Nigeria’s basic education sector has been facing persistent challenges: large numbers of out-of-school children, low literacy and numeracy among those in school, and classrooms where attendance does not guarantee learning. According to recent reports, over ten million Nigerian children currently remain unenrolled. Even for those in class, many cannot read or understand simple passages by age ten.
Enter NewGlobe, an education partner that is making waves by working with states, governments, and commissions to bring systemic change. Its approach emphasises not just infrastructure or access, but learning, teacher support, data-driven instruction, and accountability. In doing so, NewGlobe is reshaping what “quality basic education” means in Nigeria. This article explores how their innovations are changing the landscape, what is at stake, and where things might be headed.
Table of Contents
Innovations at Work: Methodologies, Tools, and Programmes
NewGlobe’s model rests on several interlocking components, each reinforcing the others to produce measurable learning gains.
- Structured lesson plans and teacher coaching: Teachers in NewGlobe-supported programmes receive carefully designed lesson plans, live coaching, feedback loops, and continuous professional development. These are not optional extras, but central parts of the design.
- Technology and data tools: Digital dashboards, real-time monitoring, tools to track pupil progress, and feedback mechanisms help authorities and teachers see where gaps are and act quickly. These tech-enabled interventions seek to ensure that students’ learning progress is visible and that remedial support is focused where needed.
- State-led, public-system alignment: Rather than operating separately, many of the successes are seen in states where NewGlobe partners with State Universal Basic Education Boards, governors, and relevant educational commissions. Examples include EKOEXCEL in Lagos, KwaraLEARN (Kwara), BayelsaPRIME in Bayelsa, and the new JigawaUNITE in Jigawa.
- Focus on foundational literacy and numeracy: The core target is ensuring pupils can read, write, and do basic maths—not merely attending school. Learning outcomes are tracked, learning deficits addressed early, and interventions tailored to help children catch up.
These innovations combine to yield early but promising results: in some states, literacy rates have improved by double digits in remarkably short times; learning gaps have narrowed; and students are showing more engagement.
Partnerships & Scaling: From States to National Collaboration
NewGlobe’s impact is possible not just because of the quality of its programmes, but also because of where and how it works: through partnerships and alignment with government structures, enabling scale and sustainability.
- States as engines of change: States like Lagos, Bayelsa, Kwara, Jigawa, and Edo have each adopted NewGlobe’s methodology in varying forms. Each state has its own programme name (e.g. EKOEXCEL, BayelsaPRIME, JigawaUNITE) and specific context, but a shared framework for foundational education improvement.
- MoUs and formal agreements: NewGlobe has signed memoranda with bodies like the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and state governments to formalise roles, responsibilities, and goals.
- Workshops & stakeholder engagement: The organisation is not working in isolation. Workshops at the national and state levels focus on foundational learning, out-of-school children, and improving policy coherence. Commissioners of education, state education board chairs, school leaders, and community actors are involved.
- Funding and accountability: Successful programmes often combine state, federal, and donor or partner funding. But beyond money, there is emphasis on matching funds, using data to monitor and report outcomes, and making changes based on feedback. For example, in Kwara, the unlocking of federal matching grants followed prompt payment of counterpart funding.
The result: what begins in one or two states can be replicated elsewhere, with lessons learned and adaptations made. This scalability is essential if Nigeria wants to address its national foundational learning crisis.
Tangible Outcomes and Early Gains
Though many of NewGlobe’s programmes are recent or still unfolding, some outcomes are already noticeable. These early gains show the potential real-world impact of the model.
- Improved literacy rates in short time: In Bayelsa, for example, literacy outcomes rose by twenty percentage points over just nineteen weeks under a NewGlobe-supported foundational learning programme.
- Reduced foundational skills gaps: In Kwara State, foundational learning deficits—especially in reading, writing, and numeracy—have been reduced significantly in under two years.
- Increased enrolment and retention: With stronger learning outcomes and more engaging classroom practices, some states report not just better test scores, but more children staying in school, including previously out-of-school ones being brought in.
- Teacher behaviour and morale change: The feedback from coaching, professional development, and clearer accountability is shifting how teachers engage. According to some reports, teacher feedback has increased sharply in states using NewGlobe’s interventions.
- Improved infrastructure & learning environment: Although NewGlobe’s model focuses heavily on pedagogy and learning, many of the state programmes also emphasise upgrading classrooms, providing digital tools, supporting school environment improvements (e.g. furniture, water, hygiene), especially in rural areas.
These changes are not yet universal, but where they occur, they are meaningful, measurable, and provide hope to thousands of pupils.
Challenges, Risks & What Needs to Be Done Next
Even with promising innovations, there are several obstacles and risks that could limit success. Also, there are lessons to be drawn for making this transformation sustainable and widespread.
- Sustainability of funding and political will: Many state programmes depend on continued budgetary allocation, matching funds, and consistent policy support. Changes in administration, shifts in priorities, or delayed payments can derail progress. Without a strong, long-term commitment, gains may be fragile.
- Teacher supply, quality, and retention: Having more trained teachers is important, but ensuring they stay engaged, well-supported, and motivated is equally vital. Remote or rural areas often still struggle with bad infrastructure, low incentives, or limited professional support. Coaching and digital tools help, but they do not fully substitute for broader systemic support.
- Equity issues—rural, linguistic, cultural: Nigeria is large and diverse. What works in urban or semi-urban schools may not immediately translate to very remote or marginalised communities. Also, the language of instruction, cultural relevance of content, and the availability of digital infrastructure are critical. For example, in states like Jigawa, many children do not read fluently in English or Hausa, a reality that must be addressed contextually.
- Data integrity and monitoring: While dashboards and tech tools are powerful, they depend on reliable data input, consistent record-keeping, and honest reporting. Weak systems, manpower shortages, or resource constraints can introduce gaps. Ensuring quality of data equals ensuring quality of insight.
- Out-of-school children (OOSC): One of the largest challenges is those not in school at all. Innovations within schools do not reach those outside. Strategies must include outreach, flexible learning options, community engagement, and safe schooling for all to ensure that “in school” means something meaningful.
Conclusion: Towards a Nationwide Transformation
NewGlobe’s innovations are reshaping basic education in Nigeria, not by cherry-picking, but by working at scale, partnering with government, and focusing on measurable learning outcomes. Its approach—structured pedagogy, teacher support, data tools, and state-led implementation—offers a compelling blueprint for what quality basic education can look like.
For Nigeria to fully overcome its foundational learning crisis, several things must happen: stronger, predictable funding; consistent political will; contextualised programme design; focused support for out-of-school children; and robust monitoring and evaluation. But the early successes in states like Bayelsa, Kwara, Jigawa, Lagos, and Edo show that transformation is possible.
If more states and federal bodies embrace these innovations, the educational future of millions of Nigerian children could be rewritten—for better literacy, numeracy, opportunity, and ultimately, a more equitable society. How NewGlobe’s innovations are reshaping basic education in Nigeria is not just a story of reform; it might well be the story of Nigeria’s next generation.
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