LASUBEB’sEKOEXCELtriumphsat8thTitansofTechAwards

25th July 2022

The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB)

EKOEXCEL shone brightly at the 18th Annual Titans of Tech Awards held weekend in Lagos.

The intervention launched in 2019 by Governor BabajideSanwo-Olu to transform Lagos public primary schools through technology deployment, was honoured with the Most Innovative Digital Learning Platform of the Year Award at the major industry event.

Former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Chairman, MTN Nigeria, Dr Ernest Ndukwe, chaired this year’s The Titans of Tech Awards, which celebrates trailblazing innovators, individuals, organisations, governments and individuals who use ICT to improve lives in society It also recognises excellence and steadfast commitment to deploying ICT for positive interventions in Nigeria

In awarding the Most Innovative Digital Learning Platform of the Year Prize to EKOEXCEL, the organisers described it as the foremost Nigerian digital platform digitising education for national development and preparing pupils for the 21st century

Commenting on the award he personally received, LASUBEB’s Executive Chairman, Wahab AlawiyeKing expressed delight at the honour, saying the recognition was humbling and attested to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s foresight and commitment to improving primary education through technology

“We are dedicating this award to all the pupils, the teachers, and head teachers for their support. I equally want to appreciate and commend our technical partner, NewGlobe, for your wonderful support. We appreciate it,” he said.

Speaking earlier while welcoming guests, the Convener of the Titans of Tech Awards, Don Pedro Aganbi, said it is a platform dedicated to recognising the achievements, successes, and triumphs of key stakeholders across the entire digital technology spectrum He explained that the awards are a great way to encourage good behaviour, teach competitive spirit and spur the industry to greater heights

Since its launch, EKOEXCEL has continued to record tangible gains among teachers and pupils, leading to improved learning outcomes for pupils and more professional teachers

Over 14,000 teachers from 1,011 public primary schools have been captured under the scheme. It has also enhanced the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning) in Lagos State primary schools

EKOEXCEL has also significantly increased pupils’ learning outcomes and drastically reduced the number of out-of-school children in the state by enrolling them in schools through the ‘Leave No Child Behind’ policy.

Evidence of the programmes’ efficacy was highlighted at the recent National Common Entrance Exams where three EKOEXCEL pupils performed excellently The three pupils of Lagos public primary schools were just five points behind the overall best student who scored 201 out of 210

However, the trio were not the only successful Lagos pupils; others also had good scores, showing the significant movement of EKOEXCEL pupils towards proficiency by more than 20% 53 EKOEXCEL pupils tracked and ascertained to have registered for the NCEE, 32 had excellent grades

The results tracking showed that the 32 pupils from 22 schools surpassed the aspirational and proficient targets by 11.6% and 9.6%, respectively. Also, the threshold targets for Partially and Below proficiency were exceeded by 8% and 9 3% margins, respectively

A 46-year-old primary one teacher at Army Barracks Primary School, Ikeja, Lagos, Mrs Oluwasanjo Elizabeth Adewunmi, has emerged winner of second Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL Excellence Recognition Scheme, tagged, ‘Meet EKOEXCEL’.

It is a quarterly reward initiative that showcases pupil and teacher excellence using the pupil’s grade levels and teacher performances

Adewunmi, who joined the teaching service as an Assistant Teacher in 2006, was adjudged winner, based on her outstanding performance, particularly, her devotion to teaching and improving her pupils

She has proven herself to be a model teacher, who goes the extra mile for her pupils During her free time, Adewunmi reviews topics taught in every subject, the learning objectives and pupils’ ability to understand them

Adewunmi, born on February 29, 1976, also has a unique teaching method. Most times, she dances while teaching to make the learning atmosphere more enjoyable. When her pupils actively participate, she ensures the class cheer top performers. She encourages the pupils that are falling behind to work harder

Adewunmi also emphasises that hard work pays. She also prepares for the next day by previewing the next day’s schedule on her tablet.

The mother of one began her primary school education at Rabiatu Thompson Primary School, Shitta, Surulere She proceeded to Community High School, Adeniran Ogunsanya and obtained a Diploma in Educational Management from the University of Ibadan

Adewunmi was deployed to Lagos State Model Nursery and Primary School, Ikeja GRA as an assistant teacher for two years before gaining a Bachelor of Art in Education from the University of Lagos

She received EKOEXCEL training in late 2020 and was transferred to her current school, Army Barracks Primary School, implementing the transformational initiative Commenting on her emergence, she described it as innovative and beneficial.

“The programme is the best solution the Lagos State government could have ever introduced into primary education. It maximises time and helps to make good use of a school day with the pupils in the teaching and learning. It also enhances teaching and learning. It is very detailed and encourages the pupils to be hardworking.

Since its launch in 2019 by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the programme has positively impacted pupils and teachers in the state’s public schools.

Lagos Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Chair, Comrade Akintoye Hassan, recently hailed the impact of the intervention, which has received global and national recognition

He said: “Before the intervention, teaching was analogue It was based on the competence of individual teachers manning the classroom, but the level of competence varies from one individual to another Because of the analogue method, you couldn’t thoroughly ascertain the performance standard With the introduction of the highly digitised programme, we now have that standard The teachers have a standardised digital instrument that leads them in the performance of their duties

“Then, teaching before the intervention was more teacher-centred. But with the programme, there is a standardised instrument guiding a teacher in Alimosho and another in Ibeju lekki or teachers within the same local government, but at different schools The teacher determines how they go about the teaching, but they sometimes unconsciously forget that their teaching is about pupils in the classroom because a framework is absent

“It has changed as teaching and learning have become more pupil-centred As you are teaching, you are also learning The innovative technology has also enabled the teacher to learn because there is guidance ”

21st July 2022

She acknowledged her school’s assigned supervisor, Mr Ezekiel, for ensuring that teachers were on track and celebrated her fellow teachers.

UNESCOSummit–EducationMethodologypraisedbyNobel PrizeWinnerandutilizedinEdo,Lagos&Kwarashowcased

In recognition of its transformational impacts, including upskilling teachers and improving learning outcomes among pupils through the deployment of technology, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL will on Friday, July 22, receive the Most Innovative Digital Learning Platform of the Year Award at the 18th Titans of Tech Awards

The Titans of Tech Awards celebrates trailblazing innovators, individuals, organisations, governments and individuals who use ICT to improve lives in society. It also recognizes excellence and steadfast commitment to deploying ICT for positive interventions in Nigeria. The organisers stated that EKOEXCEL would be recognised for its “efforts and excellent service in digitizing education for national development ”

The Award jury comprising top technology editors found that EKOEXCEL is preparing pupils for the 21st century through appropriate edutech platforms

The jury noted: “In furtherance of efforts to build a truly digital economy and maintain its position as a leading market in Africa, is persistent in making critical investments in basic education required to produce the quality workforce needed for the future

“The EKOEXCEL initiative is at the heart of the fresh project to introduce new training models to support and empower teachers, who are at the heart of every successful learning experience. The Initiative, a government-designed, funded and led programme introduced in all public primary schools in Lagos State, is already through curriculum development, changing the learning outcomes in schools across the state With EKOEXCEL, Lagos is poised for the digital future ”

The 2022 awards holding at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, has ‘Leveraging Right Policies and Technologies in Taming Insecurity and Cyber-Threats’ as its theme The Pan African Digital Initiative Summit and Expo will precede it.

Since its launch in 2019 by Governor BabajideSanwo-Olu, EKOEXCEL has continued to record tangible gains among teachers and pupils, leading to improved learning outcomes for pupils and more professional teachers Over 14,000 teachers from 1,011 public primary schools have been captured under the scheme It has also enhanced the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning) in Lagos State primary schools

EKOEXCEL has also significantly increased pupils’ learning outcomes and drastically reduced the number of out-of-school children in the state by enrolling them in schools through the ‘Leave No Child Behind’ policy

Recently, a group of US academics led by Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor Michael Kremer also hailed the efficacy of the methodology of its technical partner, NewGlobe. Kremer and his co-authors, including Guthrie Gray-Lobe, Anthony Keats, Isaac Mbiti and Owen Ozier, critically examined the benefits to student outcomes of a structured and standardized approach to teaching and learning in Kenya

Its findings showed that primary students through Grade 8 gained almost an additional year of learning (0 89) under the NewGlobe integrated methodology, learning in two years what their peers learn in nearly three For early childhood school students, the gains are even more significant Those students supported by NewGlobe gained almost an additional year and half of learning, learning in two years what students in other schools learn in three and a half years

Kremer said, “The study finds that if replicated at scale across public education systems, the gains would be enough to put African children from underserved communities on track to match their peers in countries with incomes three or four times higher. The study finds that after two years, primary school students in NewGlobe’s Kenya program are nearly a whole additional year ahead of children taught using traditional methods

"For early childhood development –typically three and five-year-olds –children gain nearly an additional year and half of the learning; learning in two years what students in other schools learn in three and a half years ”

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

The same methodology adopted by LASUBEB is achieving a similar result as the EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 End line Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation showed that EKOEXCEL pupils are making remarkable progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their last performance

The recognition from the Titans of Tech Awards will be the latest for EKOEXCEL as four of its teachers received brand new SUVs and other prizes at the 2021 Annual Teachers’ Merit Award to reward excellence and diligence in teaching organized by the Lagos State Government