KwaraLEARN Media mentions (Autumn 2022 edition)

of

Buhari’s Transforming Education Summit Address and KwaraLEARN Education Transformation Project

27th September, 2022

The Transforming Education Summit (TES) spent three days addressing the depth and breadth of problems afflicting learning around the world.

Government leaders and educationists from across the world are convening in New York for the United Nations (UN) inaugural Transforming Education Summit The summit is a response to the global learning crisis, and is focused on identifying education transformation programmes proven to work at scale

This learning crisis began long before the covid 19 pandemic and runs much deeper The report card from the International Commission on the Future of Education puts it clearly; education systems don’t make the grade They are failing students and societies We will not end this crisis by simply doing more of the same, faster or better. Now is the time to transform education systems.

According to the World Bank, 7 out of 10 children in Low and Middle Income Countries cannot read with comprehension by their tenth birthday. In other words, they are functionally illiterate, this after decades of declarations and initiatives by the global education community to improve the quality of basic education These attempts to “fix” the architecture have yet to demonstrate meaningful success: learning levels are persistently low, and positive deviants hard to find

President Muhammadu Buhari addressed the “Transforming Education Summit “ , during which he proclaimed Nigeria as a champion country and committed to greater inclusiveness and innovation for education in the country

Nigeria has a lot to contribute to other global leaders, funders, policymakers and political leaders focus on identifying solutions that are already being

implemented at scale by national Governments and are proven to improve learning outcomes

The latest large scale education transformation project that should qualify Nigeria as a “Champion Country” in President Buhari’s words is KwaraLEARN (Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now), a core new education programme by the Government of Kwara State to deliver dramatic improvements in learning outcomes in public schools for all children across Kwara State

KwaraLEARN is transforming government primary schools across the state into powerful public schools using an innovative technology and data driven platform, coupled with high quality learning materials, effective training and ongoing coaching for teachers and school leaders, and technology enabled support teams to create 360 degree support for learning outcomes

His Excellency, the executive governor of Kwara State, Mal AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq who was also present at the UNGA in New York as part of President Buhari’s entourage, had this to say about the program “getting education right from the foundation would support the state government’s achievements in infrastructural development, agriculture, technology and social services, as well as open up new vistas of opportunities that will promote common good”

It is important to note that the methodology implemented in KwaraLEARN was studied by a group led by Professor Michael Kremer, the Nobel Prize winning economist, in a different school system to measure impact over a 2 year period Professor Kremer’s study found that “The effects in this study are among the largest in the international education literature, particularly for a program that was already operating at scale”

Primary students taught using this methodology learnt as much in two years as their counterparts in other schools learnt in three

KwaraLEARN takes the baton from pre existing transformation programmes in Lagos and Edo states, both of which are local solutions already delivering value. At the conclusion of the Transformational Education Summit, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was clear. Now is the time to transform the entire public education system Trailblazing political leaders across the world such as Kwara State are showing how it can be done, using proven learning methods If the world is going to come close to achieving the goals of the Transforming Education Summit, others must follow their example Nigeria must push at federal level for policy, budget and implementation to enable large scale transformative education projects such as KwaraLEARN which is already creating value and alleviating learning poverty in the country

UN Education Summit: How Nigeria can end the learning crisis in schools

20th September, 2022

Heads of State and education sector thought leaders converged in New York City for the inaugural edition of the United Nations (UN) Transforming Education Summit with one goal: Crowdsourcing ideas towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) by 2030.

SDG 4 is central not only because it focuses on education but because it is relevant to all the other goals It aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning for all

Although the UN states that measurable progress has been made towards increasing access to education and school enrollment at all levels, particularly for girls, the figures for out of school children continues to snowball as 244 million children and youth between the ages of 6 and 18 worldwide are still out of school, according to UNESCO in 2022

Curiously, India, Nigeria and Pakistan account for the greater number of out of school children with Nigeria alone accounts for 20 million, based on UNESCO figures.

A 2022 report jointly published by the World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, UK government Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), USAID, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation paints a bleak picture regarding the possibility of achieving quality education for countries in Western Africa

Highlighting the precarious situation of education, the report notes that learning poverty has increased by a third in low and middle income countries, with an estimated 70 per cent of 10 year olds unable to read or understand a simple written text

State governments and the Federal Government in Nigeria need to pay greater attention to the dire situation of education because education indices in the country have not lived up to

expectation Indeed, state actors in Nigeria should pay greater attention to the outcome of the Transforming Education Summit and indeed focus on domesticating methodologies, procedures and strategies that have delivered improved learning at scale.

Already, a number of Nigerian state governments are leading the way in this direction. Education sector transformation programmes like EdoBEST (in Edo state), EKOEXCEL (in Lagos State) and KwaraLEARN (in Kwara state) have changed the face of education in Nigeria by delivering superior learning outcomes to children in hard to reach and urban areas while improving the capacity of teachers to impart knowledge

The methodology underpinning these education transformation programmes has been proven to deliver transformational change, especially to children in early formative years in basic schools Focusing on systems strengthening, the inclusion of all stakeholders in the education system

and using data as the basis for improving learning, the programmes have recorded an increase in literacy and numeracy skills

Their positive impact is further buttressed by a new but major study conducted by Nobel Prize Winner and development economist, Prof Michael Kremer in Kenya

The study suggests that children living in underserved communities in Kenya and attending NewGlobe supported schools (which use the same methodology as EdoBEST, EKOEXCEL and KwaraLEARN), receive 53 per cent more learning throughout their early childhood and primary school careers than children taught with traditional methodologies.

Kremer says

This study shows that attending schools delivering highly standardised education has the potential to produce dramatic learning gains at scale, suggesting that policymakers may wish to explore incorporation of standardisation, including standardised lesson plans and teacher feedback and monitoring, in their own systems.”

In his analysis, Kremer posited that combining a standardised curriculum, positive reinforcements and teacher professionalism has led to improved learning outcomes in children attending NewGlobe supported schools.

What is unique is that the use of the methodology delivers the same learning outcomes to both boys and girls allowing for equal learning opportunities for both genders as girls were found to make learning leaps similar to their male counterparts

While leaders at the UN education summit focus on identifying education transformation solutions, it is beneficial to deliberate on home grown solutions that can work at scale and in state owned systems as exemplified by EdoBEST, EKOEXCEL and KwaraLEARN

These solutions are rich in local know how and accommodate the peculiarities of the various environments where they have been implemented

In the case of EdoBEST for instance, before the inception of the programme, absenteeism among teachers was high, lesson completion rate was low and learning outcomes were abysmal. The EdoBEST programme addressed these deficiencies using technology that incorporated the nuances of the local environment.

The Universal Basic Education Commission, State SUBEBs and state ministries of education need to look critically at harnessing the benefits that have been derived by states using the methodology that has been endorsed by Professor Kremer and his team Governments should adopt an inclusive system where all stakeholders are connected with one goal in mind delivering quality life changing education Operating a unified system, the data obtained can be used as a basis for improved learning

As the Transformational Education Summit is concluded in New York, the words of the UN Secretary General António Guterres are instructive. In his opening address, Mr. Guterres noted that “instead of being the great enabler, education is fast becoming a great divider.” This does not have to be the case. Nigeria’s leaders can step in to address the core issues using proven solutions

Teachers hail AbdulRazaq

15th September, 2022

Heads of secondary schools in Kwara State yesterday said Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s achievements in turning around learning environment and improving welfare of teachers are unmatched in the recent history of the state

The teachers also commended the introduction of KwaraLEARN which they said is truly impactful, adding that the administration’s interventions have also been spread across every part of the state in a way never seen before

The school heads made the commendations in Ilorin, the state capital, at an open engagement the Governor held to feel their pulse on government’s focus on basic education and their welfare across board.

About 300 school principals attended the meeting, along with some key stakeholders from across the education sector in Kwara State

The teachers, who acknowledged the improvements in their wages and teaching environment, also called on the Governor to consider restoring boarding facilities which died off a few years ago, end the pay disparities between teachers in basic classes and their senior secondary school counterparts which he inherited, commit more funds to laboratories in the schools, and do more to offset the arrears of salaries he met in 2019

For instance, Principal of Ilorin Grammar School, Hajia Abdullahi Muslimat Iyabo, said the school was one of the schools which benefited from comprehensive renovation of schools under Governor AbdulRazaq’s administration.

“Our school benefitted from not just a few renovations but total renovation of the school On behalf of the management of Ilorin Grammar School, we want to say thank you I also want to express our gratitude to you for the sense of humility and commitment to the welfare of the teachers and students. I want to also sincerely appreciate your efforts at ensuring that teachers are promoted, and we want you to keep this up,” she said

Principal of Community Junior Secondary School Ipetu Igbomina in Irepodun Local Government, Mr Babatunde Josuah Adegboyega, said the administration has given a befitting facelift to schools while doing its best to promote welfare

“I want to appreciate your good gesture for the promotion implemented, the welfare packages on salaries as well as changing the facelift of schools through renovation God will continue to be your guide”, Adegboyega said

Principal, Queen Elizabeth Senior Secondary School Ilorin, Sidikat Taye Lawal, commended AbdulRazaq for his prompt interventions on issues affecting the school.

“On behalf of the old students of Queen Elizabeth School of which I am one of them thank you for transforming Queen Elizabeth School to a modern secondary school through the road network We want to appreciate you again for your care and love for the students on exchange programme because I remember last year I was in Minna, Niger State for the Conference of Principals of Exchange Schools and Kwara State was ranked the best in the programme,” she said

“We were able to interact with principals from other states and learnt how some had to borrow money to feed their students But in the case of Kwara, we get money to feed these students as and when due and you transport them at the right time, not leaving them for their parents to send transportation fees Thank you very much sir ”

Mrs Jimoh C S of Junior Secondary School Awonga, Shao in Moro Local Government, said the condition of the school was in a sorry state before 2019

“l want to appreciate Your Excellency, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the changes you have made in education sector. In the time past in my former school, Government Junior Secondary School, Bode Saadu, the school was in bad state, I don’t even know how to describe the school, all the structures there had been destroyed,” she recalled

“l used to go to SUBEB almost everyday to beg for renovation of the school but nothing was done There was a time the man told me that the school is one of the schools to be renovated but nothing happened But when our Excellency got there, both new construction and renovation were done in the school ”

The Principal of Senior Secondary School Kanko, Shonga District in Edu Local Government, Umar Abubakar, said the trajectory of basic education has changed for good since the Governor came.

Another principal from Islamiyah College Patigi, Balla Sa’ad, described AbdulRazaq as a workaholic governor, who has committed so much resources to improve basic education

“He is a people’s Governor and a friendly Governor In fact, in my local government, the slogan now is everywhere you go, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s good works are there”, he said

The school principals advocated recruitment of more science and languages teachers as well as non teaching staff, provision of more textbooks in core subjects, in service training for teachers, improved security network of schools.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Mrs Mary Adeosun, said the governor has been exemplary in his commitment to education which she said mirrors his passion for the future of the state

Daramaja blamed the longstanding disparity in pay between SUBEB and TESCOM teachers on four factors, out of which two have now been resolved He listed the factors to be over deduction of NUT and National Housing Scheme (NHS) dues both of which have now been addressed and reflected in the teachers’ salaries stoppage of step upgrades for SUBEB teachers since 2016, and non payment of allowances due to teachers with TRCN He said these challenges will also be resolved, but called for patience and understanding of the teachers.

Adaramaja also said pending promotion arrears would soon be implemented, recalling that the administration had similarly fixed some of the promotion arrears it inherited without any political colouration

The SUBEB boss said training and retraining of teachers has been paramount to the administration, especially with the renewed cordial relationship between UBEC and SUBEB

AbdulRazaq, on his part, acknowledged all the issues raised by the teachers and said the administration remains committed to total turnaround of the education sector so that Kwara can reclaim its place in the north and Nigeria as a whole

“We have introduced KwaraLEARN programme and I thank you all for embracing the programme. That’s one of the paths to bringing Kwara back on top in Northern Nigeria and the rest of the country

The investment the government and you are making today may not show immediately but it is something that will speak for all of us later in the future.

What you are doing is to produce responsible citizens for Nigeria and the world, and we are grateful for that,” he said “I have listened carefully to all the issues of promotions, leave bonuses, uniforms in schools, non academic staff employment, textbooks, harmonisation between TESCOM and SUBEB salary, in service trainings, seminars, security in schools, unity schools and exchange students within the state, equipping laboratories in our schools, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools, backlog of salaries, girl child education, encroachment of school properties and building of shops in front schools.

These were part of the issues raised today and we will dissect them and take them one after the other.”

Kwara: Governor Rolls Out The 1st Phase

KwaraLEARN

May,

The Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, has reiterated that the kernel of his electoral campaign to the people of the state is to restore the dignity of the people, redeem the lost glory of the state on all fronts, ensure inclusive growth, and reposition the state for greatness and competitiveness

This is as the governor said that at the heart of this is to enthrone quality education and human capital development, as a critical area for inclusive growth and upward social mobility in the knowledge economy

Towards this end, he noted that delivering on this score, his administration has gotten the state off the UBEC blacklist and freed the state’s schools from WAEC sanctions, and progressively committing huge resources to rebuilding basic schools, as well as injecting new 4,700 competent teachers into the classrooms.

As part of major steps taken to transform the state’s education sector, Governor AbdulRazaq hinted that this week the state government would roll out the first phase of its administration’s flagship education transformative programme: Kwara Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now, tagged: KwaraLEARN According to him, the realisation of getting education right from the foundation would support the state government’s achievements in infrastructural development, agriculture, technology and social services, as well as open up new vistas of opportunities that will promote common good

“Our flagship education programme takes the baton from pre existing transformation programmes in Lagos and Edo states, both of which are local solutions already delivering value We have understudied and have now made it fit for our own system here in Kwara State,” the governor said

He added: “KwaraLEARN represents our vision for a stronger and more prosperous Kwara A Kwara that is recognised in Nigeria and across West Africa as a leader in reforms that will deliver economic growth and more sustainable futures for our population KwaraLEARN will transform all government primary schools across the state into powerful public schools, moving them from an analogue approach to one of digital transformation.

“This transformational approach to our education system will deliver radically improved outcomes for our children That success will be seen quickly, giving this generation of children the potential to transform Kwara State

“This is a lifetime investment that empowers teachers and gives public school pupils the best shot at 21st Century education with reverberating effects on learning outcomes and the future of the state The KwaraLEARN programme affords our teachers the right digital tools to be at their best, while providing an electronic platform to make classrooms and schools transparent The technology will monitor attendance and performance of pupils and teachers in all classrooms, offering continual support and feedback ”

Governor AbdulRazaq, who pointed out that as a new term begins, we are not just discussing how to improve our schools and classrooms; we are implementing new approaches and techniques. While stressing that 3,500 teachers had been trained in the last few weeks in the use of new digital technology and proven pedagogical techniques designed to support them in delivering the best possible lessons to their students, he assured stakeholders that thousands more teachers are to be trained in the subsequent phase of the programme

KwaraLEARN, a classroom revolution

The kernel of our electoral campaign to the people of Kwara State is to restore the dignity of the Kwara person, redeem the lost glory of the state on all fronts, ensure inclusive growth, and reposition it for greatness and competitiveness in Nigeria. At the heart of this campaign is quality education and human capital development an area that is critical for inclusive growth and upward social mobility in the knowledge economy

We are clearly delivering on this score

In addition to getting our state off national (UBEC) blacklist and freeing our schools from WAEC sanctions, progressively committing huge resources to rebuilding basic schools, as well as injecting new 4,700 competent teachers into our classrooms, this week we are rolling out the first phase of our flagship education transformative programme: Kwara Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now, or KwaraLEARN.

This is in realisation that getting education right from the foundation will support our achievements in infrastructural development, agriculture, technology and social services, and open up new vistas of opportunities that will promote common good

Our flagship education programme takes the baton from pre existing transformation programmes in Lagos and Edo States, both of which are local solutions already delivering value We have understudied and have now made it fit for our own system here in Kwara

This is a lifetime investment that empowers teachers and gives public school pupils the best shot at 21st century education with reverberating effects on learning outcomes and the future of the state The KwaraLEARN programme affords our teachers the right digital tools to be at their best, while providing an electronic platform to make classrooms and schools transparent The technology will monitor attendance and performance of pupils and teachers in all classrooms, offering continual support and feedback

As a new term begins, we are not just discussing how to improve our schools and classrooms, we are implementing new approaches and techniques. We are taking action.

We are taking the future of our state and shaping it with a carefully designed policy which places Kwara as an innovation capital in Nigeria and West Africa’s economic growth

Over the last few weeks, 3,500 of our teachers have been trained in the use of new digital technology and proven pedagogical techniques designed to support them in delivering the best possible lessons to their students Thousands more will be trained in the subsequent phase of the programme

Our aim is to transform every government primary school and, in doing so, transform the learning outcomes for every Kwara child To do this, we are empowering all our primary teachers with the right digital tools to be at their very best in the delivery of expertly planned lessons based on our national curriculum. This is supported with an electronic platform to make classrooms and schools transparent.

The technology will monitor attendance and performance of pupils and teachers in every classroom, offering continual real time support and feedback Bespoke coaching programmes will support every teacher in their classroom KwaraLEARN

helps our teachers to become highly skilled, through training and motivation to succeed at their job And it will provide Kwara’s learning leaders, our State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), with unprecedented levels of knowledge and information about the success of every single state primary school.

This approach, combining structured pedagogy with the gathering of real time data for accountability and feedback, is one recommended by the World Bank, as governments everywhere deal with the impact of the covid 19 pandemic, and the school closures which accompanied it, on children’s education

In Nigeria, we know that transformational reform cannot be delayed A recent UNICEF assessment suggested that 70% of 10 year olds across the country cannot understand a simple sentence or manage basic numeracy

This has been worsened in Nigeria and elsewhere by Covid 19 which caused huge damage to our education system and our communities As we in Kwara emerge from the pandemic, my team and I are taking action to ‘build back better’ We envision a state that policymakers refer to as a successful model of education reform post pandemic.

We are therefore determined to deliver dramatic improvements in learning outcomes for our children across Kwara State. Not only is access to quality education their right, improving their numeracy and literacy skills will allow our pupils to compete with their peers anywhere in the world

We believe that the path to prosperity is through the education of the Kwara child Along with our phenomenal investments in physical infrastructure and other things, education underpins economic growth, stability, and sustainable development

We are confident that the KwaraLEARN programme will be an outstanding success and birth measurable improvements in learning outcomes delivered quickly.

Our technical partners, NewGlobe, have already delivered them in support of similar programmes in Edo and Lagos States, and we trust them to do a lot more to partner with other stakeholders towards returning basic education in Kwara State to the dream of our founding fathers

UNESCO’s New Social Contract for Education calls on governments to focus on “placing greater emphasis on improving learning outcomes in our education systems, and employing new techniques and methodologies that have been proven to yield better results for our students”

This is precisely what we are doing through KwaraLEARN We are adopting an approach proven in the Global South, and more importantly within Nigeria, suited to our unique circumstances, away from a historical focus on the replication of ideas and institutions from the industrialised North

KwaraLEARN represents our vision for a stronger and more prosperous Kwara A Kwara that is recognised in Nigeria and across West Africa as a leader in reforms that will deliver economic growth and more sustainable futures for our population.

KwaraLEARN will transform all government primary schools across the state into powerful public schools, moving them from an analogue approach to one of digital transformation

This transformational approach to our education system will deliver radically improved outcomes for our children That success will be seen quickly, giving this generation of children the potential to transform Kwara State

Kwara teachers to get tablets, smartphones for education programme

3rd May 2022

Kwara State Government said that it has secured the delivery of 4,329 tablets and smartphones for teachers to implement the KwaraLEARN education programme

Other requirements for the programme such as procurement of 250 blackboards, hiring of IT operation teams, setting up of teachers’ tablets and, validation of tech applications in schools has also been put in place

The Chairman of the State Universal Primary Education Board, Sheu Adaramaja, said that the government would on May 16, 2022 kick start its data driven education transformation project, KwaraLEARN, across 365 primary schools in the state

According to a statement signed by Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Adaramaja said that the programme would commence across 365 primary schools in Baruten, Offa, Ilorin East, and Ilorin West Local Government Areas of the state

The KwaraLEARN intervention by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration is a public education transformation programme to improve teaching and learning using innovative technology, data driven platforms, high quality learning materials, effective training and continuous coaching and support for teachers and school administrators

KwaraLEARN could not have come at a better time, given the challenges education is facing in Nigeria as captured by a United Nations Children’s Fund report delivered during a recent programme.”

“Starting with governance, the Kwara State Ministry of Education, KwaraSUBEB and our technical partner, NewGlobe, developed a project communication and coordination plan to guide the management of the programme

“Stakeholder sensitisation campaigns have also happened in the four pilot local governments, with meetings held with traditional rulers, education trade union representatives and Education Secretaries, among others

“Today, KwaraLEARN has completed academic field studies in randomly selected schools to learn about teachers’ English fluency and proficiency, pupil oral reading fluency, and foundational numeracy,” he added.

Adaramaja explained that the process employed by KwaraLEARN has been systematic and scientific to achieve the desired learning outcomes.

He said the decision to start the project was sequel to the critical achievements the State has earlier recorded in academics, governance, stakeholder engagements, operations, school inspection, technology, job creation, leadership and development

AbdulRazaq excited as 1,920 teachers undergo KwaraLEARN training

Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has expressed satisfaction at the performance of teachers undergoing a two week training as part of the preparations to commence the KwaraLEARN basic education project in the State

The flagship education programme of the administration, KwaraLEARN (Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now) is designed to deliver dramatic improvements in learning outcomes in public schools for all children across Kwara State

It will transform all government primary schools across the state into powerful public schools using an innovative technology and data driven platform, high quality learning materials, effective training and ongoing coaching for teachers and school leaders, and technology enabled support teams to create 360 degree support for learning outcomes.

The pilot phase of the programme captures basic schools in Baruten, Offa, Ilorin West, and Ilorin East while other local governments will follow in the coming year

Speaking in Ilorin at the venue of the training for teachers, Abdulrazaq said the programme would drastically improve the capacity of teachers, encourage transparency in the school environment, and improve quality of public education and learning outcomes

“I congratulate you all because the process you are going through will be of benefit to all of us in the state, in Nigeria and to humanity The knowledge to be imparted will improve our society,” he said

AbdulRazaq, who acknowledged the important roles that teachers play in shaping the future of any nation, said his administration will consider more incentives to boost their morale in schools

“For me, I respect all of you for what you do They say the teachers’ reward is in heaven We also need to take care of you while alive The state government, as much as possible, will try to look into your welfare It is important because your livelihood solely depends on teaching You don’t joke with your salary That is why we made the N30,000 minimum wage for workers our priority,” he added

The Governor also visited Kwara students who recently emerged as Nigerian champions in the Presidential debate in their training camp ahead of the world schools debate in the Netherlands in August.

Chairman Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Prof. Raheem Sheu Adaramaja, said the training is in phases, starting from two local governments of Ilorin West and Baruten, with the selected head teachers and classroom teachers as participants under the first phase

He said the technology based training will teach them how to use smart phones and tablets to monitor attendance, assess pupils, grade and transmit their results to their parents after school exams

“From the tablet you give everyone of them, they will be able to take class attendance of pupils, do assessment, grade them and transmit their results to their parents, rather than relying on the old PPT (Paper Pen Test) to achieve assessment of pupils,” Adaramaja said

Adarmaja also said the Board had engaged the services of experts, particularly native speakers of English language, in equipping the pupils ahead of the international debate competition

Mrs. Margaret Olufunke Awotunde, SUBEB Training officer, said at least 1,920 participants from four local governments (Ilorin West, East, Offa and Baruten) are expected to attend the ongoing phase of the training.

Some of the teachers who spoke on the training commended the state government for the initiative, which they believed would lessen their task of writing through paper and pen and conform to 21st century realities

Govt,educationstakeholdersurgedtoadopt inclusivelearningapproachforbetteroutcomes

15th March 2022

The government and other stakeholders in the education sector in Nigeria have been urged to embrace a more inclusive learning approach in the implementation of education technology driven initiatives to achieve better learning outcomes and results

This was the summation from the just concluded edition of the EdTech Initiative put together by Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with CcHub Limited. The virtual roundtable featured panelists such as co founder/strategy and head, Maevis Computer Limited, Chizaram Ucheaga, certified English Language teacher from Lagos State, Bisayo Adewole, and the moderator, Joyce Daniel, a social engineer

At the virtual roundtable, titled “Education in the pandemic era, the role of technology,” Ucheaga emphasized the need for government and stakeholders to embrace more inclusive learning to create a robust and well rounded educational system

Ucheaga stressed that, with the shift to infrastructure based technology to drive learning during the COVID 19 pandemic,

government needs to continue to leverage technology in reinventing the education system in Nigeria

According to him, the responsibility lies with stakeholders, particularly the government, to design a curriculum that addresses every student’s needs, irrespective of their challenge or status

“During the pandemic, education stakeholders launched online radio initiatives to ensure that students continued to learn. As a result, the government now appreciates how technology is being used in driving learning They have then launched initiatives such as the EdoBest and Kwara learn, in partnership with international organisations, to deliver learning to students "

He further stated that stakeholders must come to terms with the reality that education or learning was fast moving away from the conventional approach of the physical classroom structure to the virtual classroom, clamoring for the need to build holistic education solutions that would serve students, depending on their needs

Also speaking, Adewole, an EdTech teacher from Akoko High School, Lagos, noted that people’s minds were open to the benefits of technology in driving learning despite the pandemic. She, however, stated that more still needs to be done to ensure that both teachers and students have access to digital tools and training to achieve optimal learning outcomes

KwaraToEnrollOut-of-SchoolChildren

14th March 2022

The Kwara State government has concluded arrangements to enroll out of school children in schools across the state

The state’s Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajiya Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, who made disclosure, said this was necessary in order to secure the future of the children.

She said the state government will not leave any stone unturned in its efforts to remove children of school age from streets and reduce the number of out of school children to the minimum.

Modibbo Kawu explained that the ‘Kwara Learn Programme’ has been introduced to turn around teaching and learning in public schools and make it attractive.

The commissioner noted that parents in communities identified with large number of out of school children will be carried along in designing method of education that will suit the needs of their children and wards.

She added that the state government has renovated over 600 schools across the state to ensure a conducive teaching and learning environment.

Emir of Ilorin commends Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s KwaraLEARN Program

Hajia Modibbo reiterated the commitment of the present administration in providing sound and quality education that will give our future leaders a chance in life and also allow them to be useful for themselves and the society

KwaraLEARN (Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now) is the digitization of teaching and learning to foster learning outcomes in public schools The programme has a vision to “transform all Government Primary Schools across the state through Innovative Technology, Data Driven Platforms, High Quality Learning Materials, effective Training and Coaching for Teachers and School Leaders”.

28th February 2022

Kwara State government has again been commended for its laudable projects across the state, especially the recent introduction of digitization in public primary schools across the state

The Emir of Ilorin, Dr Ibrahim Zulu Gambari made the commendation during KwaraLEARN stakeholders’ sensitization led by the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu to the Emir’s palace. According to him, “Education is the best legacy a country can give to her future leaders for them to be useful for themselves and the society

Let me use this medium to commend the good initiative of His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on educational development in the state."

The highly revered monarch noted that the digitalization of public schools will go a long way in increasing the quality and standard of education in the state and also allow them to compete with their mates across the world He prayed for the success of the program

Earlier, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu had appreciated the Emir of Ilorin for his unflinching support of the present administration

The three (3) year programme, which will run between 2022 2025 will cover all the primary schools in the sixteen (16) Local Government Areas in Kwara State with the target of 400,000 pupils

Some of the education stakeholders in Ilorin West and Ilorin East Local Government Areas were engaged to intimate them on the need to support the laudable project of the present administration in its bid to take the education sector to greater heights

Other stakeholder meetings were held at Queen Elizabeth Secondary School and Government Secondary School, both in the Ilorin metropolis.

KwaraLEARN Ramps Up Activities as Implementation Team Concludes Data Gathering Exercise

1st February 2022

The data driven transformation of primary education in Kwara State through KwaraLEARN, the recently launched education intervention by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, is well underway as the Implementation Team has gathered preliminary academic data

The data gathering exercise saw the Implementation Team having robust engagements with administrators and teachers in the selected schools to develop fit for purpose academic plans and quality instructional materials

The Team visited 30 schools in Baruten, Offa, Ilorin East and Ilorin West local governments as part of preparations for the full take off of the initiative, a strategic intervention by the state government to radically transform public primary schools through the deployment of e learning platforms for the improvement of both teachers and pupils.

Field officers and researchers obtained information on pupil and teacher performance and other relevant data to aid planning and curriculum development ahead of the programme’s commencement The data obtained would also be good for textbook selection and rigour of content and instruction in teacher guides

Speaking on the exercise, the Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, explained that it was to ensure that all its actions and plans are data driven for optimum results

Gathering relevant data is crucial to the success of this intervention. We need to know the current state of affairs in the public schools to guide us in drawing up plans for both pupils and teachers. The data will also offer useful insights into trends in the schools because that’s the purpose of data. It’s not an end in itself but to get insights and on that basis, build the curriculum."

“Besides, school level data will inform programming decisions such as timetable creation, specialist designations, and assessment structures

This program is very dear to our Governor, so we intend to achieve all its goals using every available scientific means to not only design the plans but also measure its impacts as we progress Introducing KwaraLEARN attests to the vision and foresight of Governor AbdulRazaq It affirms his commitment to transformational education through e learning platforms and tailor made solutions for teachers.

This is what serious leaders do, and he has demonstrated he is with us on this strategic intervention.”

Governor AbdulRazaq signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for KwaraLearn (Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now) in November 2021

Some of the expected benefits of the intervention include accelerating students’ literacy and numeracy, better classroom culture and more robust curriculum management

The initiative that would use innovative technology, data driven platforms, high quality learning materials, practical training and continuous coaching and support for teachers and school administrators will also enhance the teacher pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning), boost uniformity and strict adherence to the curriculum.

AbdulRazaqintroducesKwaraLEARNto revolutionisebasiceducation

Abdullahi, who disclosed that he was aware of EdoBEST and EKOEXCEL, said KwaraLEARN is a thoughtful and vital intervention by the forward looking Governor investing massively in education

“Governor AbdulRazaq is God sent to us in Kwara because this is a much needed intervention in basic education He knows the importance of education in today’s world, especially as we have since moved into a knowledge economy How will our children cope if they have faulty educational foundations? How will they fare in a digital 21st century where knowledge is crucial? This is a strategic initiative that would benefit all classes of people in Kwara and rescue public primary schools. With sound education for our children, our state’s future is secured.”

10th January 2022

Basic education in Kwara State is undergoing a revolution following the introduction of KwaraLEARN (Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now) by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration

KwaraLEARN is a public education transformation programme that would improve teaching and learning using innovative technology, data driven platforms, high quality learning materials, effective training and continuous coaching and support for teachers and school administrators

Governor AbdulRazaq signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of KwaraLEARN last November to develop the education sector and further boost its contribution to sustainable economic growth and development

The education reform programme will enhance the teacher pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning), boost uniformity and strict adherence to the curriculum as teachers’ tablets will be preloaded with lessons and content that will be effectively monitored for standardisation across all public primary schools

Governor AbdulRazaq’s flagship education programme, which will run till 2025, will also accelerate pupils’ learning, lead to better classroom culture and more robust curriculum management

The innovative intervention will accelerate student literacy and numeracy performance while also upskilling teachers.

Commenting on the initiative, a parent, Ganiyu Abdullahi, expressed delight with Governor AbdulRazaq’s strategic intervention while highlighting the benefits to students, teachers and the state

Chairman, Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB), Prof Shehu Adaramaja, who has oversight over the intervention, also explained how it would further reposition public schools He reiterated the government’s commitment to education, adding that instruction in public primary schools would be enhanced with e learning tools and access to high quality and well supported teachers

“The Governor has been concerned about the state of public schools since he assumed office and has worked assiduously to arrest the rot. KwaraLEARN is a further demonstration of his commitment to academic excellence and positioning our state for sustainable development in the 21st century."

Kwara’sICTRevolutionToStrengthenBasicEducation

A major leap that will transform basic education in Kwara State has been evolved The state government is investing over one trillion naira on the programme tagged “KwaraLEARN”, digital platform, to improve learning outcomes for primary school pupils across the state.

Worried by the challenges of sliding fortunes bedeviling the education sector due to inadequate funding, shortage of quality teachers, dearth of school facilities, resulting in overall poor standard, especially basic education sub sector, Kwara State Government has evolved a silent revolution that would urgently tackle the problems and reposition the system for quality delivery

But, determined to address these challenges and set basic education, the foundation of education on the path or reckoning for the challenges of the 21st Century, the state government led by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has channeled huge resources in education infrastructure, especially in basic education.

As part of moves to tackle the rot in the system and enhance quality teaching and learning in the basic education, the state government penultimate week introduced ‘KwaraLEARN Programme’ an educational transformation initiative in public schools across the state

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the over a trillion naira (N1,072,336,784) programme, which would run between 2022 and 2025, was signed by Kwara State Government led by Governor AbdulRazaq and New Globe Consultants, the government’s technical partners, a firm with a track record and achievements in similar projects in Lagos and Edo states

Prior to the signing of the document, the State Executive Council (SEC) had at its meeting given statutory approval to the initiative, particularly to ensure its effective implementation According to SEC, the KwaraLEARN programme was conceived to transform the current analogue state of teaching and learning to a modern digital learning process, using modern technology platforms It, however, added that the initiative would significantly improve learning outcomes of the children in the state

Apart from eliminating the unwholesome phenomenon of ghost teachers through e monitoring of teaching across the state, the programme, according to the government, would in the long run place the education standard of the state at a better pedestal.

Another major objective of the project is that it would expose the pupils to updated contents when it comes to elearning, while its successful implementation would also move public primary school pupils from analogue learning process to the modern ICT teaching and learning process

Meanwhile, Governor AbdulRazaq, while endorsing the ‘KwaraLEARN’ Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), he

tagged the initiative as his administration’s flagship Public Education Transformation Programme designed to improve learning outcomes for primary school pupils

According to him, it is a lifetime investment of the state government to empower teachers and give public school pupils the best shot at 21st Century education with reverberating effects on the future of the state

The governor said: “The Kwara LEARN programme will empower our teachers with the right digital tools to be at their best, while providing an electronic platform to make classrooms and schools transparent. The technology will monitor attendance and performance of pupils and teachers in all classrooms, as well as offering continual support and feedback.

"This is our flagship education programme It will transform all government primary schools using innovative technology, data driven platforms, high quality learning materials, effective training and ongoing coaching and support for teachers and school leaders

“Our technical partners, New Globe, are

trusted to drive this programme to success. They have done it in Edo and Lagos states respectively, and we trust them to do a lot more to partner with other stakeholders towards returning basic education to the dream of our founding fathers

“KwaraLEARN represents our vision for a stronger Kwara It is set to deliver dramatic improvement in learning outcomes for public school children across the state as it will accelerate the numeracy and literacy skills of our pupils, and enable them to compete with their peers anywhere in the world

“This is because we believe that the path to prosperity is through the education of the Kwara child Education underpins economic growth, stability, and sustainable development.

KwaraLEARN will deploy 21st Century technology to support teachers and schools. It will enable our children to fulfill their potential and offer them and the state a brighter future

KwaraLEARN will empower our teachers to become highly skilled through training and motivation to succeed at their job

“Technology is the future. I urge the people of our state, especially our education stakeholders to support this great initiative. It is the best investment we can make in the future of the Kwara child.”

However, critical stakeholders in the state’s education sector, including the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools

(ANCOPSS), have described the programme as a welcome development that would change the narrative of basic education in the state.

The President of the state chapter of ANCOPSS, Alhaji Toyin Abdullahi, said the KwaraLEARN programme would go a long way in empowering teachers with the right digital tools to be at their best, as it would provide an electronic platform to make classrooms and schools transparent

“We have no iota of doubt that the project will work in Kwara State as Lagos and Edo states had already keyed into it with resounding results So, it is highly welcome for Kwara State to join now This is a big history in the lives of our children We are looking forward and expecting that the partners will not fail the state "

To the Chairman of the state wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Abdullahi Umar, the state government has taken the right steps through the introduction of KwaraLEARN programme to revive the ailing education sector.

“Governor AbdulRazaq is a visionary governor as far as the education sector is concerned This is because he has started in the right direction having paid the counterpart funds for UBEC And today, he has signed the MoU on KwaraLEARN initiative to aid teaching and learning across the state Having ensured massive infrastructure in our schools, the next thing to move education forward is to empower our teachers to pass relevant knowledge effectively to our pupils

With what I have seen today and those we want to partner with, I give kudos to the governor You have been taking good care of teachers and we believe more will come our way.”

Meanwhile, a don at the Uni versity of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Dr. Oba Abdulkadir La’aro, described the idea of

Kwara LEARN initiative as laudable, saying the programme would further equip teachers with upto date skills in technology competence necessary for the 21st Century education delivery

He stressed that in introducing technology, there is the enduring issue of access in both availability and affordability across the socio economic class According to him, introduction of Technology into the educational system would always have to contend with cultural factors

The state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, however, described the programme as a “thoughtful and innovative idea” of the present administration to change the teaching method to that of the 21st century digital learning in Kwara.

To her, the introduction of the new technology to the schools would complement the earlier investments in infrastructural development in schools, the transparent and competitive deployment of exceptional teachers to classrooms and training and re training of teachers

Also, on his part, the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB), Prof Shehu Raheem Adaramaja, said that the vision of the state government was to improve primary school outcomes through KwaraLEARN by transforming learning in all classrooms and ensuring every child has access to high quality and well supported teachers

AbdulRazaqintroducesKwaraLEARNto revolutionisebasiceducation

Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday signed an MOU introducing KwaraLEARN, the administration’s flagship public education transformation programme designed to improve learning outcomes for primary school pupils across the state.

The Governor called the initiative lifetime investments to empower teachers and give public school pupils the best shot at 21st century education with reverberating effects on the future of the state

"The KwaraLEARN programme will empower our teachers with the right digital tools to be at their best while providing an electronic platform to make classrooms and schools transparent The technology will monitor attendance and performance

of pupils and teachers in all classrooms, offering continual support and feedback,” AbdulRazaq said at the signing of the MOU with the government’s technical partners, New Globe, in Ilorin

“This is our flagship education programme. It will transform all government primary schools using innovative technology, data-driven platforms, high-quality learning materials, effective training and ongoing coaching and support for teachers and school leaders."

“Our technical partners NewGlobe are trusted to drive this programme to success They have done it in Edo and Lagos, and we trust them to do a lot more to partner with other stakeholders towards returning basic education to the dream of our founding fathers

“KwaraLEARN represents our vision for a stronger Kwara It is set to deliver dramatic improvements in learning outcomes for public school children across the state It will accelerate the numeracy and literacy skills of our pupils, enabling them to compete with their peers anywhere in the world. This is because we believe that the path to prosperity is through the education of the Kwara child. Education underpins economic growth, stability, and sustainable development.

“Kwara Learn will deploy 21st century technology to support teachers and schools It will enable our children to fulfil their potentials and offer them and the state a brighter future KwaraLEARN will empower our teachers to become highly skilled through training and motivation to succeed at their job ”

The MOU signing was attended by Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi; Speaker Yakubu Danladi Salihu; House members; cabinet members; PTA Chairman in Kwara State Makama of Ilorin Alhaji Ibrahim Oniye; NUT Chairman Abdullahi Umar; ANCOPSS President Toyin Abdullahi; Chairman of SUBEB Prof Shehu Raheem Adaramaja; TESCOM Chairman Bello Abubakar; top bureaucrats; among others

Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu said: “This is a thoughtful and innovative idea of the present administration to change the teaching method to a modern 21st century digital learning in Kwara

“The introduction of the new technology to the schools will definitely complement the earlier investments in infrastructural development in our schools, the transparent and competitive recruitment of exceptional teachers to our classrooms and training and retraining of teachers

“The service provider will carry out intensive training of the teachers who are the end users of the devices and would support continuous monitoring of the exercise for a period of four years Meanwhile, the whole exercise will not attract any cost to the teachers and will also provide employment opportunity for Kwarans

Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB) chairman Professor Shehu Raheem Adaramaja said the vision of the Government is to improve primary school outcomes through KwaraLEARN by transforming learning in all classrooms and ensuring every child has access to high quality and well supported teachers

The vision of the Governor is for a

strong and prosperous Kwara. Investing in the education of our children is our most important priority. It is our belief that KwaraLEARN will empower and strengthen our teachers and prepare our children with the necessary skills to excel in future workplaces that require intuition, creativity and critical thinking,”

Director of Policy and Partnership New Globe Dr Wuraola Kumbi commended the vision of Governor AbdulRazaq for the education sector

“I sincerely like to commend and celebrate His Excellency for his vision in the education sector We have followed closely all the laudable projects in accessing UBEC funds for infrastructural development and teachers training, the passage and signing into law of Education Trust Bill, the education summit and so many things to put Kwara education on the map of not only in Nigeria but across the world,” she said

Group Managing Director Nigeria of the New Globe Mrs Omowale David Ashiru added: “This programme is about empowerment of teachers. It is about pupils but the conduit in learning outcome is the teachers

“When the teacher is not present a child cannot learn So, this programme really focuses on empowering our teachers about the contents, the tools and confidence they need to do what they love to do and have been trained to do

Kwara Chairman of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and Makama of Ilorin Ibrahim Oniye appreciated the Governor for the innovative idea and assured him that the association is 100% in support of the initiative for the progress and development of the state’s education sector.

The ANCOPPS President attributed the successes in the education sector so far to the appointment of competent officials to drive the state education sector.

Umar, NUT Chairman, said the state government is taking the right steps in reviving the education sector by accessing UBEC funds and empowerment of teachers to give their best to the students, describing AbdulRazaq as a visionary governor

The programme will begin across Kwara’s primary schools in the first quarter of 2022

A look at education transformation milestones in Kwara State

A Kwara State Government Initiative