in 2015 to 4% in 2022, representing a total of US$5.8 trillion. The value of overseas aid for education reached a high of US$16.6 billion in 2022, representing 7.6% of global aid. It continued that spending levels were insufficient to meet the increase in enrolment rates.
“Any increases in the prioritization of education in low-income countries are neither uniform nor large enough to compensate for the 24% increase in enrolment levels (from pre-primary to tertiary education) since 2015. In middle-income countries, the deprioritization of education coincides with an 8% increase in enrolment and is only possible to maintain with higher out-of-pocket spending by household,” the report stressed.
UNESCO concluded that globally there has been a shortage of qualified and interested candidates for teaching positions in upper and high-income countries and a shortage of teaching positions in low and lower-middle income countries.
As regards educational data about Africa’s most populous nation, there are over 10 million out-of-school children roaming the streets in Nigeria. Another 27 million are said to be performing poorly in schools while 30% of the population is described as illiterate.
In a press release issued by Samuel Anyanwu of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja but signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director, Press & PR in the Ministry, January 24, 2025 – Nigeria also celebrated the 2025 International Day of Education by embracing the theme “AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation.”
Speaking at an event to mark the day, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, represented by the Director of Polytechnics, Dr. Ejeh Usman, highlighted the role of Artificial Intelligence in education.
Reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to integrating AI and digital technologies to improve Nigeria’s education sector, Alausa noted several achievements, including the establishment of integrated platforms that provide comprehensive data on tertiary institutions and admissions nationwide.
“The introduction of innovative e-learning solutions, such as Inspire for Students and Ignite for Teachers, has enhanced access to quality education. These platforms create virtual classrooms and simplify lesson planning for educators. Additionally, the Nigeria Learning Passport offers over 15,000 educational resources, making it a valuable tool for students,” said the statement.
Underscoring the role of AI in shaping the future of education in the country, the Minister stressed the importance of tools like virtual reality, gamification, and AI-driven grading systems, which transform the learning experience for students and teachers.
As the 2025 International Day of Education winds up in various parts of the universe, Observers Times wishes to reiterate the role of education as a vital tool for innovation, cultural understanding and building of stronger communities worldwide. We, therefore, implore relevant governments, international agencies and concerned stakeholders to support proactive actions geared towards promoting high quality and inclusive learning for everyone – irrespective of racial, tribal, social, religious and gender identities.
In furtherance of the transformative power of education, we recommend Nigeria remains steadfast in its commitment to tackling the challenges of out-of-school children, high tuition fees, infrastructural decay of facilities, insecurity of school environments, nepotism in admissions, cultism and the Japa syndrome.