Overcoming inefficiency with education

Overcoming Inefficiency with Education | Global Stage | GZERO Media

Lack of investment in education is often regarded as a structural problem in low-income nations. Leonardo Garnier, a special adviser for the UN's Transforming Education Summit, knows why.

Countries with an ample supply of cheap labor tend to get investments from businesses whose profits depend on that. Not to increase productivity, not to spur tech innovation, and definitely not to create a highly educated workforce.

The result, Garnier explains during a Global Stage livestream conversation, is forever low wages and stagnant productivity.

Want to break this vicious cycle? Stop thinking that investing in education is a waste of money because it's the only way to escape the poverty trap.

More from GZERO Media

Demonstrators attend a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, in front of the U.S. consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, February 6, 2025.
REUTERS/Umit Bektas

President Donald Trump on Thursday doubled down on his proposal to remove Palestinians from Gaza for resettlement, insisting that Israel will give the territory to the US, with no military intervention required. He then imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court for having issued an arrest warrant last year against Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

Annie Gugliotta

Is this the end of American soft power and, if so, how should allies respond? GZERO Publisher Evan Solomon explores the shuttering of USAID and the tariff taunts between the US and Canada.

Be sure to catch next week’s groundbreaking discussions on new technologies for global energy security in disruptive times live from the MSC Energy Security Hub at the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt Pavilion. On Friday, Feb. 1: See the exclusive keynote by Fatih Birol, executive director of International Energy Agency, entitled “Europe’s Energy Power Struggle: Rising Demand and a New Competitive Landscape”, Join an expert panel as they discuss “Net Zero for Global Security? Geopolitics of Energy Transition and Hydrogen Trade,” featuring Leila Benali (Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of Morocco), Jennifer Morgan (State Secretary and Special Envoy for International Climate Action, German Federal Foreign Office), Rainer Quitzow (professor for Sustainability and Innovation, TU Berlin), Katherina Reiche (CEO, Westenergie AG; Chairwoman, National Hydrogen Council), Narendra Taneja (energy expert & chairman, Independent Energy Policy Institute). Saturday, Feb. 15 “Shaping Tomorrow’s Renewable Energy Paradigm in Times of Uncertainty,” the keynote by William Chueh, director, Precourt Institute for Energy, associate professor of materials science and engineering, Stanford University Plus many more panels and fireside chats. If you’re eager to explore how nations can boost their competitiveness, strengthen their economies, and create a future-proof society, sign up for our free livestream here.