In the heart of Yenagoa, Adonye, a young boy, sat quietly at the back of his classroom for two years. His uniform was crisp, his eyes alert.
Despite showing up every day, he marvelled at the chalk scribble and watched the teacher diligently, but couldn’t read a single word. Not because he wasn’t bright or eager, but because he could not comprehend the teacher’s explanation of the concepts.
Sadly, the system around him wasn’t enabling his potential. Adonye’s story mirrors the experience of millions of children across Nigeria.
While the rest of the world is making giant strides to close the gap between access, literacy and numeracy, Nigeria is in crisis. With over 18 million out-of-school children, the shortfall continues to stifle multidimensional poverty across the states.
This has resounding implications for socioeconomic development. To make matters worse, a 2025 studies show that over 70 percent of Nigerian children aged seven to fourteen may not be able to read a simple sentence.
The challenge causes rippling challenges to both the out-of-school situation and the shocks witnessed in higher levels of the national education programme.
On the part of the parents, they are often demotivated about their ward’s academic performance and stress that poor academic outcomes do not deflect the opportunity cost of their wards helping with chores and family obligations. This leads to high levels of absenteeism.
Teachers are also under immense pressure to complete the syllabus without breaking down the life-changing concepts in the curriculum into comprehensible forms.
Unfortunately, the real emergency lies not only in access but in outcomes. States are making efforts to close the access gap, yet the impact will resonate when consistent structures and support learning systems are complementary, data-driven, measurable and scalable.
For years, the education sector in Nigeria has grappled with significant challenges, including teacher demotivation, the gross deficit in the use of technology in schools, and teacher advancement programmes. This compounds the situation as students struggle with unavailable, nonchalant, and less resourceful teachers to guide them into their future.
Sources say the ratio between primary school teachers is grossly high at one teacher to 100, as against the global standard of 1:25.
This further sabotages close engagement with students who lag behind on profound learning concepts. It can only be bridged with a combination of technology and resourceful teachers.
Amidst the concerning quagmire, there is a ray of hope. Policymakers and education leaders are embracing bold reforms, and a growing number of states are investing in solutions that prioritise measurable learning gains. There is now a real opportunity to turn the tide by building systems that ensure every child learns, not just increase enrolment figures.
A Smarter Approach
One of the most promising developments in the country is the emergence of a new model of public education reform, pioneered in partnership with NewGlobe.
This approach centres on foundational learning, focusing on literacy and numeracy in the early years, and uses data-driven technology, structured pedagogy, and ongoing teacher support to drive transformation from within.
NewGlobe’s model is based on practical implementation. Teachers receive electronic devices with scripted lesson guides aligned to the national curriculum. They are trained and made to grasp the importance of their role in developing a productive and sustainable society.
These tools enable consistency in delivery, particularly in classrooms where teaching quality has historically varied. Teachers also receive daily coaching and feedback, creating a culture of accountability and professional growth.
School leaders and state officials access real-time data dashboards, which track attendance, lesson completion, and pupil progress, helping them make evidence-based decisions on the go.
The method doesn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel; it simply makes the system work as intended. It synergises all levels of the education chain, from the teacher in front of the classroom to the policymakers overseeing the system. And in several Nigerian states, it is already showing measurable results.
Where Change is Happening
Bayelsa State offers one of the most compelling examples of this transformation. Through BayelsaPRIME, the state launched a focused intervention that brought structure and technology into the public school system.
Within nineteen weeks, the number of Primary One pupils unable to read a single word fell by 20 percentage points. Enrolment surged from 25,000 to over 40,000 pupils, driven by renewed public confidence.
Teachers now walk into classrooms with the tools they need to succeed, and learners, like the boy in Yenagoa, are finally thriving.
Now, Adonye is among the many students in Bayelsa who are not only becoming better at their studies but also willing to go to school to learn more. The horizon is vast and limitless for them.
In Lagos, the EKOEXCEL programme has helped the state move from poor performance to national leadership in learning outcomes. Learning deprivation dropped by over a third, and more than one million children are now being taught using a standardised, tech-enabled method. Teachers who once relied solely on improvisation are now equipped with smart devices and clear lesson plans. Pupil performance in national exams has significantly improved, and classroom engagement is stronger than ever.
In Edo State, within eleven weeks, it witnessed three times the rate of numeracy improvement and doubled the gains in literacy. Over 16,000 teachers were trained in modern teaching techniques, including the use of digital tools. Teacher attendance and lesson delivery were also closely monitored and supported. According to the Global Partnership for Education, student enrolment increased from 230,000 in 2018 to over 384,000 in 2024, while the repetition rate was reduced by 50 percent.
Kwara’s KwaraLEARN initiative has restored momentum in a system previously struggling with low morale and irregular attendance. Within two years, the number of children unable to read or do basic maths was halved, and enrolment rose by more than 60,000.
School absenteeism has dropped dramatically, and teachers are more motivated, thanks to ongoing support and visible leadership engagement. Both teachers and students are prioritised without undue scrutiny, but with empathy.
In Jigawa, the recently launched JigawaUNITE programme is already setting the stage for long-term impact. With a bold plan to reach all 2,324 public primary schools, the state is building a system that uses technology and coaching to ensure that even children in the most remote areas have access to quality learning. The early results are promising, with teacher engagement improving and classroom delivery becoming more consistent.
Looking to the Future
Impressively, state governors and other stakeholders have gone beyond merely expressing concern. On Thursday, 31st July 2025, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, in collaboration with NewGlobe, hosted a State-Level Peer Review Workshop on Out-of-School Children and Foundational Learning.
This landmark event was more than a forum; it represented a turning point. It offered state leaders a platform to reflect on what is working, share lessons, and commit to scaling impactful reforms.
The workshop focused on strengthening evidence-based reform by creating space for real peer learning among states and technical partners. The supervising permanent secretaries also attended to ensure that value is cascaded to teachers.
As Nigeria continues its efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children and improve learning outcomes, this gathering was an opportunity to accelerate progress. It was also a signal that foundational learning was no longer a side conversation but a national priority.
In a speech delivered by NGF Education Advisor, Leo The Great, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State stressed that improving access alone was not enough. “Access does not equal learning. Many children sit in classrooms but leave unable to read, write, or do basic arithmetic. The priority is not more schools, but ensuring every child is truly learning. In 2025, we should have daily visibility into every public school.”
He cited success in states like Kwara, Edo, Bayelsa, Lagos, and Jigawa. He added, “Structured pedagogy is working. In such schools, teacher feedback has increased by over 200 percent. That’s real behaviour change.”
Also, speaking at the event, UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba called for unified action. She said, “We are here to work for one client, the Nigerian child.”
She urged stakeholders to “align with our agenda, not run parallel systems,” adding that “access remains our biggest challenge,” and the intervention fund must “respond to real needs, not just check boxes for classrooms.”
NewGlobe’s Vice President for Policy and Partnerships, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, reinforced the urgency of the moment. “If we do not act quickly and deliberately, we will be too late for millions of children,” she warned. Describing the situation as “a system-wide emergency”, she added, “The evidence is clear: with the right tools, training, and data, foundational learning outcomes can be transformed at scale. We’re supporting states to build resilient, future-ready education systems that deliver measurable results because Nigeria’s children deserve nothing less than a system that works for every learner.”
“Across Nigeria, we now have concrete evidence that foundational learning outcomes can be dramatically improved within a single term. In Lagos State, after just seven weeks of implementation, students achieved three times the rate of literacy improvement and doubled their progress in numeracy compared to peers in non-participating schools,” she said.
NewGlobe is a trusted, evidence-backed partner for state-led foundational learning reforms in Nigeria, focused on strengthening public education systems from within.
Its science- and data-driven approach combines advanced pedagogy, detailed lesson planning, and real-time data to track progress and guide strategy. By working closely with state governments and stakeholders like UBEC, NewGlobe ensures alignment with national priorities and supports scalable, sustainable reforms across the country.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad revealed that only 60% of Universal Basic Education funds have been utilised and highlighted the excessive academic burden on young learners. “Primary school pupils are overloaded with up to 12 subjects. The Federal Government plans to reduce this to seven for Primary 1 to 3 to enhance learning outcomes,” she said.
The event attracted wide-ranging participation from major stakeholders, including Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State (represented); Director General, NGF, Dr. Abdulateef Shittu; Senior Education Adviser, UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Ian Attfield; Country Director, UNICEF, Ms. Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef; Country Representative, UNESCO, Abdourahamane Diallo; and Country Director, World Bank, Mathew Verghis (represented).
Also in attendance were the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan; Chairman of COSCEN, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe; Vice Chairman of COSCEN, Hon. Segun Olayiwola; E.S. of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Dr. Nura Idris Muhammad; representatives from Samsung West Africa, and several Directors from the Federal Ministry of Education. A robust panel session featured Honourable Commissioners of Education from Kwara, Lagos, Bayelsa, Enugu, and Kano States, who shared innovations and policy successes addressing learning poverty at the state level.
What is emerging across these reforming states is a new kind of public education, one built not just on access but on achievement. The momentum is growing. With vision, political will, and the right partnerships, Nigeria has the tools to not only fix its education crisis but to lead a continent-wide learning reset.
For the Bayelsa boy who once couldn’t read, the difference was a classroom that finally delivered. For millions of others, that future is within reach. The challenge now is to ensure every state sees the opportunity and chooses to act, because the real lesson is this: when learning comes first, everything else begins to follow.
