EKOEXCEL media mentions by NewGlobe

Public Recognition of Lagos State's Leadership in Education, 2018 - 2022

2022

EdoBEST & EKOEXCEL Bright Spots In Nigeria’s Gloomy Education Outlook 4th May 2022 The recent disclosure by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) about the poor learning outcomes in Nigeria’s primary education has further brought home the dire nature of the situation in primary schools across the country. Political leaders had always complained about the poor budgetary allocation to education in federal and state budgets, with the most warning that the situation had to change before it became unsalvageable. This is despite the Federal Governments’ commitment to increase annual education expenditure by 50 percent by 2023 and up to 100 per cent by 2025 made by President Buhari as an outcome of the Global Partnership for Education Summit in July 2021. They had also complained about teachers’ training and outdated teaching methods, some of which the international agency touched upon in assessments of the poor education prospects in Nigeria.

Speaking at a two-day media dialogue on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNICEF Communications Specialist Geoffrey Njoku said, “since 2010, we have pushed to change the narrative of the 10.5 million out-of-school children, but even at that, 70 percent of those in schools are not learning.

We need to include these 70 per cent in school who are not learning to the 10.5 million out-of-school children so that we will give them proper attention. So, it is high time we focused on learning by revamping the education system through teachers’ training, improving on learning materials and changing the narrative through quality education.”

The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi, agreed with Njoku’s position on solving the problem. Speaking at an event in Abuja, he identified the lack of regular The UNICEF report noted that while professional training programmes for some 10 million pupils are out of teachers and the lack of support in school in Nigeria, 70 per cent of those delivering outcomes. in primary schools cannot read or perform basic numeracy tasks at the For him, there is a “need to invest more in age of 10. They are not learning teachers that will teach children the anything that would add value to necessary basic level of education, themselves and our society. It warned especially in public schools across the that in a couple of decades, the country. There is no justification for all the current street children and those in investment in education, if the child in the school just attending classes and not classroom is not learning.” learning anything won’t add value to the society and economy; putting at However, it is noteworthy that not all state risk Nigeria’s plans to become an governments neglect primary education. African powerhouse Some are basing their political legacy

and the future of their states on averting the crisis facing their populations. Some leaders have identified the gaps and are aware that they lack the requisite technical expertise and technology to arrest the rot. They have consequently sought the assistance of external technical partners to enable quick progress. One of these educational tech partners increasingly being used by SUBEB’S and State Governments is NewGlobe. This large scale learning solution provider has been delivering rapid change in State’s across Nigeria since 2015. The company’s model provides a turnkey end to end solution leveraging cloud-based technology and advanced educational pedagogy. These drive transformational improvements across the state basic education systems in Nigeria, dramatically improving learning outcomes for all pupils. In Edo, Lagos and most recently Kwara, NewGlobe supports state governments by creating robust technology-enabled education systems. It also provides a digital learning platform, digital support platform for teachers, real-time monitoring of learning delivery and outcomes, data-driven ongoing coaching & professional development, scientifically-based digital teacher guides aligned to the national curriculum and digitally transparent educational dashboards. NewGlobe, previously known best for

its Bridge community school programmes, is the technical partner to the Edo State Government on EdoBEST (Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation), designed to revolutionize basic education in public schools and the Lagos State Government on EKOEXCEL (Excellence in Education).

schools; and is supported by the World Bank who are seeing in Edo the use of data to really understand what is happening in classrooms and drive change.

Last year at the Ekiti Investment and Economic Summit, in a panel with the Vice President Pro. Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said, “I usually Impressively, both transformational acknowledge Governor Obaseki because I interventions have recorded copied something that he introduced significant and measurable impacts. during his first tenure and which is working Governor Godwin Obaseki introduced three times in Lagos, education. He EdoBEST to improve outcomes started EdoBEST, and he brought in across the entire state’s public NewGlobe, an e-learning solution provider primary and junior secondary school with tablets for basic education. He system in 2018. And since then, there brought the initiative, and we said we also have been marked improvements needed to start with basic education. We with other states like Lagos toeing its have copied that from Edo; it’s working line by introducing well in Lagos, and we’ll scale it up.” As of March 2022, EdoBEST was available to 280,000 pupils and had expanded to 380 schools with 2,602 gadgets (teacher tablets and smartphones) handed over to teachers, headteachers, principals, quality assurance officers and learning development officers at a recent graduation ceremony. Over 28,000 Edo children now have access to the EdoBEST pedagogy, which has delivered improved learning experiences in classrooms across the state.

Fittingly, EKOEXCEL launched in 2019 to provide quality education to pupils and upskill teachers leveraging cutting-edge technology, is delivering on its goals. It has dramatically accelerated student literacy and numeracy performances, with significant differences between student performances in EKOEXCEL schools versus their peers in traditional schools. EKOEXCEL students advanced in numeracy twice as fast as students in traditional schools. At the same time, they progressed three times as quickly as their peers in comparable schools.

At a recent graduation ceremony of additional teachers, headteachers, principals, quality assurance officers and learning development officers for EdoBEST, Governor Obaseki affirmed his commitment to their continuous training for the program’s growth.

So far, over 18,000 headteachers and teachers have been moved from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and updated curricula. Over 14,000 primary school teachers from 1,017 public primary schools have been captured under the scheme. The education reform programme has also recorded remarkable gains in enhancing the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning) in Lagos State primary schools.

He said, “Teachers remain the most valuable resource in delivering transformational public basic education, and this justifies our resolve to prioritize their recruitment and upskilling. Our teachers have become the bedrock of change and of this reform. The success seen in Edo is such that the programme has expanded from primary schools into Junior Secondary and Progressive

The intervention has also boosted uniformity and strict adherence to the curriculum. Teachers’ tablets are preloaded with lessons and content for effective monitoring for standardization across all of Lagos’ 1,017 public primary schools.

All of these, of course, wouldn’t have been possible if Governor Sanwo-Olu wasn’t committed to the improvement of education, with a tested Nigerian technical partner providing support. Sanwo-Olu has invested massively in education, dedicating a substantial share of N171.6 billion (or 12.3 per cent) of the total N1.38 trillion 2022 budget to it. Impressively, it is not a wasted investment as verifiable facts and figures continue to affirm. Even global and national bodies and individuals acknowledge the impressive strides of EKOEXCEL, which was recognized at the global 2021 mEducation Alliance Symposium in the US. The Paul and Jean Hanna Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution of Stanford University, Professor Eric A. Hanushek, awarded the 2021 Yidan Prize for Education Research, praised EKOEXCEL’s impact on Lagos’ economic transformation. The eminent scholar said: “The EKOEXCEL early results point to the kinds of transformational educational experiences that can dramatically change the future economic outcomes for Lagos State. In educational interventions, it is seldom the case that positive results are apparent so early in the program. We now have strong research worldwide that shows that economic growth is directly related to the population’s skills. If the EKOEXCEL improvements are sustained across all of the primary schools in Lagos, the future labour force of the state will be significantly enhanced, leading to a new economic era.” If the federal and other state governments borrow a leaf from Edo and Lagos, where NewGlobe is already providing excellent technical support to improve education by deploying cutting-edge technology, UNICEF’s gloomy forecast about the future of Nigeria’s basic education would be averted.

EKOEXCEL rescues 5 siblings from street begging

29th April 2022 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL has rescued five siblings of the same parents from street begging and enrolled them in school. A transformational reform programme launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2019, EKOEXCEL’s overarching goal is to bring pupils of public schools at par with their peers globally through technology and innovative teaching methods. The program has also upskilled over 18,000 teachers through re-training and using technology that supports and motivates them to succeed in their classrooms. It has also led to a drastic reduction in out-of-school children in the state through collaboration with Project Zero, another unique project of the government. A non-governmental organisation, Mothers Support Mother Tongue Initiative, discovered the five pupils begging for alms with their mother, Mrs Joseph, at Lagos’ Ajah axis. The family has had to rely on begging since the passing away of their breadwinner, Mr Joseph, who had died in an unfortunate event.

They were begging on the street when the Mothers Support Mother Tongue Initiative founder, Mrs Feyikemi Niyi-Olayinka, saw them, spoke with Mrs Joseph, and brought their plight to the attention of EKOEXCEL officials. The officials followed up with the family and enrolled the five siblings in Hon. Kazeem Alimi Nursery and Primary school, Ajah, on January 25, 2022, through the Project Zero Scheme. To ensure the siblings don’t drop out and that the mother has a sustainable income to keep them in school, the Mothers Support Mother Tongue Initiative rallied around and raised money through donations for her to start selling cooked food.

“I am very grateful for this support from EKOEXCEL, Project Zero, and Mothers Support Mother Tongue Initiative. The Lagos State Government has done well with the EKOEXCEL program. Without their intervention, we would still be on the street, and my children wouldn’t have had the school opportunity. If not, my children wouldn’t have had the opportunity of education after the unfortunate death of my husband."

EKOEXCEL is a government designed and funded programme to drive excellence in learning for 500,000 pupils across 1,016 public primary schools in Lagos State. Since its commencement, primary education in Lagos State has seen a substantial transformation in teacher attendance, teacher content knowledge, time on task, teacher motivation, pupil attendance and improvement in pupil learning outcomes. EKOEXCEL has already shown dramatic, research-proven gains in pupil learning. EKOEXCEL pupils are making remarkable progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their performance before the initiative’s commencement.

Teacher becomes internet sensation on the back of EdoBEST, EKOEXCEL pedagogy

29th April 2022 Mrs. Fauziyah Shade Adegeye, also known as Teacher Shade, has become an internet sensation over a viral video of her motivating her pupils to preserve, work-hard and be resilient on the road to success.

Primary 5 pupils. At her prompt, children respond to the questions with words of affirmation and perseverance to the strength that they possess and the nonexistence of limitations to their growth and thirst for knowledge.

In the 2-minutes video, Teacher Shade can be seen rallying the pupils, while they responded accordingly.

Sola Akinbo, a Twitter user praised and affirmed the inspiration behind the words of affirmation. He said “Thank you for bringing us joy. I was happy with the inspiration of hope. Thank you. I cried because I can relate with these kids and I know the power of the beautiful words. Thank you.” In the same vein, Akande Abayomi also said “Letting the kids know what is ahead is not an easy ride, hence they have to be extremely determined is the best gift you can give them. Because truly it is a bumpy ride. God bless you for this, I’m so impressed.”

Teacher Shade is a product of a new teaching pedagogy adopted by Edo and Lagos state which uses an entirely new set of techniques to motivate pupils to succeed. Pupils are encouraged with positive reinforcement, praise and cheers to bring out the best in them. The EdoBEST programme in Edo state and the EKOEXCEL programme in Lagos have trained over 27,000 teachers to use the technique with considerable success and improvement in teacher and pupil performances. The internet was agog over Easter weekend as Teacher Shade’s video was shared copiously across major blogs in Nigeria. In the video that went viral, she can be seen starting her class at Ebenezer Primary school where she teaches

There have also been comments commending the teacher and urging more teachers to be like Mrs. Adegeye and engage their pupils to take an interest in learning. Bassey Abbey says “This is the type of teacher we aspire to have in our educational system to build our future leaders and not those that would be only interested in mundane things of life.” This will effectively lead to an increase in enrolment and maintain attendance in schools. When asked about the rationale behind how passionately she motivated her

pupils with the chants, Teacher Shade mentioned that she went into education in the public primary school system in order to contribute towards ensuring more children stay in school and receive basic education. “Everything I said were words I felt if someone had told me, I would not have dropped out of school. Every day I come to class, I see myself in them." This pedagogy has since revolutionized education in public primary schools, changing the public’s view of the public school system and the teaching profession. Response to the viral video has ranged from amazement at the powerful motivation and excitement at the potential this holds for improved classroom participation as regards maintaining interests in learning. Teacher encouraged more parents to enroll their children in public schools, especially in Lagos state where the EKOEXCEL programme is being adopted in state-run primary schools. “Trained and qualified teachers are the ones working in public schools and I can assure you, you will get the best as long as you can follow up on your children’s education.” Teachers in Edo and Lagos state have been positioned to impart quality lifechanging education to children under their care. With trained and experienced teachers like Teacher Shade, public schools are experiencing a new dawn in the form of a total reform in terms of educational content and infrastructure reform. With this reform in place, the public education sector is set for excellence by improving learning outcomes through teacher professional development. Boosting confidence in the public school system, teachers are at the forefront of the reform and having teachers passionate about education will boost enrolment in public schools and attendance retention.

‘More reading materials for Lagos pupils’

27th April 2022 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL has pledged to supply enough reading materials for pupils in the new academic term. LASUBEB’s Executive Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King said the body would continue to improve pupils’ learning by deploying quality novels and textbooks. He explained that it would justify Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s massive investment in education by ensuring that the pupils are literate and numerate.

Alawiye-King spoke as EKOEXCEL joined other organisations and countries in marking the 2022 World Book Day on April 23. The EKOEXCEL programme recently celebrated an 11-year-old pupil of Solomon Memorial Primary School, Epe, Ms. Latifat Amusat for her perfect scores of 100 per cent in English Studies, Basic Science and Mathematics. Access to new and improved content-rich text books, National Curriculum focused and those written Lagos State Unified Scheme of work have been distributed to all public primary schools which has led to pupils becoming more energetic, joyful and being much more eager to go to school and enhancing their learning experience.

We produce pupils who can operate confidently and optimally in the 21st-century knowledge-based economy… We will ensure enough reading materials to go around our pupils. as we prepare for a new term.” The learning materials have also improved teacher enthusiasm and enabled them think outside the box, such as EKOEXCEL’s Teacher Shade (Fausat Folasade Adegeye) of Ebenezer nursery and primary school, who recently became an internet sensation for sharing her teaching methodologies acquired from the programme, on social media platforms.

LASUBEB’s EKOEXCEL reiterates importance of reading on World Book Day April 23rd 2022 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL has reiterated the importance of reading, noting that it will open vistas of development and opportunities for pupils. EKOEXCEL also noted that the ability to read well is a critical requirement for success in the 21st century as countries mark the 2022 World Book Day today, April 23. This year’s World Book and Copyright Day themed ‘Read…so you never feel alone’ is celebrated in over 100 countries that agreed to observe the day in 1995. The EKOEXCEL programme recently celebrated an 11-year-old pupil of Solomon Memorial Primary School, Epe, Ms. Latifat Amusat for her perfect scores of 100% in English Studies, Basic Science and Mathematics. She expressed how much she loves reading and how EKOEXCEL books and learning materials helped aid her performances. Access to new and improved contentrich text books, National Curriculum focused and those written Lagos State Unified Scheme of work have been distributed to all public primary schools which has led to pupils becoming more energetic, joyful and being much more eager to go to school and enhancing their learning experience.

The learning materials have also improved teacher enthusiasm and enabled them think outside the box, such as EKOEXCEL’s Teacher Shade (Fausat Folasade Adegeye) of Ebenezer nursery and primary school, who recently became an internet sensation for sharing her teaching methodologies acquired from the programme, on social media platforms. EKOEXCEL has recorded considerable positive impacts among pupils of Lagos’ public primary schools, improving their reading skills and boosting numeracy skills in a little over two years. It has dramatically accelerated student literacy and numeracy performances, with significant differences between student performances in EKOEXCEL schools versus their peers in traditional schools. The EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation has put the achievements in better perspective. The intervention is making a significant impact on pupils and teachers. The report also showed that EKOEXCEL pupils are making stronger progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy than before the initiative’s commencement. It further showed that an average Primary 3 EKOEXCEL pupil is now reading at nearly the same fluency level as an average Primary 5 pupil from before the launch of the EKOEXCEL programme.

Commenting on the significance of the day, LASUBEB’s Executive Chairman, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King said the body would continue to improve pupils’ learning by deploying quality novels and textbooks. He explained that it would justify Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s massive investment in education by ensuring that the pupils are literate and numerate.

We produce pupils who can operate confidently and optimally in the 21st-century knowledge-based economy. We agree with what the DirectorGeneral of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, said about books being vital vehicles to access, transmit and promote education, science, culture and information worldwide. We will ensure enough reading materials to go around our pupils. as we prepare for a new term. Apart from improving pupils, EKOEXCEL has also moved over 18,000 headteachers and teachers from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and an updated curriculum. EKOEXCEL has also enhanced the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning) in Lagos State primary schools.

The Journey of a book

April 23rd 2022 Reading transforms lives. It opens the door to the entire world of learning. No child will understand a math question unless they can read it. Reading improves language and is fundamental to a child’s entire future academic achievement.

love reading if they don’t know how to read. And we also know that reading begins with a book. That is why every book we help put into the hands of a child must be as good as it can possibly be. And that is why the journey of a book is so important.

But globally, reading is in crisis. According to World Bank Education, half of all children in low and middle income countries are in “Learning Poverty” – defined as a child not being able to read or understand a simple text by age 10. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is far worse – a catastrophic 90% of 10-year-olds cannot read at this basic level. And the impact of the covid pandemic is expected to push another 72 million children globally into Learning Poverty.

Local Ownership The journey of every book for NewGlobe is a shared one, a partnership. In Liberia, where Bridge Liberia is the largest partner in the LEAP program of public school improvement, that means working closely with the national Ministry of Education. In Nigeria, where NewGlobe runs Bridge community schools and is the technical supporter for state education transformation programs, that means designing in step with State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) such as in Lagos State, where we support the EKOEXCEL program.

UN World Book and Copyright Day falls every year on April 23rd. It aims to foster and encourage a love of reading, through a love of books. At NewGlobe, we know that no child can

Everywhere we support schools, we ensure all books are in line with the curriculum. In Kenya, the Government partnered with Bridge Kenya to roll out the new competencybased curriculum and every book used in a

Bridge Kenya school is precisely aligned to support it. This fit is vital to ensure that what children learn from a book is what they are required to know and may be tested on in life-changing exams. Feedback from local teachers is essential, to gauge how current textbooks support classroom learning and to ensure that all new books handed to students align with the core competencies outlined in the curriculum. Creating learning material of the highest quality possible is a time and labor-intensive process; meticulous attention to detail is required, to ensure that textbooks are locally owned, and that all content including images and language is inclusive and region specific. For a child to engage meaningfully with a textbook, they must see themselves and their culture represented in it. This could be a simple thing like counting ‘cookies’ versus counting ‘biscuits’

depending on which word they might hear used in everyday life. But it could also be something much more profound – the effect of seeing a young woman doing a science experiment in an illustration, or a group of friends from different backgrounds and religions. Such images are powerful. They affect not only the learning process, but also the way in which learners experience the world around them. It’s why all images are selected carefully, to make sure books containing pictures feature both girls and boys, that they are of the right age for class expected to use the book and that their dress is appropriate to the country or region. NewGlobe expertise As well as ensuring the journey of a book is always a local one, we also make sure that we add the benefit of 15 years’ of experience and expertise, as leaders in learning. We know at NewGlobe that every book must be based on an absolutely accurate assessment of the learning levels of the children who will be using it. That’s why for every program we support, we randomly select representative schools and then run numeracy and literacy tests. That way we can be sure that the decisions made about what language is used to introduce concepts or ideas is tailored to the needs and understanding of the children who will be using the book. For instance, it’s possible to describe the idea of “friction” simply or at a very high level. Testing helps ensure we pitch it just right. NewGlobe also ensures that no book is created alone. Books which do not align with the entire teaching and learning experience may be of little use. So a crucial part of the journey for every book is its fit with every aspect – teacher training, classroom techniques, the whole system. It is a holistic approach which makes every book as useful as it can possibly be in supporting the learning of children.

The making of a book After so much work, there is still no physical book. Only after the crucial steps of local ownership and educational expertise have been followed is a book ready to be produced.

A permanent member of the Lagos Education Board, Adebayo Adefuje spoke at a UN General Assembly event in 2021:

Once a book is approved, it moves onto the manufacturing stage of the process. A manufacturing team takes the specifications of the book to printers. Examples of the specifications required are the number of pages, or page count, ink color and the type of binding needed. The printer awarded the book then receives the approved files, and the book is ready to be born.

We used the first 300 EKOEXCEL schools as a baseline and the results were staggering, even in the first eight weeks In terms of literacy, learning was three times faster and in numeracy two times faster than schools that were not in EKOEXCEL”

Once the book is printed, local operations teams take-on two more processes, kitting and distribution. Kitting is the job of organizing books by school. Distribution is the delivery of those batches of books to the right schools. Finally, a book arrives at school. But its journey is not quite over. The final stage of a book’s journey is to facilitate learning. Textbooks arrive in classrooms where they are used to teach or reinforce important curriculum concepts. Here they become an invaluable resource to improve learning outcomes for children. Finally, a book has arrived in the most important hands of all; the hands of a child. One final step remains – to be sure that child is learning as well as possible, with the help of that book. Every program and community NewGlobe supports uses real-time data gathering, in order to measure how well pupils are improving. One example is the EKOEXCEL education program in Nigeria’s Lagos State, which is transforming learning outcomes for children in more than 1,000 primary schools.

Governor Godwin Obaseki, the man behind the EdoBEST program in Edo State, spoke about the measured learning gains found after three years for 250,000 children. “What has been achieved? We decided to review what these children are really learning. We used standard tests to examine fluency, literacy and numerical skills at every age. The outcomes, which are independently measured, showed that the children in EdoBEST now are learning at about 70% of the rate of their counterparts in Europe and Asia. That same review of the average situation in Nigerian schools measured them at about 30 percent. So while the average Nigerian is 30 percent, Edo State is at 70%.” At NewGlobe, we work every day to make sure that the journey of each book is as good as it can possibly be. We harness the power of a book every day. But on UN World Book and Copyright Day we celebrate that journey even more. The journey of a book.

Meet EKOEXCEL’s 11-year-old outstanding pupil April 21st 2022 An 11-year-old pupil of Solomon Memorial Primary School, Epe, Latifat Amusat, has stood out with her academic excellence in the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL programme. ‘Meet EKOEXCEL’ is a quarterly campaign that showcases pupil and teacher excellence using the pupil’s grade levels and teacher performances. Amusat, the Senior Girl of Solomon Memorial Primary School, Epe, clinched the debut honours with her perfect scores of 100 per cent in English Studies, Basic Science and Mathematics. Born on November 26, 2011, Latifat is the first of four children born to parents who are now divorced. As a result of the divorce, she and her siblings live with their grandmother in Epe. Speaking on her unique feat, Amusat, who wants to be a human rights lawyer, said being a good example to her siblings is her primary motivation to study hard and excel.

My favourite subject is English Language, and I love to learn new vocabulary. I use my textbooks, homework and other materials provided by EKOEXCEL to study after school to be an outstanding pupil." The pupil, who added that her hobbies are reading and playing football, thanked her teachers and the Lagos State Government, which initiated the transformational EKOEXCEL in 2019.

Commenting on Amusat’s performance, her headteacher, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, also recognised, praised the pupil’s diligence and affirmed that EKOEXCEL has been massively beneficial to students and teachers. “Latifat is an exceptional student who continues to work hard and be a shining example to her siblings and our pupils in Solomon Memorial Primary School, Epe. I daresay she’s a good ambassador of EKOEXCEL and the positive changes it is bringing to pupils and teachers of public primary schools. We are blessed to have her,” she said. Since its launch in 2019 by Governor BabajideSanwo-Olu, EKOEXCEL has had a positive impact on pupils and teachers in the state’s public schools. A recently released EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation showed that EKOEXCEL pupils are making remarkable progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their performance before the initiative’s commencement. The report further showed that an average Primary 3 EKOEXCEL pupil is now reading at nearly the same fluency level as an average Primary 5 pupil before the EKOEXCEL programme’s launch. On average, EKOEXCEL Primary 2-3 pupils outperform 13 other country contexts on the International Common Assessment of Numeracy (ICAN), while Primary 4-6 rank third out of 14 country contexts on the same numeracy assessment.

Crucially, the evaluation affirms that EKOEXCEL is improving learning over what existed before and continuing to enhance knowledge. Besides pupils, EKOEXCEL has also moved over 18,000 headteachers and teachers from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and an updated curriculum. EKOEXCEL has also enhanced the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning) in Lagos State primary schools. The programme has also led to a drastic reduction in out-of-school children in the state, taking several of them out of harm’s way on the streets and enrolling them in schools through the ‘Leave No Child Behind’ policy.

His institutional memory from that era has proved invaluable in his current executive assignment. It is helping him steer the Board to more extraordinary achievements with its interventions, including Eko Excellence in Child Education and Learning (EKOEXCEL), Project Zero and Classroom in Your Home.

LASUBEB: Driving Sanwo-Olu's primary education agenda through EKOEXCEL 1st April 2022 Aware that access to primary education provides the foundation upon which the talents of a nation’s youth may grow, the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration has used the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) to bring growth and development to the young ones intellectual capacity as well as their morals, attitudes and how they relate to those around them in the state.

To achieve good results, the Governor seemed to reason with the co-founder of Sony, Akio Morita who knows the importance of hiring the right talent for the growth of establishments when he said, “When I find an employee who turns out to be wrong for the job, I feel it is my fault because I decided to hire him.”

Having made education a core pillar of his THEMES development plan for Africa’s modern megacity, Governor Babajide Although the number of children Sanwo-Olu, appointed ex-lawmaker, Hon. requiring education in Lagos is fast Wahab Alawiye-King as Chairman of Lagos growing, the present government in the State Universal Basic Education Board state firmly believes that every child is (LASUBEB) on September 11, 2019 to pilot entitled to have a qualitative and sound the affairs of the Board. education for a more promising His choice of Alawiye-King as Chair of prospect. SUBEB and the other seven members has Educationists had before now pointed turned out to be inspiring. Since 2019 when out that major life-long consequences Alawiye-King assumed duty, LASUBEB has accrue from access to primary continued to record milestones in its mission education since the cumulative nature of of improving primary education in Nigeria’s the learning process, whether in literacy commercial capital. or numeracy, requires the early internalization of basic abstractions. In Alawiye-King, holders of degrees in They affirmed that without this process Economics, Political Science, Urban Policy at a young age, children fall behind in and Administration from Brooklyn College, the trajectory of cognitive development City University, New York, Governor Sanwoand fail to reach their potential. Olu found a kindred spirit who shares his passion and vision for education. He knows To drive the primary education agenda how to deploy technology to maximise its in the state, Governor Babajide Sanwoimpacts and make pupils globally Olu has mandated LASUBEB as competitive as the world further embraces intervention agency to ensure that no the knowledge economy. Having been child is left behind in accessing basic chairman of the House of Assembly education in Lagos, even as they Committee on Education before his current change the fortunes of primary assignment, the SUBEB Chair was well education in the state. acquainted with the sector’s challenges and how to resolve them with proper legislation.

Many observers believe that the interventionists programme paid off because the Alawiye- King led LASUBEB has been very innovative. For instance, when Lagos State government to close all public and private schools as part of efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the State Universal Basic Education Board introduced immediate educational support programmes to facilitate continuous learning for students. The Chairman of LASUBEB, Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King, determined to ensure the students continue to learn introduced a radio broadcast with academic content aimed at providing a holistic support to public primary school pupils during this critical period. He said the programme is designed to keep the pupils academically engaged in spite of school closure, stressing that the interactive radio instruction programme would be aired on two local radio stations; namely EKO FM 89.7 and Radio Lagos 107.5 FM.

The programme has been carefully designed to make learning fun and engaging for the pupils. The lessons for pupils in Primary 1 and 2 are “Kokoka and Labe Igi Orombo” which will be aired from Monday to Thursday between 9:30am and 11:55am on Radio Lagos – 107.5 FM. Other programmes for pupils in Primary 3, 4, 5 and 6 include Animal Garden; Learning Is Fun; Let’s Go Learning and Aunty Bola’s Workshop which will be aired from Monday to Thursday between 10.30am and 1.00pm on Eko FM 89.7”

LASUBEB’s success with EKOEXCEL has been particularly instructive and earned Alawiye-King more plaudits. Last November, at the quarterly meeting of the Universal Basic Education (UBEC) management with executive chairpersons of SUBEBs in Nigeria, tagged;” Enhancing Access, Equity and standards in Basic Education Through Technology-Driven Initiatives,” Alawiye King’s peers recognised his significant achievements and elected him the Dean, executive chairmen, State Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) in Nigeria The participants at the summit submitted that, “The LASUBEB chairman is a team player in actualising the Education and Technology pillar of the THEMES agenda of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration in Lagos State. His appointment as the Dean equally recognises his giant strides and various pacesetting innovation in the Basic Education in Lagos State." Launched in 2019, EKOEXCEL has made laudable, noteworthy achievements since then. Over 18,000 head teachers and teachers have been moved from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and updated curricula. Over 14,000 primary school teachers from 1,011 public primary schools have been captured under the scheme. The education reform programme has also recorded remarkable gains in enhancing the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning) in Lagos State primary schools. The transformational intervention has also boosted uniformity and strict adherence to the curriculum. Teachers’ tablets are preloaded with lessons and content that can be effectively monitored for standardisation across Lagos’ 1,011 public primary schools. Interestingly, the EKOEXCEL 20202021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation showed that the programme has repositioned primary education in the state. EKOEXCEL pupils are

The good news is that parents have affirmed their satisfaction with the transformational intervention AlawiyeKing and the other LASUBEB board members, including Hon. Adebayo Adefuye, Dr Saheed Ibikunle, Mrs The evaluation affirmed that EKOEXCEL Shijuade Idowu-Tiamiyu, Dayo Israel, improves learning over what existed before Mrs Adedoyin Setiat Abiodun and Mr and continues to enhance learning with the Hakeem Abiodun Lamidi. program overtime. The study, conducted in Commenting on the successes July 2021, involved researchers administering two assessments to primary 1- recorded by LASUBEB in the state, Mrs Deborah Kehinde Joseph, a resident of 6 pupils. The tests were an oral reading Maryland who is also the guardian of fluency assessment (using a Primary 2 two pupils, attested to EKOEXCEL’s passage and a grade-level passage) and a impacts on her younger siblings. foundational numeracy assessment (the International Common Assessment of Numeracy, or ICAN). making remarkable progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their last performance before the initiative’s commencement.

The assessment found that pupils have made outstanding progress across all grade levels since a baseline oral reading fluency evaluation in Lagos State public schools in 2019 (before the launch of EKOEXCEL). 2021 pupils are reading an average of 311 per cent more correct words per minute than their 2019 pre-EKOEXCEL counterparts, with the most significant gains among Primary 1 pupils. As the current school term gradually draws to a close, EKOEXCEL is unrelenting in the quest to improve pupils, make them globally competitive, and increase enrollment.

As a mark of excellence, EKOEXCEL primary 6 pupils recently took the Unified Mock Common Entrance Examination to prepare for the Lagos State Placement test, National Common Entrance Exams, Lagos State Placement test, National Common Entrance Exams, Lagos Screening Test, and other high-stakes exams taken to transition into the relevant secondary school pathways.

In the same vein, a businesswoman at Mende, Maryland, Mrs Oluwashina Ayomi Ada, also highlighted the positive impacts of EKOEXCEL on her daughter. According to her, “My child is in Primary four. Since EKOEXCEL started, she can read and write. She can now pronounce some words that she couldn’t before. She can form words and sentences.”

The mock exam closely followed the model for the actual examination. It allowed the pupils to master the format and test-taking conditions they would encounter in actual examination. Data from the Unified Mock Common Entrance Examination helped determine what revisions of instructional content or remediation of critical skills are needed to ensure outstanding performance at the Primary six examination.

Despite the modest achievements recorded in LASUBEB, the stakeholders believe that the Alawiye-King led LASUBEB will continue to drive the organisation to excellence, produce well-rounded, globally competitive pupils and build an army of qualified workforce who will grow Lagos economy in line with Governor SanwoOlu’s vision of boosting the economic prosperity of the state.

LASUBEB: Driving Sanwo-Olu's primary education agenda through EKOEXCEL

31st March 2022 The co-founder of Sony, Akio Morita, knows the importance of hiring the right talent for the growth of businesses. “When I find an employee who turns out to be wrong for the job, I feel it’s my fault because I decided to hire him,” the executive once reiterated about the importance of talent optimisation. Like Morita, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who appointed exlawmaker, Wahab Alawiye-King as Chairman of Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) on September 11, 2019, is a firm believer in talent optimisation. Having made education a core pillar of his development plan for Nigeria’s first megacity, the Governor couldn’t have chosen a better fit to lead the organisation. His choice of AlawiyeKing as Chair of SUBEB and the other seven members has turned out to be inspiring. Since 2019 when AlawiyeKing assumed duty, LASUBEB has continued to record milestones in its mission of improving primary education in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

In Alawiye-King, holders of degrees in Economics, Political Science, Urban Policy & Administration from Brooklyn College, City University, New York, Sanwo-Olu found a kindred spirit who shares his passion and vision for education. He knows how to deploy technology to maximise its impacts and make pupils globally competitive as the world further embraces the knowledge economy. Having been Chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Education before his current assignment, the SUBEB Chair was well acquainted with the sector’s challenges and how to resolve them with proper legislation. His institutional memory from that era has proved invaluable in his current executive assignment. It is helping him steer the Board to more extraordinary achievements with its interventions, including Eko Excellence in Child Education and Learning (EKOEXCEL), Project Zero and Classroom in Your Home. LASUBEB’s success with EKOEXCEL has been particularly instructive and earned

Alawiye-King more plaudits. Last November, at the Quarterly Meeting of the Universal Basic Education (UBEC) Management with executive chairpersons of SUBEBs in Nigeria, tagged;” Enhancing Access, Equity and standards in Basic Education Through Technology-Driven Initiatives,” Alawiye King’s peers recognised his significant achievements and elected him the Dean, executive chairmen, State Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) in Nigeria.

The LASUBEB chairman is a team player in actualising the Education and Technology pillar of the THEMES AGENDA of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration in Lagos State. His appointment as the Dean equally recognises his giant strides and various pacesetting innovation in the Basic Education in Lagos State."

The transformational intervention has also boosted uniformity and strict adherence to the curriculum. Teachers’ tablets are preloaded with lessons and content that can be effectively monitored for standardisation across Lagos’ 1,011 public primary schools. Commendably, all the achievements are not just based on conjectures. They are factual, as the EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation showed. EKOEXCEL pupils are making remarkable progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their last performance before the initiative’s commencement. The evaluation affirmed that EKOEXCEL improves learning over what existed before and continues to enhance learning with the program over time. The study, conducted in July 2021, involved researchers administering two assessments to primary 1-6 pupils. The tests were an oral reading fluency assessment (using a Primary 2 passage and a grade-level passage) and a foundational numeracy assessment (the International Common Assessment of Numeracy, or ICAN). The assessment found that pupils have made outstanding progress across all grade levels since a baseline oral reading fluency evaluation in Lagos State public schools in 2019 (before the launch of EKOEXCEL). 2021 pupils are reading an average of 311% more correct words per minute than their 2019 pre-EKOEXCEL counterparts, with the most significant gains among Primary 1 pupils.

And as the current school term gradually draws to a close, EKOEXCEL is unrelenting in the quest to improve pupils, make them globally competitive, and increase enrollment. On March 28, EKOEXCEL primary 6 pupils took the Unified Mock Common Entrance Examination to prepare for the Lagos State Placement test, National Common Entrance Exams, Lagos Screening Test, and other high-stakes exams taken to transition into the relevant secondary school pathways. The mock exam closely followed the model for the actual exams that takes place on March 31. It allowed the pupils to master the format and test-taking conditions they would encounter in actual exams. Data from the Unified Mock Common Entrance Examination helped determine what revisions of instructional content or remediation of critical skills are needed to ensure outstanding performance at the Primary 6 exams. Fittingly, parents also affirm their satisfaction with the transformational intervention Alawiye-King and the other LASUBEB board members, including Hon. Adebayo Adefuye, Dr Saheed Ibikunle, Mrs Shijuade IdowuTiamiyu, Dayo Israel, Mrs Adedoyin Setiat Abiodun and Mr Hakeem Abiodun Lamidi are mid-writing on behalf of Governor Sanwo-Olu. Mrs Deborah Kehinde Joseph, a resident of Maryland who is also the guardian of two pupils, attested to EKOEXCEL’s impacts on her younger siblings.

The improvement has been good and noticeable because my two younger siblings are not very academically sound. But since I brought them to this school, they have been improving. When I went for Open Day, the teacher told me there was an improvement. He reads his book, stops fighting and when he comes home, he continues reading his books. I just want to thank EKOEXCEL for their good work and support on behalf of my junior ones, I can see they are pleased.” A businesswoman at Mende, Maryland, Mrs Oluwashina Ayomi Ada, also highlighted the positive impacts of EKOEXCEL on her daughter. “My child is in Primary 4. Since EKOEXCEL started, she can read and write. She can now pronounce some words that she couldn’t before. She can form words and sentences,” she said. Its modest achievements notwithstanding, LASUBEB is not resting on its oars. Confidence is high that Alawiye-King will continue to drive the organisation to excellence, produce well-rounded, globally competitive pupils, and build an army of qualified workforce who will grow Lagos’ economy in line with Governor SanwoOlu’s dreams.

RestoringVision, EKOEXCEL distribute free reading glasses to Lagos teachers, pupils quality of teaching and equitable learning opportunities. We know that eye tests and prescription glasses are pricey, given the current financial situation. They have largely relieved us of that burden, and we are grateful. A good vision will enable teachers to discharge their duties effectively, and students will learn fast as they won’t suffer any impairment,” he said.

15th March 2022 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL in partnership with RestoringVision, telehealth technology company, Visibly, and New Globe has distributed free reading glasses to teachers and pupils in the state’s 20 Local Government Education Areas (LGEAs) in the state. The donors said this was a demonstration of their commitment to the eradication of vision impairment, one of the world’s most significant health problems. The distribution, which happened on February 14 and 15, is the second phase of an exercise which began in 2020 and focuses on enabling teachers to discharge their duties effectively and assist pupils with sight issues. The free sight assessment and distribution of reading glasses were also part of EKOEXCEL’s efforts to reduce the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment. One of the beneficiaries and a school teacher, Mrs Adetohun Kazeem, hailed the gesture, noting that it had made preparations for her classes easier while aiding movement.

I had been saving towards getting an eye test and getting the required medication glasses because of my sight issues. The free test and glasses from EKOEXCEL were Godsent. It was like a special Valentine’s gift from a caring lover who knows all my needs.” A student beneficiary, 10-year-old primary 6 pupil of Lagos State Model Nursery & Primary School, Nathan Chukwu, also expressed gratitude for the timely intervention, disclosing that he had problems seeing the whiteboard before he got the free eye test and glasses.

My class teacher had to move me to the front of the class after realising that I suddenly started having trouble seeing the whiteboard from where I used to sit in the middle. I am grateful to EKOEXCEL for helping me solve this problem.” A grateful parent whose child also benefited from the intervention, Mr John Adegbenga thanked the LASUBEB’s EKOEXCEL for the thoughtful initiative, noting that good vision is vital for teachers and pupils. “The provision of free eye tests and reading glasses to teachers and our children by EKOEXCEL will boost efforts to improve the

“Our philosophy at RestoringVision is that by collaborating with partners and curating projects such as this, we can accelerate results,” said Pelin Munis, Executive Director of RestoringVision. “What better results than ensuring that 5,000 school children can now see clearly because of the collaboration between RestoringVision, Visibly, and NewGlobe. We are honoured to be a part of this pilot program and believe the impact is only just beginning.” “Since day one, Visibly’s mission has been to provide vision resources to anyone, anywhere and at any time,” said Brent Rasmussen, CEO of Visibly. “Seeing clearly should be a right; we believe that vision prescriptions should be accessible and affordable to everyone, and we’re eager to provide these services to those in need around the globe.” The free eye-screening and glasses distribution exercise was also a fulfilment of the promise made by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to teachers during the graduation of the EKOEXCEL Pre-service Professional Development and Technology Training Programme in 2020

International Women’s Day: LASUBEB’s EKOEXCEL felicitates women March 7th 2022 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL has felicitated women on the 2022 International Women’s Day and promised to ensure gender equality and access for all female teachers and pupils in Lagos’ public schools. EKOEXCEL also reaffirmed its commitment to gender inclusion in its enrollment drive, promising that females would enjoy equal benefits as their male counterparts in their quest to fulfil their life goals and ambitions in all its schools.

This has constrained women’s participation in all spheres of life with severe implications for human resource development and also the country’s economic growth. EKOEXCEL, a transformational intervention launched by Governor Olusola Sanwo-Olu in 2019,has joined the rest of the world to celebrate its women, including teachers and administrators for their unique roles in society. All the teachers expressed joy with their chosen career and the fulfilment of imparting knowledge to children as the world appreciates their contributions:

This year’s 2022 International Women’s Day themed ‘#BreaktheBias’ I believe that a female teacher can encourages a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination against influence pupils better. Being a mother is an added advantage because we women. know how to pull children closer, relate with them and make them more The day first marked in 1911 celebrates women’s cultural, political, focused. I’m happy that EKOEXCEL has and socio-economic achievements and been enabling me to discharge my spreads the message of gender duties effectively through adequate equality. It calls for diversity, equality, training and also giving a bright future and inclusion for women because to our female pupils.” marginalization in economic Mrs Adeyemi also spoke in the same vein. development and socio-political She disclosed, “I speak positively to my spaces is a global phenomenon but is pupils, share experiences with them, respect worse in developing countries. their opinions and becomes friends with them. In Nigeria, despite adopting the United As we celebrate another International Women’s Day, I wish all my female pupils a Nations Convention on the Elimination better future.” of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1985 and similar policies, including the National Gender Policy of 2006, inequality still exists due to cultural and structural challenges, including patriarchy.

Congratulating women on this year’s celebration, LASUBEB’s Executive Chairman, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King praised women’s multiple roles in society and lauded their strength and commitment.

He noted that women are set for better times following last Friday’s approval of a revised National Gender Policy to promote gender equality, good governance and accountability across the three tiers of government by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). Alawiye-King reiterated that women would always be central to the objectives of EKOEXCEL and that the initiative would spare no effort to upskill them. “We know the importance of women in teaching and all other professions and will continue to ensure they are not discriminated against whilst celebrating their achievements. As you would have noticed, our principal, Governor BabajideSanwo-Olu, is a promoter and enabler of women, and it’s the same with us at EKOEXCEL. We will continue to ensure that women have equal access to whatever their male counterparts have to discharge their duties effectively and live fulfilled lives.” Since its commencement in 2020, EKOEXCEL has moved over 18,000 headteachers and teachers, including an impressive number of women, from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and updated curricula. Other impacts of EKOEXCEL include a drastic reduction in the number of outof-school children in the state by enrolling them in schools through the ‘Leave No Child Behind’ policy.

X-raying Sanwo-Olu’s education scheme

February 18th 2022 EkoExcel has been on for two years now. How would you measure the progress made so far? We want everybody to be involved, and that is what we have learnt from Mr. Governor. It is the participatory management and governance style that has really assisted us in what we are doing. If you look at us in SUBEB that is the approach we have adopted. We believe that it is necessary for us to work with others because we cannot do it alone. Education is an ecosystem, a symbiotic relationship, and that is how to go about making any change or transformation we want to do. How many people have benefited from the programme in the last two years? It covers so many schools, and we have about 1,017 schools. We would say about 400,000 pupils in the last two years.

Are the numbers of public schools enough to take into consideration the number of parents who may want their wards to benefit? By our standards, there must be schools in every community, and I believe in Lagos State we are doing that on a daily basis. We just added two schools to make it 1,019, and it is still growing.

In terms of literacy from studies, we have been able to get three times higher in literacy than we have been before. And in terms of numeracy, we are two times higher than what we used to be, and that is what we are looking for. So, by the time they get to primary four, those in primary one will be three times higher. It makes students globally competitive so that primary two pupils in Ebute can compete with the contemporary world.

What are the challenges you confronted in implementing this initiative? The challenges faced are not peculiar to Lagos State. So many studies have shown that one of the major problems with any education system is teachers’ empowerment. Teachers must be trained from time to time to make them globally competitive by using modern teaching techniques in their classrooms. With the introduction of EkoExcel, the classroom has become more engaging and personalised so that the teachers can easily identify those who are struggling and carry them along. It makes our classes more equitable. For us, in Lagos, every child matters to us. Our system must be holistic in the sense that every aspect of the learner is considered.

Alawiye-King: Over 400,000 pupils have benefited from EkoExcel

February 16th 2022 EkoExcel has been on for two years now. How would you measure the progress made so far? We want everybody to be involved, and that is what we have learnt from Mr. Governor. It is the participatory management and governance style that has really assisted us in what we are doing. If you look at us in SUBEB that is the approach we have adopted. We believe that it is necessary for us to work with others because we cannot do it alone. Education is an ecosystem, a symbiotic relationship, and that is how to go about making any change or transformation we want to do. How many people have benefited from the programme in the last two years? It covers so many schools, and we have about 1,017 schools. We would say about 400,000 pupils in the last two years.

Lagos turns to edtech partner to raise school standards

February 15th 2022 In the St Francis Primary School in the Maryland district of Lagos, a notice labelled “Advice to Teachers” urges staff to come to school punctually, to be polite to parents, and not to sleep in class. Recently, a new requirement has been added: follow the teaching methods of a programme called EkoEXCEL. Eko is an old name for Lagos. EXCEL stands for Excellence in Child Education and Learning. And the programme’s website highlights what it says is a dramatic improvement in children’s numeracy and literacy skills, with an endorsement of EkoEXCEL by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state. Nowhere in the “frequently asked questions” section does it say the programme was drawn up in conjunction with NewGlobe, a forprofit education company that is sometimes referred to as “the Uber of education”.

NewGlobe, formerly widely known as Bridge International Academies, runs a string of private schools in Kenya, Uganda and elsewhere, including Nigeria. Headquartered in Nairobi, with offices in Cambridge (Massachusetts), London, Lagos and other cities in Africa and India, it is backed by investors including Pierre Omidyar, founder of ecommerce company eBay, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the charitable venture set up by Facebook cofounder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan. Lagos chose NewGlobe based on its track record, its sharp presentations, and its performance in Nigeria’s Edo state — where, in 2018, it had won a similar contract — explains Adefisayo.

We wanted to partner with a private organisation that could scale up solutions very quickly

In the case of EkoEXCEL, rather than running its own schools, NewGlobe acts as a technical partner for the programme, which covers more than 1,000 public schools, 14,000 teachers and 500,000 pupils. Lagos officials emphasise that the state runs and funds the programme — which it says costs about $13mn a year — and that NewGlobe plays no role in setting the curriculum. NewGlobe, one of the best-known companies in the rapidly emerging “edtech” sector, sharply divides opinion. Supporters say it marshals technology to improve educational outcomes. Detractors question its profit motive, as well as its educational claims. Despite interruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, primary schoolchildren taught using EkoEXCEL methodology have already started entering the secondary school system. “We are liking what we see,” says Adefisayo, adding that the new “classroom culture” is producing tangible results in literacy and numeracy.

EKOEXCEL education reform gets global applause

February 14th 2022 Excellence in Child Education and Learning (EKOEXCEL) a Lagos State technology-driven initiative geared at bridging the gap in education service delivery with the infusion of technology into the basic education pedagogy has gotten global applause. As the world focuses on building back better after COVID-19 and mitigating learning loss, the impact of EKOEXCEL’s transformational education intervention is being assessed and applauded globally. EKOEXCEL is a child of circumstance birthed from a 2011 paper entitled ‘Private Responses to State Failure: The Growth in Private Education (and why) in Lagos, Nigeria, which highlighted why parents embraced private primary schools and shunned public ones. The paper, which resulted in a 20102011 census of private schools in the state, found that despite public primary schools being fees-free,

most parents shunned them because of overcrowding, poor/decaying infrastructure, and poor quality of instruction where children were not learning, among other reasons. EKOEXCEL was launched in 2019 to provide quality education to both the rich and the poor in the public system and upskill teachers by leveraging technology. And since its formal takeoff in January 2020, it has achieved remarkable results, including accelerating pupils’ learning, better classroom culture, and more robust lesson management. Parents are slowly returning to the public system.

We resolved that this Government will empower teachers in every local government and strengthen their capacity to deliver quality education to our children.

Like many education systems, the outbreak of Covid-19 impacted education in Lagos. However, the EKOEXCEL programme and the governor’s vision enabled children to continue learning unlike many of their peers across Nigeria. In response to the school closures across the state, EKOEXCEL launched blended learning with the adaptation of the EKOEXCEL @home initiative to ensure learning continued even in the hardest to remote and most poorly connected communities. The @home programme consisted of self-study activity packets, learning guides, interactive audio sessions, virtual classroom experiences, and WhatsApp quizzes. The state government continued to innovate and during the pandemic distributed 450,000 mp3s with prerecorded lessons; by far the largest technology roll out in the continent for remote learning.

Why government will sustain massive investment in education –– SUBEB chair

February 13th 2022 The Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Wahab Alawiye-King, has said that the state government will continue to invest massively in the education sector, train and retrain teachers, and deepen ICT compliance using the EkoExcel programme. In a statement, yesterday, he said: “As a responsible government, we will continue the massive investment in this sector with the training and retraining of our teachers, making the sector more ICT compliant, exposing our teachers to international best practices, as well as ensuring that our schools become destinations for work and learning. “Commendably, the recently released EkoExcel 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation has further justified the investment and affirmed the strategic intervention’s impacts. The evaluation showed that EkoExcel pupils are making substantial progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their performance before the initiative’s commencement.”

According to him, it further showed that an average Primary 3 EkoExcel pupil is now reading at nearly the same fluency level as an average Primary 5 pupil from before the launch of the programme. He claimed that pupils are now reading an average of 311 per cent more correct words per minute, than their 2019 pre-EkoExcel counterparts, with the most significant gains among Primary 1 pupils.

The evaluation also affirmed that EkoExcel is significantly improving learning over what existed before. The assessment found that pupils have made outstanding progress across all grade levels since a baseline oral reading fluency evaluation in Lagos State public schools in 2019, before the launch of EkoExcel.

Alawiye-King added that the study also found that “EkoExcel Primary 2 pupils are significantly outperforming their pre-EkoExcel counterparts on simple addition, simple subtraction, and addition/subtraction with borrowing. “It also showed that pupils who consistently receive the ‘full’ EkoExcel programme perform far better than pupils in the general sample. Despite the impressive outcomes, the study holds that there is room for improvement compared with international fluency norms and also on some foundational numeracy outcomes. “Pupils are still behind international fluency benchmarks while pupils struggled with some foundational numeracy skills compared with 13 other countries, specifically more complex skills like multiplication and division.

EKOEXCEL celebrates women, girls in science

February 11th 2022 Female beneficiaries of EKOEXCEL, an initiative to transform public education using innovative technology, have hailed the power of science and affirmed their interests in becoming scientists. The pupils spoke as the world marks the 2022 International Day of Women and Girls in Science today. The theme of this year’s event is:‘Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Water Unites Us’, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 of ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. Speaking about their love for science, the pupils hailed its transformational impact and benefits to humanity. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, first marked in 2015, aims to amplify the critical role women and girls can play in science and technology.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu launched the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB’s) EKOEXCEL in 2019 to provide quality education for the rich and the poor. Highlighting EKOEXCEL’s efforts to promote inclusive education for all genders and encourage female interest in science, LASUBEB’s Executive Chairman Wahab Alawiye-King said: “EKOEXCEL harnesses innovation and science to improve pupils and teachers in Lagos’ public schools. So encouraging females to study science is a priority to us.”

I am delighted that the study showed the meaningful impacts of EKOEXCEL on our pupils and things will only get better, going forward. We have taken key learning from the report and will address areas of concern. The governor’s wish and desi

In fact, primary one EKOEXCEL pupils are performing better than their pre-EKOEXCEL peers on foundational numeracy skills. It also emerged that as schools spend more time in the programme, and their school leaders and teachers receive continuous professional development and positive habits strengthen, their pupils benefit on both fluency and numeracy assessments. Pupils at more ‘mature’ EKOEXCEL schools outperform peers at newer EKOEXCEL schools. “The third research question was if there were better learning outcomes among pupils who (a) consistently attend lessons and (b) learn from teachers who consistently deliver lessons?” In addition, EKOEXCEL pupils are performing well when compared with other international contexts. On the International Common Assessment of Numeracy (ICAN), EKOEXCEL ranks first out of 14 contexts for classes two to three and third out of 14 contexts for classes four to six,” it read.

Female beneficiaries of EKOEXCEL affirm interest in sciences

February 10th 2022 Female beneficiaries of EKOEXCEL, an initiative to transform public education using innovative technology, have hailed the power of science and affirmed their interests in becoming scientists. The students spoke as the world marks the 2022 International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Thursday. This year’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, first marked in 2015, is themed ‘Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Water Unites Us’ in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 of ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. Speaking about their love for science, the pupils all hailed its transformational impacts and benefits to humanity. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science aims to amplify the critical role women and girls can play in science and technology.

Righteousness Amarachi, a nineyear-old basic 4 pupil of Methodist Primary School, Ikorodu said, “I am a lover of science because I get to learn all I need to know. I would love to be a teacher of science. Science is the best thing human beings have ever come up with. And if it isn’t right, science will fix it.” Abigail Ajayi, a 10-year-old primary five pupil of the same school said, “I love science because it has brought about advancement in technology in diverse ways. Science is the lifeblood of the future, and I’m proud to be a girl that loves science.” Also speaking on her preference for science, 11-year-old Sofia Ochapa, primary 5 pupil of Apelehin-SH-LA, disclosed that

I enjoy solving mathematics a lot, it is challenging to me. I like science subjects, particularly basic science because I would like to be a doctor in future to save the lives of poor people.”

It also promotes equal opportunities as women remain underrepresented among senior scientists in academia and leadership positions in the workplace. Report showed that they are awarded less research funding than men and are less likely to be promoted. In the private sector, too, women are less present in company leadership and technical roles in tech industries. The lack of equal opportunities in the workplace is driving women out of research professions. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu launched the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL in 2019 to provide quality education to both the rich and the poor and upskill teachers leveraging technology. So far, over 18,000 headteachers and teachers have been moved from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and updated curricula.

EKOEXCEL: We want to produce more pupils in STEM LASUBEB boss

February 10th 2022 Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s, LASUBEB’s Executive Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King has said the state government has recorded great strides in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, STEM, aimed to produce more pupils from Lagos public schools.

Highlighting EKOEXCEL’s efforts to promote inclusive education for all genders and encourage female interest in science, LASUBEB’s Executive Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King disclosed that the initiative gives them equal opportunities like their male counterparts.

Meanwhile, female beneficiaries of EKOEXCEL, an initiative to transform public education using innovative technology, have hailed the power of science and expressed interests in becoming scientists.

Alawiye-King further promised that EKOEXCEL would continue to create an enabling environment for the female pupils and that they won’t be discouraged from following their interests.

Alawiye-King and female beneficiaries made the remarks on Thursday, to mark this year’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, with maiden edition in 2015, themed ‘Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Water Unites Us’ in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal,SDG 6 of ensuring access to water and sanitation for all.

EKOEXCEL harnesses innovation and science to improve both pupils and teachers in Lagos’ public schools, so encouraging females to study science is a priority to us. Nigerian female amazons have recorded great strides in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and we want to produce more from Lagos public schools.

Abigail Ajayi, a 10-year-old primary five pupil Methodisy Primary School, said, “I love science because it has brought about advancement in technology in diverse ways. Science is the lifeblood of the future, and I’m proud to be a girl that loves science.” Also speaking on her preference for science, 11-year-old Sofia Ochapa, primary 5 pupil of Apelehin-Schoool, disclosed that “I enjoy solving mathematics a lot, it is challenging to me. I like science subjects, particularly basic science because I would like to be a doctor in future to save lives of poor people,” Ochapa said. Sarah Okpor and Salimat Ibrahim, both pupils of Dairy Farm Nursery and Primary School, Agege, similarly hailed the impacts of science. Okpor said, “I love science because science is a way of life, and science is life.” In contrast, Ibrahim said, “I love mathematics and calculations because the accountant is the bedrock of a nation.”

Appraising EKOEXCEL’s impact on primary schools’ learning

February 2nd 2022 Years before he became Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide SanwoOlu was well aware that the youth must be invested in them through quality education. Failing to invest in children and youth triggers substantial economic, social, and political costs resulting in adverse outcomes such as early school drop-out, poor labour market entry, risky sexual behaviours, substance abuse, and crime and violence. Through words and actions before and after assuming office, SanwoOlu has demonstrated commitment to quality and transformational education. He made education and technology the critical third pillar of his THEMES development agenda, with the others being Traffic Management and Transportation; Health and Environment; making Lagos a 21st Century Economy; Entertainment and Tourism and Security and Governance.

Despite the massive construction and renovation of existing educational infrastructures-completion of more than 1,097 school projects, upgrade and rehabilitation of 322 dilapidated public schools and furnishing primary schools with 87,000 dual composite units of chairs and desks-the governor’s trump card in the education revolution of his administration is the EKOEXCEL (Excellence in Child Education and Learning) initiative.

These gains are significant, especially when we consider that average learning loss due to COVID19 closures during this time is estimated to be between 0.5 and one full year of schooling in reading across five countries in Africa.

The innovative intervention was launched in the latter part of 2019 to provide quality education to the rich and the poor and upskill teachers leveraging technology. It is managed by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) with New Globe as the technical partner. Since its launch in January 2020, the intervention has achieved great results, including accelerating pupils’ learning, better classroom culture and more robust curriculum management. The intervention is making a significant impact with pupils, teachers and the state’s educational system as beneficiaries. Specifically, the evaluation showed that EKOEXCEL pupils are making strong progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their performance before the commencement of the initiative. The EKOEXCEL programme not only mitigated learning loss; it actually accelerated learning amid a global learning crisis.”

EKOEXCEL geared towards pupils, teachers’ global competitiveness- Alawiye King

February 1st 2022 Wahab Alawiye-King, the executive chairman of the Universal Basic Education Board Lagos State (LASUBEB) has disclosed that the goal of EKOEXCEL initiative of the state is to make the pupils and teachers global competitive.

He highlighted teachers’ empowerment to meet the current realities of the technology-driven ecosystem of teaching and learning as the major challenge faced by the board in executing the goals of the initiative.

Alawiye-King made this known on Tuesday, February 1, during a media briefing in commemoration of the two years anniversary of EKOEXCEL programme in Lagos State held at the conference hall of LASUBEB Maryland office.

Speaking on the place of the physically challenged children in the EKOEXCEL initiative, Alawiye-King stated that LASUBEB has provided 31 inclusive units where learning and teaching are made possible for them.

The LASUBEB boss disclosed that within the two years of operation, the EKOEXCEL initiative has achieved its main objective which is to bring about a transformational education system that is tailored to leverage technology. He highlighted teachers’ empowerment to meet the current realities of the technology-driven ecosystem of teaching and learning as the major challenge faced by the board in executing the goals of the initiative.

LASUBEB through the EKOEXCEL initiative has succeeded in establishing a pupil’s sensitive and teachers engaging approach to learning and teaching in the state. This takes cognizance of the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic that embedded in the emotional, intellectual and psychomotor learning designs. Our classrooms are more equipped to meet the needs of being more engaging and interactive,

“EKOEXCEL is accommodating, and schools are made to be all-inclusive; just as the mantra of LASUBEB states “Leaving no child behind.., we are working with various organizations to ensure that all children, even the special children are integrated,” he explained. Alawiye-King explained that the operation zero tolerance of Lagos State was initiated based on disturbing news of out-of-children in the state. “The Project Zero Initiative was put in place to help mitigate against the menace of out-of –school children in the state. And to drive this initiative home, the state is providing uniforms, books, etc for pupils in public schools. Education is free in Lagos State,” he emphasized. He reiterated that the zero project goal is to reduce the number of outof-school children in the state. “As at now 136 out-of-school children from Makoko has been integrated into Lagos State public schools,” Alawiye-King stated.

Sanwo-Olu’s EKOEXCEL Programme Improving Pupils’ Performances, Says Report

January 31st 2022 LAGOS – A report has revealed that EKOEXCEL, the basic education reform programme of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, is improving pupils, its main target. The EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation showed that EKOEXCEL pupils are making remarkable progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their performance before the initiative’s commencement. It further showed that an average Primary Three EKOEXCEL pupil is now reading at nearly the same fluency level as an average Primary Five pupil from before the launch of the EKOEXCEL programme. On average, EKOEXCEL Primary 23 pupils are outperforming 13 other country contexts on the International Common Assessment of Numeracy (ICAN) while Primary 4-6 rank third out of 14 country contexts on the same numeracy assessment.

Four research questions guided the evaluation. The first was: “The global pandemic led to learning loss nearly everywhere. How did it affect EKOEXCEL pupils’ performance in literacy? The assessment found that since a baseline oral reading fluency evaluation in Lagos State public schools in 2019 (before the launch of EKOEXCEL), pupils have made outstanding progress across all grade levels. 2021 pupils are reading an average of 311% more correct words per minute compared with their 2019 pre-EKOEXCEL counterparts, with the largest gains among Primary 1 pupils.

“The study also sought to know how the pandemic affected EKOEXCEL pupils’ performance in numeracy, finding that “EKOEXCEL Primary Two pupils are significantly outperforming their pre-EKOEXCEL counterparts on simple addition, simple subtraction, and addition/subtraction with borrowing.

“These gains are significant, especially when we consider that average learning loss due to COVIDclosures during this time is estimated to be between 0.5 and one full year of schooling in reading across five countries in Africa. Even in the United Kingdom, where remote learning opportunities were more accessible, learning losses amounted to 2.2 months in reading for primary school pupils. The EKOEXCEL programme not only mitigated learning loss; it actually accelerated learning amidst a global learning crisis. “Pupils are achieving impressive gains compared with preEKOEXCEL evaluations. In addition, EKOEXCEL pupils are performing well when compared with other international contexts. On the International Common Assessment of Numeracy (ICAN), EKOEXCEL ranks 1st out of 14 contexts for Class 2-3 and 3rd out of 14 contexts for Class 4-6,” it read.

How EKOEXCEL is reforming basic education in Lagos

January 31st 2022 Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the executive governor of Lagos State through his administration’s EKOEXCEL, a basic education reform programme is improving pupils in public primary schools which is the main target. According to the EKOEXCEL 20202021 endline fluency and numeracy evaluation, EKOEXCEL pupils are making remarkable progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their performance prior to the commencement of the initiative. The report states that an average primary 3 EKOEXCEL pupil can now read at nearly the same fluency level as an average primary 5 pupil from before the launch of the programme. Wahab Alawiye-King, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB’s) executive chairman, responding to the report’s findings, expressed his delight, promising that it is only the beginning of EKOEXCEL’s positive impacts.

The assessment report stated that on average, EKOEXCEL primary 2-3 pupils are outperforming 13 other country contexts on the International Common Assessment of Numeracy (ICAN) while primary 4-6 ranked third out of 14 country contexts on the same numeracy assessment. Adebayo Adefuye, a permanent board member of LASUBEB and oversight chair of the EKOEXCEL programme, also expressed his delight, noting that there would be further improvements by the time the next evaluation is done.

I am most delighted that the study showed the meaningful impacts of EKOEXCEL on our pupils and things will only get better, going forward. We have taken key learning’s from the report and will address areas of concern,

“We are happy with the report’s findings and we take it as further motivation to work harder and achieve more milestones. We are surely not going to rest on our oars until our public school system becomes significantly better, with parents and pupils themselves attesting to the positive changes,” Adefuye said. Crucially, the evaluation affirms that EKOEXCEL is both improving learning over what existed before and it is continuing to improve learning with the programme, over time. The study, which was conducted in July 2021 involved researchers administering two assessments to primary 1-6 pupils. The tests were an oral reading fluency assessment (using a primary 2 passage and a grade-level passage) and a foundational numeracy assessment (using ICAN).

Assessment: Lagos EKOEXCEL records impressive performance in 2yrs- Report

January 30th 2022 A report has revealed that EKOEXCEL, the basic education reform programme of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, is improving pupils, its main target. Speaking to the report’s findings, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s, LASUBEB’s, Executive Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King, stated the EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation showed that an average Primary 3 EKOEXCEL pupil is now reading at nearly the same fluency level as an average Primary five pupil from before the launch of the EKOEXCEL programme. On average, EKOEXCEL Primary 23 pupils are outperforming 13 other country contexts on the International Common Assessment of Numeracy (ICAN), while Primary 4-6 rank third out of 14 country contexts on the same numeracy assessment. Crucially, the evaluation affirms that EKOEXCEL is both improving learning over what existed before and is itself continuing to improve learning with the program, over time.

The study, which was conducted in July 2021 involved researchers administering two assessments to primary 1-6 pupils. The tests were an oral reading fluency assessment (using a Primary 2 passage and a grade-level passage) and a foundational numeracy assessment (using the International Common Assessment of Numeracy, or ICAN).Four research questions guided the evaluation.

The assessment found that since a baseline oral reading fluency evaluation in Lagos State public schools in 2019 (before the launch of EKOEXCEL), pupils have made outstanding progress across all grade levels. 2021 pupils are reading an average of 311 per cent more correct words per minute compared with their 2019 pre-EKOEXCEL counterparts, with the largest gains among Primary 1 pupils.

“These gains are significant, especially when we consider that average learning loss due to COVIDclosures during this time is estimated to be between 0.5 and 1 full year of schooling in reading across 5 countries in Africa. "Even in the United Kingdom, where remote learning opportunities were more accessible, learning losses amounted to 2.2 months in reading for primary school pupils. The EKOEXCEL programme not only mitigated learning loss; it actually accelerated learning amidst a global learning crisis. “The study also sought to know how the pandemic affected EKOEXCEL pupils’ performance in numeracy, finding that EKOEXCEL Primary 2 pupils are significantly outperforming their pre-EKOEXCEL counterparts on simple addition, simple subtraction, and addition/subtraction with borrowing. “Primary 1 EKOEXCEL pupils are performing roughly one full of their pre-EKOEXCEL peers on foundational numeracy skills.

“It also emerged that as schools spend more time in the programme, and their school leaders and teachers receive continuous professional development and positive habits strengthen, their pupils benefit on both fluency and numeracy assessments.

Alawiye-King said, “The last question was locating the primary areas of growth in fluency and numeracy for the future of EKOEXCEL and the findings were equally heartwarming.“Pupils are achieving impressive gains compared with preEKOEXCEL evaluations.

““The Governor’s wish and desire is that pupils of public primary schools receive quality instructions that would be beneficial to them and also the state, in the long run, so we are happy that EKOEXCEL is on the right track, according to these findings” he said.

“Pupils at more ‘mature’ EKOEXCEL schools outperform peers at newer EKOEXCEL schools.

“In addition, EKOEXCEL pupils are performing well when compared with other international contexts. On the International Common Assessment of Numeracy (ICAN), EKOEXCEL ranks 1st out of 14 contexts for Class 2-3 and 3rd out of 14 contexts for Class 4-6.”

Permanent Board Member of LASUBEB and oversight chairman of the EKOEXCEL programme, Adebayo Adefuye, corroborated, noting that there would be further improvements by the time the next evaluation is done.

”The third research question was if there were better learning outcomes among pupils who (A) consistently attend lessons and (B) learn from teachers who consistently deliver lessons?The report showed that pupils who consistently receive the ‘full’ EKOEXCEL programme perform far better than pupils in the general sample. “To further interrogate the differences, the study compared two different samples: intention to treat (ITT): includes all pupils tested in the 2021 sample, regardless of their attendance or their teacher’s lesson completion rate and treatment on treated (ToT) that includes: only pupils who (1) were in attendance for more than 50 per cent of instructional days and (2) attended a classroom where the teacher delivered more than 50 per cent of lessons. “On grade-level oral reading fluency, ToT pupils read an average of five correct words per minute more than their ITT counterparts. “ToT pupils are also significantly less likely to be non-readers by 3 per cent across all grade levels.There was a similar pattern on numeracy outcomes. “ToT pupils outperformed ITT pupils on the ICAN numeracy assessment by roughly 2 per cent across all grade levels.”

Despite the impressive outcomes, the study held that there was room for improvement compared with international fluency norms and also on some foundational numeracy outcomes. “Pupils are still behind international fluency benchmarks while pupils struggled with some foundational numeracy skills compared with 13 other countries (specifically more complex skills like multiplication and division).

Going forward, therefore, EXOEXCEL would focus on ensuring that the average pupil is meeting or exceeding international fluency benchmarks, and also that EKOEXCEL pupils outperform other comparable contexts on more complex foundational numeracy competencies,” Report Highlights Impacts of EKOEXCEL. “I“I am most delighted that the study showed the meaningful impacts of EKOEXCEL on our pupils and things will only get better, going forward. We have taken key learnings from the report and will address areas of concern.

EKOEXCEL Marks 2022 Int’l Day Of Education

January 25th 2022 As the world marked the 2022 International Day of Education themed: “Changing Course, Transforming Education” on Monday, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) has promised not to relent in its efforts to improve primary education in the state. Commenting on this year’s celebration and EKOEXCEL’s strides, LASUBEB’s Executive Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King, said good education is the foundation for the better future the present administration wants for all Lagos State pupils. He explained that quality education is also crucial to the state’s progress and growth in the 21st Century and that the government is sparing no efforts to develop the sector. Alawiye-King, who highlighted the achievements of EKOEXCEL in just two years of existence, said it would not relent in upskilling teachers and improving pupils’ learning environment.

“The recently released EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation that showed EKOEXCEL pupils are making remarkable progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy compared to their performance before the initiative’s commencement, is a challenge to us to up our game and we shall do just that so that by the next evaluation, we will have more progress to report. EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation showed how the intervention is improving pupils of public schools and transforming the education sector. It showed that on average, EKOEXCEL Primary 2-3 pupils are outperforming 13 other country contexts on the International Common Assessment of Numeracy (ICAN) while Primary 4-6 rank third out of 14 country contexts on the same numeracy assessment.

The evaluation also affirmed that EKOEXCEL is both improving learning over what existed before and is itself continuing to improve learning. To further consolidate the intervention’s achievements while striving for more academic excellence, EKOEXCEL has commenced a robust public awareness campaign. The campaign’s objectives include driving enrolment and reducing the number of out of school children in alignment with the government’s ‘Leave No Child Behind Policy’ and boosting academic excellence from a foundational level in Lagos public schools. The others include engaging parents and communities on the need and importance of education and connecting citizens to the government’s economic growth agenda through the transformation of education.

Keeping out-of-school-children from harm’s way

January 24th 2022 There are about 13 million out-ofschool-children in Nigeria, out of which two million are in Lagos State. These children are not only dangerous to society; they also are targets of predators. EKOEXCEL, an education intervention initiative of the Lagos State Government ensures that the children are taken off the streets and enrolled into classrooms, thereby protecting them from violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and exclusion which they face daily. Since Nigeria’s economic fortunes nosedived as a result of a fall in the prices of oil in the international market; leading to economic recession, then compounded by the Coronavirus pandemic, many Nigerian families find it difficult to feed well let alone foot education bills of their children. Some in schools were withdrawn. Figures from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that close to 13 million Nigerian children are out of school. And every year, the army of out-of-school-children keeps swelling. They roam the streets and constitute societal nuisance.

Experts posit that the out-of-schoolchildren are not only dangerous to society; they also are targets of predators. In the circumstances, therefore, they are endangered species, as they have, several times, become victims of societal failure. They face violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and exclusion. Pundits in the knowledge industry have maintained that a society or country that is interested genuinely in its future would not toil with the education of its children or youths.

This may have informed the decision of the Lagos State Government to ensure that all citizens of the state receive quality education. To realise this objective, it introduced the EKOEXCEL programme.

Through the programme, the state is determined to tackle the problem that the over two million out-ofschool-children in the state may create. It is instructive that at the inception of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, he assured those indigenous to Lagos State that the provision of quality education was a major priority of his administration and he was determined to change the face of primary education by re-training and empowering teachers with technology-driven techniques to tutor students as well as the enrollment of out-of-school-children into school with a robust pupil enrollment drive exercise. The enrollment drive exercise has yielded tremendous results since its commencement, with a good number of out-of-school-children being captured and registered into EKOEXCEL schools. It was through the exercise that the story of a boy called Segun Borno came to the fore.

EkoExcel taking out-of-school children off the streets — LASUBEB boss

January 18th 2022 The Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, LASUBEB, Wahab AlawiyeKing said the EkoExcel programme of the state government has indeed rescued a lot of children from engaging in various social vices in Lagos State since its inception. Alawiye-King, who stated this while giving the scorecard as well as achievements of the programme, said over 500,000 pupils across 1009 schools are participating. He recalled that since the commencement of the programme, it has taken many out-of-school children off the streets and onboarding them into classrooms, as well as protecting out-of-school children from daily violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and exclusion they were facing. According to him, “It cannot be overemphasized that over Nine Millons out-of-school children need protection from the daily violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and exclusion they face.

“Lagos State has over 2 million outof-school children, this is a problem that the government wanted to tackle with the introduction of the programme. ”According to Alawiye-King, “LASUBEB EKOEXCEL, is a transformational intervention launched in 2019 by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to provide quality education to both the rich and the poor and upskill teachers leveraging technology.

With empirical proof from the recently released EKOEXCEL 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation that affirmed that the intervention is making a significant impact with pupils, teachers and the states’ educational system, it is also noteworthy that it is succeeding in reducing out of school children.

“The enrollment drive exercise has yielded tremendous results since its commencement, with a good number of out-of-school children being captured and registered into EKOEXCEL schools as a result of the exercise, one, in particular, is the story of a boy called Segun Borno. “Segun Borno wouldn’t have believed if he had been told before September 2021 that he would be enrolled in a primary school by that month-end and improved his literacy and numeracy skills three months later. He added that “Sanwo-Olu, at the inception of his administration, assured Lagosians that the provision of qualitative education was a major priority and he was determined to change the face of primary education by re-training and empowering teachers with technology driving techniques to tutor students as well as the enrollment of out-of-school children into school with a robust pupil enrollment drive exercise.

Lagos: 2022 budget ‘ll be fully implemented – State govt

January 7th 2021 Lagos State Government has assured that it would leave no stone unturned to ensure the full implementation of the 2022 budget. Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, accompanied by some members of the state executive council gave the assurance at a press briefing on the detailed analysis of this year budget, held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre Ikeja. Speaking on the 2022 budget estimates, Egube said the budget, christened “Budget of Consolidation” was a landmark in the history of the state both in its size and texture, adding that the approved budget was of 1.58 trillion naira made up of 1.167 trillion naira capital expenditure and 591. 281 billion naira recurrent expenditure He said the budget analysis was a demonstration of the present administration’s commitment to complete all ongoing projects, massive infrastructure renewal and development towards rebuilding and actualizing a Greater Lagos.

The commissioner said the budget will focused on construction and completion of projects in the aspects of roads, traffic management, infrastructure, health, science, technology, sports, building of stadia across the five divisions and environment. Egube also stated that the objectives of the budget were tourism, Agriculture, food security, wealth creation, employment, human development, social intervention, Energy and Education Sector which included rehabilitation of Schools, Eko excel, among others.

The 65% performance of Capex is the result of our closure of the 100 billion bond transaction, which was over subscribed in December 2021. As a result, we believe that Capex performance will close at about 85% by December 2021. This therefore is expected to enable the state achieve a strong budget performance of about 89% by year end 2021 despite the daunting challenges in the year.

He appealed to all the citizens of Lagos to participate in governance and fulfill their civic responsibilities by paying their taxes as and when due in order to ensure optimal performance of the budget. Speaking earlier on evaluation last year’s budget, the commissioner said: “2021 budget of ₦1.257 trillion had a total revenue of ₦984.573billion and deficit financing of ₦271.994 billion; the Capital to Recurrent Ratio stood at 59:41 i.e., Capital Expenditure of ₦743.224 billion and a recurrent expenditure of ₦513.343 billion . As at November 30th, 2021, the budget posted a performance of 73%. Our revenue performance was 75%, while capital and recurrent expenditure performed at 65% & 83% respectively. In his remarks, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, thanked the media for their supports urging them to be objective by giving an accurate reports of the 2022 budget analysis.

2021

Sanwo-Olu Reaffirms Commitment To EKOEXCEL, Invests In Public Awareness Campaign

December 22nd 2021 Ahead of the new school term in January 2022 and continuous pursuit of excellence, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board’s (LASUBEB) EKOEXCEL has stepped up its public awareness campaign. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu launched EKOEXCEL in 2019 to provide quality education to both the rich and the poor and upskill teachers leveraging technology. So far, over 12,000 headteachers and teachers have been moved from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and updated curriculum. Over 14,000 primary school teachers from 1,009 public primary schools have been captured under the scheme. The education reform programme has also recorded remarkable gains in enhancing the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning) in Lagos State primary schools.

The transformational intervention has also boosted uniformity and strict adherence to the curriculum with teachers’ tablets preloaded with lessons and content that can be effectively monitored for standardisation across all of Lagos’ 1,009 public primary schools.

The campaign’s objectives include driving enrolment and reducing the number of out of school children in alignment with the government’s ‘Leave No Child Behind Policy’ and boosting academic excellence from a foundational level in Lagos public schools.

To further consolidate the intervention’s achievements while striving for more academic excellence, EKOEXCEL has commenced a public awareness campaign online and physically.

Others include engaging parents and communities on the need and importance of education and connecting citizens to the government’s economic growth agenda through the transformation of education.

Governor Babajide SanwoOlu is very passionate about basic education and his dream is to reduce the number of out-of-school children to the minimum while deploying the latest technology for instruction in schools.

The program and its goals are being showcased on billboards, street lamp banners, radio jingles, TV interviews and commercials, as well as social media engagements with reputable influencers. This latest public awareness campaign follows the recent enrollment exercises across 10 local government and local council development areas that involved local community leaders and influencers, including Nollywood celebrities.

EKOEXCEL Pupils Participate In Agricultural Exhibition

December 22nd 2021 To promote agriculture in the state and also encourage farming among pupils, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board organized a Pupils’ Agricultural Exhibition recently at LASUBEB Multi-Purpose Hall Maryland, Ikeja. The Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture, Abisola Olusanya, at the gathering, stated that agriculture is an effective tool against hunger and poverty, adding that it is very essential to major industries such as manufacturing pharmaceuticals, plastic, and so on. Furthermore, she stated that it is the catalyst of development in the country and also a bedrock of every profession, adding that no nation can survive without food. She noted that the domestic production of livestock and farm produce is far below national demand, which is leaving room for the importation of livestock with inflation, urging the pupils to continue to engage themselves in farming.

Olusanya urged teachers to introduce scientific methods of farming such as mechanized farming and other technical models in agriculture to EKOEXCEL pupils. The Executive Chairman LASUBEB, Wahab Alawiye–King, disclosed that 51 schools from 11 local government education authorities benefited from the agricultural training programme funded by Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). Alawiye–King stated that the project is to foster the agricultural skills of the pupils.

Today shows that education is holistic, it is better to catch them young, overreliance on oil and other product has to be discouraged, agriculture is the most important sector and we are naturally endowed in this part of the world and as such, we need to take advantage of it.

“This is the harvest period; this is the second series and as you can see, it is a bumper harvest. It is to encourage the pupils into agriculture and to also show that it contributes to our economy”. At the exhibition, the pupils joyfully displayed various farm produce and livestock such as yam, plantain, cassava, chickens, pigs and many more. EKOEXCEL Pupils now attend and participate in such exhibitions with much-improved dramatization and execution of their play-acting with an eagerness to showcase their development in school. Before the introduction of EKOEXCEL, pupil attendance, pupil learning outcomes, teacher content knowledge, teacher motivation as well as pupil optimism were below par. Delivery of scientifically based lesson plans in every EKOEXCEL classroom paired with world-class classroom management techniques makes learning far more likely to happen under the EKOEXCEL programme.

Lagos celebrates EKOEXCEL long service teachers

December 20th 2021 Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) cheered teachers at the maiden edition of the long service award ceremony organized for teaching and non-teaching staff of the board, which took place at LASUBEB multipurpose hall, Maryland, Ikeja at the weekend.

In his contribution, the board member, Dr. Saheed Ibikunle, also reiterated that the important of occasion.

The Executive Chairman LASUBEB, Wahab Alawiye – King, explained that the gathering was held in appreciation of the staff for their conscientious and meritorious service to the state government and to EKOEXCEL pupils.

We are here to celebrate, commend and encourage them to continue to do their best. I congratulate all the awardees, they should continue to conscientiously do their job, be focused and more dedicated in their service delivery. To whom much is given much is expected

Alawiye-King disclosed that the event initiated by the board was backed by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, who has consistently reiterated the importance of teachers in the basic education sector and to also appreciate their efforts in contributing to the transformation of education in the State.

Since the inception of EKOEXCEL, over 12,000 basic education teachers have been given an unprecedented amount of training, coaching, and support in all areas of learning management starting from upskilling in the application of technology and the science of learning in their everyday functions to constant coaching on lesson delivery, pupil motivation, classroom management and focus on pupil achievement. The array of teacher support ranges from multi-day inPerson induction training for teachers and headteachers to coaches and mentors who visit each classroom three times a month to support teachers with specially equipped tool and instructional strategies. In addition, a well-trained resolution team constantly within reach through a toll-free customer care system who are dedicated to support teachers on technology and other administrative issues.

EkoExcel’s Pursuit for Quality Education in Lagos Schools

December 8th 2021 When the idea of the Eko Excel initiative was mooted in 2019, it was to support teachers in achieving better learning outcomes in the classroom. The initiative is an education reform of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration in developing more highly skilled teachers in public schools and enhancing Lagos’ basic education curriculum. The programme is encapsulated in the third pillar of the THEMES agenda to provide education and technology. So far, over 18,000 headteachers and teachers have been moved from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and updated curriculum. Over 14,000 primary school teachers from 1,017 public primary schools have been captured under the scheme. The permanent board member in charge of the special project of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB), Bayo Adefuye, told THISDAY that the outcome of the teacher training over the past two years had improved

drastically as it has made the classroom more interesting, engaging and fun. He described the initiative as a transformational intervention to raise the standard of education in Lagos State, adding that it seeks to increase teachers’ capacity and improve pupils’ learning outcomes leveraging technology.

Teachers are given tablets to use, while the headteachers are given smartphones. With these tablets, you can take attendance. You have your lesson plans on it and enter your exam and assessment scores. Lessons are timed on it. Through it, we give advice to the teachers on how to go about their lesson plans,” the official stressed. “Information on exams, attendance, scores, even information on details about their parents are taken on the phone.

“Their outcome over the past two years has improved drastically. It shows that learning is now uniform all over the state because the same thing is taught all over the state every day,” Adefuye stated. “The same thing they are learning in Epe is what they are learning in Badagry or Shomolu.” He described the initiative as a transformational intervention to raise the standard of education in Lagos State, adding that it seeks to increase teachers’ capacity and improve pupils’ learning outcomes leveraging technology. Adefuye added, “If you set a solid foundation for him (a student), you will find out that the individual would press for his own development. The good thing about EkoExcel is the think tank behind it.” He further revealed that the state has technical partners (New Globe).

‘Lagos will improve basic education through EKOEXCEL’

November 22nd 2021 The newly elected Dean of the Executive Chairmen, State Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King, has said Lagos will not relent in leveraging technology to advance primary education through EKOEXCEL. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu inaugurated EKOEXCEL (Excellence in Child Education and Learning) in 2019 to provide quality education for the rich and the poor and upskill teachers through cutting-edge technology. Speaking on the sidelines of the quarterly meeting of the Universal Basic Education (UBEC) Management with chairmen of SUBEBs in Nigeria with the theme: ‘Enhancing Access, Equity and Standards in Basic Education Through Technology-Driven Initiatives,” held in Benin City, Edo State from November 15 to 18, Alawiye-King said leveraging technology to boost primary

education through EKOEXCEL was a long-term strategy of the government. Alawiye-King, who was elected SUBEBs Dean at the meeting, explained that although Lagos borrowed the idea from Edo State, it had adopted it to fit its peculiar requirements and that EKOEXCEL had been tailored to meet pupils’ needs.

We want to make the education sector in Lagos globally competitive, hence boosting the standard and quality with technology. Also, the demand for education has outweighed the supply, but we can bridge the gap with technology, which is what EKOEXCEL is doing,” he said.

Alawiye-King, who was elected SUBEBs Dean at the meeting, explained that although Lagos borrowed the idea from Edo State, it had adopted it to fit its peculiar requirements and that EKOEXCEL had been tailored to meet pupils’ needs. He said: “We have adopted the Edo system in a manner to bring the best out of our pupils. Using technology to boost education is where the world is going now. It is part of our strategy in Lagos. That is complementing education with technology so, we are leveraging technology to move basic education forward in Lagos.” The LASUBEB chairman added that the Lagos State Government would ensure the success of EKOEXCEL, because it wanted to make the education sector globally competitive and give more pupils access to education.

Lagos to showcase achievement of EKOEXCEL at UBEC meeting in Edo

November 15th 2021 Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) will showcase the success recorded so far with EKOEXCEL, an education reform program at the quarterly meeting of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) management with executive chairpersons of SUBEB that will hold in Benin City, Edo State, between November 15-18. EKOEXCEL (Excellence in Child Education and Learning), was initiated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2019, as part of his THEMES agenda to provide quality education to both the rich and the poor across the state and upskill teachers leveraging cutting-edge technology. All 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will participate at the UBEC meeting, with the theme: “Enhancing Access, Equity and Standards in Basic Education through Technologydriven Initiatives”.

The meeting aims to draw attention to the growing importance of an integrated system-wide approach using teacher coaching and technology to improve pupils’ learning outcomes at scale.

EXOEXCEL has recorded remarkable achievements we are extremely proud of within a short period, and this meeting will help us further retool it for maximum efficiency during the sessions. We are also certain that states that don’t have such will borrow a leaf from us to revolutionise their public schools to become competitive and at par with private schools”.

According to him:” the programme which is being executed in partnership with Bridge, now rebranded as New Globe as the technical partner, also equips teachers with skills to deliver value and empower pupils with the requisite knowledge to improve education and help sustain the growth of Lagos State as a leading knowledge-driven city and economy in the world. LASUBEB’s permanent board member and oversight chair of EKOEXCEL, Bayo Adefuye also expressed hopes for the meeting, adding that the intervention would become more popular and adopted. “Lagos wants to be an exemplar and trailblazer, and though Edo State started first, we are making appreciable progress that others can learn from too,” he said. He added that EKOEXCEL has dramatically accelerated student literacy and numeracy performances in two short years, with significant differences between student performances in EKOEXCEL schools and their peers in traditional schools.

How EKOEXCEL accelerated students’ literacy performance – LASUBEB Chairman

November 14th 2021 Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), Wahab Alawiye-King has said the state’s EKOEXCEL project has accelerated students’ literacy and numeracy performance in the last two years. Alawiye-King spoke at the quarterly meeting of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) management with executive chairpersons of SUBEB which held in Benin City, Edo State. The event serves as an opportunity for peer review, progress evaluation, planning and goal setting for the next quarter, which would be held between 15 and 18 November 2021. He said that the essence of the quarterly meeting was to come up with a collaborative approach geared towards ensuring that every child has an unfettered access to education.

The chairman stated that “EXOEXCEL has recorded remarkable achievements we are extremely proud of within a short period, and this meeting will help us further retool it for maximum efficiency during the sessions.

EKOEXCEL has dramatically accelerated student literacy and numeracy performances in two short years, with significant differences between student performances in EKOEXCEL schools and their peers in traditional schools. EKOEXCEL students advanced in numeracy twice as fast as students in traditional schools.

Alawiye-King said the project aimed to equip teachers with skills to deliver value and empower students with the requisite knowledge to improve education and help sustain the growth of Lagos State as a leading knowledge-driven city and economy in the world. LASUBEB’s Permanent Board member and oversight chair of EKOEXCEL, Bayo Adefuye also expressed hope that the intervention of the programme would become more popular and adopted by all. “Lagos wants to be an exemplar and trailblazer, and though Edo State started first, we are making appreciable progress that others can learn from too,” he said.

EkoExcel introduces students to coding

November 2nd 2021 EkoExcel, a Lagos State electronic technology-based initiative in basic education has marked ‘Hour of Code’ lessons for primary one to six students in the state. Hour of Code, according to a statement on Monday, is a global movement to introduce people of all ages to computer programming in a fun way. The founder of Code.org, Hadi Partovi, in the statement, said the initiative was created for pupils to be introduced to the concepts of computer programming. The event, themed, ‘Learn Computer Science, Change the World,’ involved the participation of pupils in lessons focused on computers and coding. Partovi said, “The Hour of Code is a global computer science initiative by code.org that creates a fun and creative environment for pupils to be introduced to the concepts of computer programming. It is designed to make coding simple and show that anybody can learn the basics of computer science.

During the hour-long event, pupils participated in a lesson focused on computers and coding. They worked individually and in small groups to answer questions based on the lesson being taught. At the completion of the Hour of Code, pupils received orange stickers stating, ‘I Did the Hour of Code!’.

This scheme was designed to demystify coding and show that computer science is not rocket science—anybody can learn its basics and over 100 million students worldwide have tried their hands at Hour of Code programme. The demand for relevant 21st-century computer science education knows no boundaries.

Technology is transforming every industry on the planet. Learning computer science is essential for pupils to thrive in the 21st century. Regardless of what they want to be when they grow up, knowing how to build technology will give them confidence and a competitive edge and this event gives them a head start. The Hour of Code has served more than 100 million students in 180 countries who participated at the same time in an Hour of Code event last year. In December 2021, students from all over the world will run an Hour of Code event together in over 45 languages and EKOEXCEL pupils are hopeful that they would continue to join their peers all around the world in the program. EKOEXCEL trained teachers helped the pupils prepare for the international event by raising their interest in IT, answering their questions, and encouraging them to keep learning.

Lagos: LASUBEB’s EKOEXCEL gains international recognition

October 29th 2021 EKOEXCEL, a flagship basic education transformation programme, enacted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2019 has gained international recognition in less than two years of its existence. The governor, at the start of his administration, assured Lagosians that the provision of qualitative education was a major priority of his administration and he was determined to change the face of primary education by empowering teachers with new and basic technological techniques to train the students. The programmes’ achievements were recognised by The Mobiles for Education (mEducation) Alliance, an international non-profit organisation focused on the evidence-driven and sustainable role of technology in education to advance quality educational outcomes.

EKOEXCEL was invited to participate as a presenter at their 2021 mEducation Alliance Symposium a 3-day programme that ran from the 27th – 30th of September, 2021 that had a general theme of “EdTech for Accelerating Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in Low-Resource Contexts. ”

According to Sanwo-Olu, “In the last couple of years, we have built strong foundations and this fiscal year, we increased our budget on education from eight to twelve per cent. We invested in curriculum development through EKOEXCEL to change the learning outcomes from our schools.”

Hon. Adebayo Adefuye, a permanent board member of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) and oversight chairman of the EKOEXCEL programme, represented EKOEXCEL as a discussant in the Ministry of Education (MoE) interactive session which was moderated by UNICEF’s Juan Giraldo. Other discussants in the session were, John Kimotho, head of Educational Media Directorate, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development and Waleed Al Ali, General Coordinator, Digital School Initiative at MBRGI (UAE). Speaking during the session, Adefuye said, “We first used 300 EKOEXCEL schools as a baseline and the results were staggering, even in the first eight weeks. In terms of literacy, learning was three times faster and in numeracy two times faster than schools that were not in EKOEXCEL.”

Sanwo-Olu kicks off conference on biosecurity

October 28th 2021 Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday kicked off the 7th African Conference on Health and Biosecurity.

Highlighting EKOEXCEL’s strides, he said that 300 EKOEXCEL schools were the baseline, adding that the results in the first eight weeks were impressive.

It will hold at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos and end tomorrow. The EKOEXCEL (Excellence in Child Education and Learning) programme of the Lagos State Government has shone at the 2021 education symposium organised by the Mobiles for Education (mEducation) Alliance. Representing Lagos State at the interactive session moderated by the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF’s) Juan Giraldo was the permanent board member of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) and oversight chair of the EKOEXCEL programme, Adebayo Adefuye.

“We have a crisis response unit that is under the LASUBEB Chairman, Wahab Alawiye King. They respond to issues promptly, even in the furthest parts of the state.”

Adefuye, who described Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as a visionary leader, who wanted equal opportunities for less privileged children with EKOEXCEL, said the programme was being monitored. He said: “We have a crisis response unit that is under the LASUBEB Chairman, Wahab Alawiye King. They respond to issues promptly, even in the furthest parts of the state.”

Education Policy Reform: We Already Have Local Solution In Nigeria – Sanwo-Olu

October 27th 2021 Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that Nigeria does not need to copy beneficial elearning solutions that work well within the country from outside. The governor said this at the recent Ekiti Investment and Economic Summit held in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, highlighting the importance of peer reviews among governors and public officials. Sanwo-Olu, in a panel of discussants alongside Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Governors Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, as well as Nasir elRufai of Kaduna State, disclosed that Lagos borrowed the idea of its eeducation intervention, EKOEXCEL, from Edo. Bridge, now rebranded as New Globe, is the technical partner managing the programme with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) having oversight functions.

Highlighting some of its other benefits, the governor said: “We can check from the tablet what attendance we have in our schools, which teacher has come in; what time they clock in and what are the lesson notes. You can design the same curriculum irrespective of which part of the state the schools are in, so you can have the same quality in terms of input and the expected outcomes from education.”

“I usually acknowledge Governor Obaseki because I copied something that he introduced during his first tenure and which is working three times in Lagos, education. “He started EdoBEST, and he brought in Bridge (New Globe), an e-learning solution provider with tablets for basic education.

Governor Sanwo-Olu inaugurated EKOEXCEL in 2019 as part of his THEMES agenda, to provide quality education to both the rich and the poor across the state and upskill teachers leveraging cutting-edge technology. In line with the governors’ outlined achievements for his second year in office campaign, the programme has accelerated pupils’ learning, which has led to better classroom culture and more robust curriculum management. EKOEXCEL has dramatically accelerated student literacy and numeracy performances, with significant differences between student performances in EKOEXCEL schools versus their peers in traditional schools. EKOEXCEL students advanced in numeracy twice as fast as students in traditional schools. At the same time, they progressed three times as quickly as their peers in comparable schools.

Lagos has local solutions for education policy reform in Nigeria – Sanwo-Olu

October 21st 2021 With the EKOEXCEL initiative, Lagos State Government has found the needed solution for education reform in Nigeria, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, has said According to him, EKOEXCEL is an effective e-learning solution that Nigeria can model rather than bringing alternatives from outside the country. Speaking as a panelist at the just concluded ‘Ekiti Investment and Economic Summit’ held in Ado-Ekiti, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that Lagos borrowed the idea of the EKOEXCEL from the EdoBEST initiative introduced by Governor Obaseki of Edo State during his first tenure. He however pointed out that the initiative is working three times more in Lagos compared to Edo State.

Listing the benefits, Sanwo-Olu said that teachers’ attendance and their lesson notes can be viewed and cross checked via tablet. He said the electronic learning platform allows Lagos State Government to design and use the same curriculum in all parts of the state. He said the initiative has accelerated pupils’ learning, which has led to better classroom culture and more robust curriculum management.

“We have started doing peer review in Nigeria. We do not need to go to another country to copy what is working well in our country already. Edo brought the initiative. We have copied that and it is working well in Lagos, and we will scale it up,” SanwoOlu said.

Bayo Adefuye, permanent board member, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), who represented management of EKOEXCEL at the summit, said the initiative was developed to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Lagos State public primary school pupils. He said the e-learning platform was developed to ensure continued access to learning despite the Covid-19 induced lockdown. According to him, EKOEXCEL has @home programme that consists of self-study activity packets, learning guides, interactive audio sessions, zoom classes, WhatsApp quizzes and the distribution of 450,000 mp3s with pre-recorded lessons.

LASUBEB, Nollywood celebrities drive primary school enrolment with EKOEXCEL project

October 21st 2021 Determined to push primary school enrollment, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) has enlisted the support of famous Nollywood celebrities to educate parents and guardians on the tremendous gains of early child education.

Alawiye-King said the enrolment exercise was strategically held at major bus-stops and markets due to their teeming population and prevailing numbers of Out- ofSchool-Children in those communities based on the data gathered by SUBEB.

LASUBEB driving the EKOEXCEL embarked on a series of enrolment exercises across 10 local government and local council development areas of the state, ahead of the current education session, with the support of local community leaders and influencers.

The chairman further said that for children to be able to compete with their peers globally, the state government had integrated technology into the classrooms to enhance learning and teaching outcomes in Lagos State public primary schools, under the EKOEXCEL initiative of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The Executive Chairman, LASUBEB, Wahab Alawiye-King, while speaking at the respective rallies at the fruit market, Ikosi-Isheri LCDA and Bariga Market, Bariga, stated that the objective of the drive was to mobilize communities to enroll their wards into public primary schools.

“Education is the best legacy parents can give to their children.”

On his part, Ayo Badmus, another Nollywood actor, urged parents to enrol children of school age into the state’s primary schools, noting that it is their right and they shouldn’t be deprived of it and that primary education in Lagos State is free. “Some parents want their children to attend school but are terrified about fees, not knowing primary education in Lagos is free and compulsory,” she said. Governor Sanwo-Olu launched EKOEXCEL in 2019 to provide quality education to both the rich and the poor and upskill teachers leveraging technology. Within two years, it accelerates pupils’ learning, better classroom culture and more robust curriculum management.

Elevating the girl child through technology

October 11th 2021 Today marks the annual International Celebration of the girl child and the theme for this year is “Digital[1] generation, Our generation”. The day was enacted to recognize and address the challenges girls face, promote girls empowerment and to protect their fundamental human rights. This year, in commemoration of the day, EKOEXCEL will shine the light on 20 girls representing the 20 LGEA’s in Lagos State, highlighting their achievements, experiences learning with the EKOEXCEL’s technology based curriculum and challenges faced while trying to access education. “In Nigeria, the cost implication for educating a girl child is relatively high but the Lagos State government has changed that narrative by introducing free quality education and improving the learning experience at the basic education level with the introduction of the EKOEXCEL programme.

EKOEXCEL is a government designed, funded and led programme that leverages technology to improve the skills of teachers to build them to become world-class tutors, this in turn makes quality education more accessible to the pupils of Lagos State public primary schools, particularly the girl child.

“we adapted by using a variety of ways to impart knowledge including instructional radios, self study packets, whatsapp quizzes and zoom classes”.

EKOEXCEL has been able to maintain the consistent flow of learning during COVID-19 by finding creative ways to teach, as reiterated by Hon. Bayo Adefuye, representing EKOEXCEL at the Mobiles for Education Alliance 2021 Symposium, “we adapted by using a variety of ways to impart knowledge including instructional radios, self study packets, whatsapp quizzes and zoom classes”. With EKOEXCEL’s digital content, pupils have 2x more learning in maths and 3x more in literacy, pupils become more enthusiastic about going to school, receive more attention in a learning rich environment and have technology imbedded into their mode of learning i.e. mp3 devices with preloaded lessons to support learning at home which is in line with this years International Day of the Girl Child Theme: Digital generation, Our generation”.

LASU VC tasks stakeholders on technologies to advance learning, teaching methods

October 7th 2021 Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the ViceChancellor, Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, has charged educational stakeholders to adopt and embrace technology to advance learning and teaching methods in schools.Olatunji-Bello represented by Prof. Adenike Boyo, the Dean, Faculty of Science, made the assertion at the 6th annual international conference organised by the Faculty of Education, LASU, on Tuesday in Lagos.The theme of the conference is: “Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Educational Development”.She said that it was high time stakeholders embraced technology and come up with innovations that would address education challenges in the country.“Our world is being technologically driven and cannot be over-emphasised, the economies of the world have witnessed a dramatic change in the last few years.“

“Owolabi said that innovation and technology would bring swift response that could bring desirable changes in the educational landscape globally.“Today’s effort will no doubt produce galaxies of developmental and innovative ideas that will lift our educational enterprise to greater height.“Lagos State is well known for the innovation in governance; we call on Lagos State Government for sponsorship of a new research project proposal in the faculty,” he said.

“Lagos State Government should also involve Federal Government in the idea of Eko Excel project in order for other states in the country to start the same project,” he said. (NAN)

In a keynote address, Prof. Emmanuel Adu, a lecturer at the University of Forte Hare, South Africa, said that technological advancement on the part of the lecturer must be addressed to discover techniques to supervise online examinations.Adu said institutions should think about giving rigorous coaching to students, so they could make the best use of the current technology.“As we celebrate World Teachers’ Day today, it is paramount for us to stay relevant by adopting the online teaching process which is completely new to some,” he said. Prof. Olumuyiwa Noah said the state government needed to sustain and continue good projects such as “Eko Excel Projects”.“Lagos State Government should also involve Federal Government in the idea of Eko Excel project in order for other states in the country to start the same project,” he said. (NAN)

EKOEXCEL: A Continuous Investment in Teachers

October 5th 2021 5th Oct. 2021 – It’s World Teachers Day today and we would like to shine the light on what Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) has achieved so far with the EKOEXCEL programme. Teachers help to mold and shape the future society and our children and on this special day, we want to recognize and appreciate our tireless teachers. The theme for 2021 is ‘Teachers: leading in crisis, reimagining the future’ – In this sense, World Teachers’ Day holds more importance than ever before, together we can celebrate their huge value to children, teenagers, and adults as the world is rapidly changing and largely unstable due to the ongoing pandemic.

“EKOEXCEL is an education reform programme that is successfully developing more highly skilled teachers; by training, supporting and motivating existing government teachers to succeed in their classrooms. Over 14 thousand government teachers are being retrained and upskilled through EKOEXCEL.

EKOEXCEL was recently invited to present at the mEducation Alliance Symposium that took place from the 27th – 30th of September, 2021 for its immediate impact in Lagos.

Teachers are at the heart of successful learning. Introducing new training models to support and empower them will impact pupil and teacher success. The EKOEXCEL training is both up-front and on-thejob; throughout the year. The teachers will in turn become more skilful in helping children to learn in a positive environment. Leveraging technology helps teachers and headteachers to be more effective. They are also being supported through in-person and ongoing coaching. 1016 head teachers receive one-on-one coaching and support. We are in the planning phase to introduce an annual programme to celebrate these amazing role models called EKOEXCEL CHAMPIONS and it is intended to celebrate top performers and will serve as a motivation to other tutors, healthy competition is always encouraged in the education scene.

Data gap scale revealed at UNGA show ignorance about education

October 4th 2021 The world’s leaders have all spoken and the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly has ended. This year’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was a hybrid – part live event, part virtual – due to the continuing impact of the COVID pandemic.

“More than half of children and adolescents are not meeting minimum proficiency standards in reading and mathematics.” In the side events, panels, and symposiums that are always pitched around UNGA, more light was shone on why this enormous gap in global learning is so challenging to close.

Some African leaders, such as President Buhari of Nigeria, chose to travel to New York to deliver their Head of State address in person. Others, including Presidents Kenyatta of Kenya and Weah of But the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals have far wider ambitions. SDG4 specifically deals with the ambition to deliver quality education to everyone by 2030. UN Resolution 74/223, reaffirmed at this year’s UNGA, made clear the scale of the challenge.Liberia, did so by video message.

“If we don’t have data we are really flying blind. If we don’t have data, it’s impossible to know where systems are and it’s impossible to know if the policies that we are implementing are working or not. So we need to focus on the outcome and make sure that kids are in school that they are learning.”

At NewGlobe, learning is a science. We work in support of visionary governments determined to transform whole education systems and therefore education outcomes for whole generations of their children. That can only be done through the gathering of data and its application to drive learning improvements. One program NewGlobe supports is the EKOEXCEL basic education program in Nigeria’s Lagos State, which is transforming outcomes for children in more than 1,000 primary schools. Lagos Education Board permanent member Adebayo Adefuye joined an mEducation Alliance panel for UNGA and explained how it has data at its heart. “We monitor our schools in realtime. This information is vital”

LASUBEB’s EKOEXCEL gains international recognition after 2021 mEducation symposium participation

October 4th 2021 EKOEXCEL, a flagship basic education transformation programme, enacted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu some time in 2019, has gained international recognition in less than two years of progression, which coincides with the Governors’ two years in office campaign “what has Sanwo-Olu don sef”. EKOEXCEL was invited to participate as a presenter at their 2021 mEducation Alliance Symposium a 3-day programme that ran from the 27th – 30th of September, 2021 that had a general theme of “EdTech for Accelerating Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in Low-Resource Contexts”. Global policy makers, donors, practitioners, researchers, and other EdTech entrepreneurs were also in attendance representing 38 countries who showcased their work in a variety of participatory formats including gallery walks, lightning talks, panels, plenary sessions, virtual exhibits.

Speaking during the session, Adefuye said, “We first used 300 EKOEXCEL schools as a baseline and the results were staggering, even in the first eight weeks. In terms of literacy, learning was three times faster and in numeracy two times faster than schools that were not in EKOEXCEL”.

“In the last couple of years, we have built strong foundations and this fiscal year, we increased our budget on education from eight to twelve per cent. We invested in curriculum development through EKOEXCEL to change the learning outcomes from our schools.”

“Adefuye further shed light on EKOEXCEL’s engagement and training of teachers, partnerships with the private sector and what the programme hopes to accomplish in the next two years. He explained that “we train the teachers and give them constant support and even after the in-person training; we continually coach them, even in the classrooms. We have coaches and mentors of our learning development and supervisors who visit them in the classrooms, observe them and continue to mentor them until they attain that world-class level”. He also went on to explain that Lagos state partnered with a private sector technical partner called New Globe, “New Globe has brought scientifically based pedagogy, which is digitally distributed and monitored in real time. We also have data driven teacher development. And also, we monitor our schools now, in real time because of that private sector partnership”.

Of Sanwo-Olu’s ‘Greater Lagos’ vision

October 1st 2021 On 29th May, 2019, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, was sworn in as the 15th Executive Governor of Lagos State. Upon his inauguration, he unfolded T.H.E.M.E.S (an acronym for his administration’s strategic development agenda namely; Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, Entertainment and Tourism and Security and Governance) as a vehicle to achieve his administration’s ‘Greater Lagos’ vision. Through a combination of ingenious thinking and genuine craving to offer the good people of Lagos progressive governance at its best, the Sanwo-Olu administration has caught a niche for itself as a peoplecentered government.

With the strong impact of the inventive EKOEXCEL training programme, the landscape of public education has been radically altered in the State. An acronym for, “Excellence in Child Education and Learning”, the EKO EXCEL programme is designed to reposition public education in the State and improve methods of teaching to meet demands of the 21st century.

Others are 13 Classrooms at Saviour Primary School, Ifako-Ijaiye LGA, Block of 20 Classrooms at Ayanleye Memorial Primary School, Ifako-Ijaiye LGA and Block of 6 Classrooms at Ansar Ur Deen, Ibonwon, Epe. This is just to mention but a few. s.

“In its resolve to develop public education, the current administration also introduced programmes and initiatives such as the home grown feeding for primary school pupils, school rehabilitation, Public-Private-Partnership dialogue, recruitment of 3,000 teachers in public primary and secondary schools and improved welfare schemes for teachers, just to mention but a few. The administration’s investment in up-scaling infrastructure in the sector has resulted in the completion and commissioning of 18 Classroom Blocks at Muslim Junior College, Egbe, 18 Classroom Blocks at Maya Secondary School, Ikorodu, 18 Classroom Blocks at Eva Adelaja Junior Secondary School, Bariga and Block of 20 Classrooms at Bashua Military School Primary School, Shomolu.

Buhari’s 76th UNGA Speech: Lagos Education Project, EKOEXCEL to feature at International Symposium

September 29th 2021 Nigerian education observers can’t complain about education not being a specific part of his speech because the theme of the UNGA was “Building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19” concentrating on issues such as vaccination, health and economic recovery. However the UNGA did recommit itself to the goals of SDG4 (Education goal) through General Assembly resolution 74/223 “Education for sustainable development in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, which UNGA76 has reaffirmed.

It is Governor Sanwo-Olu’s flagship education project under the THEME’s agenda of his administration, the program is designed to empower and support public school teachers and to increase learning outcomes for children in the classroom. The program represents the largest ever investment in Lagos state’s basic education system.

International recognition for EKOEXCEL proves that education in Nigeria can overcome the monumental challenges brought on by Covid19 and other socioeconomic factors using the right tools and techniques.

“The Buhari government does not have to look too far for initiatives to improve learning outcomes and employ new techniques in education, based on the success already recorded by two trailblazing state government education projects, one of which is EKOEXCEL in Lagos State. EKOEXCEL which means EKO Excellence in Child Education and Learning program is Lagos State Government’s statewide program to transform ECCDE and Primary education in all 1016 Lagos State government schools, bringing 21st Century education that is childcentred and enabled by modern practices and technology.

Lagos SUBEB Empowers Staff on Advance Microsoft Excel

September 29th 2021 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) has trained it’s budget, EMIS and evaluation officers on advance Microsoft Excel and Office 365 . The four-day retreat held at the board’s multi-purpose hall was aimed at equipping officers on the application of UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS) software, introduction to Family life HIV/AID indicator (FLH) with monitoring and evaluation reporting templates. In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of the board, Wahab Alawiye-King said the retreat was designed to enhance its effective and efficient education management information and also tackle issues facing budget, monitoring and evaluation service delivery in basic education system.

He explained that data gathering will help the basic education sub sector consolidate on the gains in the area of digitalisation. Alawiye-King described data analysis as that which is mathematical, practical and oral in contrast, noting that the integration of technology has strengthened learning and teaching activities in public primary schools.

“It is one of the key factor in achieving third pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda education and technology of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.”

“With rapid changes and development in the Nigeria education system and indeed global ICT recently, it became more compelling for us to converge and assess our challenges and strategise for better planning, research and statistics activities,” he said. He appealed to the participants to take advantage of the workshop as it will address the shortcomings on data collection, analysis and aid the presentation of timely and reliable educational report for planning and making management decision. “As EMIS, planning and budget officers, you should be able to access data from our database, we should be able to state what is happening now in our schools and what will happen in the future.”

Sanwo-Olu: Delivering on THEMES developmental agenda

September 24th 2021 It is over two years that a successful banker and seasoned administrator, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu took over mantle of leadership as the 15th Governor of Lagos State. SanwoOlu, who was once a three-time commissioner and Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC), took the oath of office along with his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat on May 29, 2019. Governor Sanwo-Olu, in his inauguration speech, spoke passionately on his plans for Lagos State, especially his dream of a ‘Greater Lagos,’ anchored by a sixpillar THEMES developmental agenda. Education and Technology is the third pillar in the THEMES Agenda of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration and since his assumption in office on May 29, 2019, Governor Sanwo-Olu has never paid lip service to education in the State.

The popular narrative that teachers’ rewards are in heaven is changing gradually with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as he preaches that teachers’ reward should no longer be in heaven but on earth.

Governor Sanwo-Olu few months ago presented three-bedroom and twobedroom flats to two teachers and also rewarded 13 teachers and school administrators with a brand new cars each at the Year 2020 Teachers’ Merit Award organised by the Ministry of Education for making quality impacts in the State’s teaching service.

The incumbent administration has completed more than 1,097 school projects in just two years. It built six Secondary Schools, provided over 100,000 tables and chairs, built 450 classrooms and provided 2,000 hostel beds in model schools. It also introduced EKO EXCEL – an education reform programme targeted at developing highly skilled teachers through training, support and motivation. The EKO EXCEL initiative has reached about 1,009 schools, 13,000 teachers and 450,000 pupils. Since the inception of the administration, over 2,000 teachers have been recruited for public secondary schools. It has also stretched the opportunity for continuous learning with the establishment of additional 21 Adult Literacy Centres, which took the number of such centres in Lagos State to 1,284.

10 Lagos LGs have highest number of out-ofschool children – LASUBEB

September 24th 2021 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board has said 10 local government areas in Lagos State has the highest number of out-ofschool-children. Speaking during the ‘Sensitisation on Enrolment into Public Primary Schools’ programme in Lagos.’ LASUBEB Executive Chairman, Mr Wahab Alawiye-King, explained that the board decided to go round all the 10 LGAs with the highest number of out-of-school children to encourage parents to bring their children to school. However, Alawiye-King did not mention these LGAs. Alawiye-King and some members of the board visited the Ikosi-Isheri market and Bariga Market where they spoke to members of the society. At each of these sensitisation ground, LASUBEB, deplored the use of some nollywood actors who addressed members of the community to enrol their kids in school.

He said, “Take your children to school, register them, it is our task to train them in school, stop making them to hawk goods for you. Children are not supposed to sponsor the family, let children go to school any parent who do not allow children to go to school will be sanctioned.”

“Stop giving your children wares to hawk, let them come to school, I must say thank you to SUBEB, education is free, no more excuses, nothing like I don’t have money, government school is near to us here and Sanwo-Olu is doing wonderfully well.”

An actor, Ayo Badmus, who addressed the traders and other members of the community at the Ikosi-Isheri market appealed to the parents not to allow their children to engage in hawking. Another actor, Ibrahim Chatta also said, “Parents are supposed to make their children go to school. If you want your children to be important persons in life, enrol them in school. Lagos schools are free, they teach them with modern teaching and learning facilities.” Mrs Morenike Alausa-Sulaimon also known as Iya Ereko encouraged market women at the Bariga Market to make education of their children a priority.

Nigeria: Lagos SUBEB Seeks Children's Enrolment in Public Schools

September 22nd 2021 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is seeking children's enrolment in public schools. The agency visited included IkosiIsheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Bariga, Ikorodu, Apapa/Iganmu, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Mushin, Agege, Yaba, Surulere, and Oshodi during its sensitisation tours. The team also visited some schools in the areas to promote retention and completion rate among pupils. The Head of Department, Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Mr. Oladapo Osodipe, commended the board for its efforts while expressing concern that parents prefer to send their children to the market either on errands or fend for the family rather than send them to school.

"We strategically brought the sensitisation to the marketplace to enlighten parents that their children can have access to free education," he said. Some Nollywood actors, Ayo Badmus and Ibrahim Chatta, appealed to market men and women to ensure that their children go to school for a better future.

"The Lagos state government has made efforts to ensure free education for children in its public schools. Back in the days when parents go out to work for the survival of their children, but now, the reverse is the case. The children are the ones hawking for the survival of the family. This is child labour. Education is very important. It is only a fool that will say education is a scam," they stressed.

Speaking to journalists, the Chairman of SUBEB, Wahab Alawiye-King said: "It has become a tradition for us to come out during the first week of resumption. We come out to mobilise, sensitise and enlighten parents why they must enrol their wards in school." He said the board was promoting enrollment and retention and completion rate of all pupils in public schools, adding that there is a special mobilisation department saddled with that responsibility. Alawiye-King added, "We have been able to go through our data to know which local governments have the highest number of out-of-school children. So some of these local government areas that we are currently concentrating on have the highest number of out-of-school children. If we can surmount the challenges in those areas, we will be able to reduce the number of out of school children."

Leave no child behind campaign: LASUBEB’s EKOEXCEL engages communities on basic education

September 21st 2021 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) led by the executive chairman, Hon. Wahab Alawiye King, organised multiple enrollment drive campaign rallies in the LG/LCDA’s of the state with the support of local community leaders and influencers including celebrities. The objective of the exercise is to ensure no child of school age is left out of the free basic education opportunity driven by the Governor Sanwo Olu’s administration. Parents and communities as a whole were sensitized on the value of education, the potential impact in the lives of their children and the long-term impact it portends for Lagos State’s social and economic growth.

Primary education curriculum is powered by EKOEXCEL, an education reform programme that has recorded remarkable gains in enhancing the teacher pupil interaction experience through the use of technology (eLearning)..

A manifestation of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s pledge to prioritise investment in education ... Lagos State EKOEXCEL to be featured in the MEducation Alliance Symposium on education on September 30th

Recently, the EKOEXCEL program was selected as a case study in the 2021 mEducation Alliance symposium, with education policymakers and foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) builders from across the globe, sharing good practice initiatives, promising research, and convening impactful networking around EdTech to accelerate FLN, particularly in the developing country context. Speaking on behalf of EKOEXCEL at the summit will be none other than Hon. Wahab Olawale Alawiye– King and is slated to hold from September 28th to the 30th 2021, hosted virtually.

Visibly, RestoringVision, and NewGlobe to provide free vision tests and prescription eyewear to over 5,000 people including children in Nigeria

September 14th 2021 CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting today, over 5,000 people, including children, in Nigeria will receive access to vision resources free of charge through the partnership of telehealth technology company, Visibly, non-profit organization RestoringVision, and NewGlobe, a transformative learning expert supporting visionary governments to unlock potential through powerful technology-enabled education systems. Together, these three organizations are providing free vision tests and prescription eyewear to communities in the Lagos, Edo and Osun states of Nigeria, Africa, where access to vision resources is scarce and expensive. This vision restoring initiative is driven on existing education systems in Nigeria comprising a private school network located in Lagos and Osun states, as well as public, free education projects in Lagos and Edo State respectively.

Sharing the mission and belief that everyone should be able to see clearly, Visibly, RestoringVision, and NewGlobe are working hard to combat one of the world's largest health problems: vision impairment.

Specializing in creating powerful technology-enabled education systems, NewGlobe will be leading the facilitation of the event and the distribution of the eyewear in Nigeria. This initiative is geared towards helping previously undiagnosed as well as already diagnosed patients in NewGlobe's Nigerian ecosystem of more than 30,000 teachers, more than 1 million pupils and others in the communities where our schools and education partnerships operate.

"What better results than ensuring that 5,000 school children can now see clearly because of the collaboration between RestoringVision, Visibly, and NewGlobe. We are honored to be a part of this pilot program and believe the impact is only just beginning."

While this is the first project that Visibly, RestoringVision, and NewGlobe are collaborating on together, the partnership is just beginning. The three organizations plan on continuing to make an impact by extending this project and providing vision resources to other communities in need.

LASUBEB PARTNERS LAGOS TASK FORCE FOR SCHOOLS SAFETY

September 13th 2021 The Executive Chairman, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King led Board Members, Board Secretary and Directors for an inter-agency collaborative visit to the Chairman, Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force Lagos State Taskforce). During the visit, the Lagos SUBEB chair requested for the support of the Unit in eradicating indiscriminate vandalization of school properties, removal of shanties and dislodgement of hoodlums around school territories, as well as assistance in curtailing encroachment on school lands by residents. Alawiye-King added that, the presence of hoodlums around school environment is not only a threat to the pupils and teachers, but also a red flag in the society.

He appreciated the task force for their relentless effort in law enforcement in the state and also pleaded that the unit affiliates with the Board by providing armed officers for monitoring and enforcement whenever the need arises.

“Exposure of pupils to criminal activities can cause mental imbalance for our children , which is why we have made our decision irreversible in ensuring that anytime the Board calls on us we will answer” he said.

CSP. Shola Jejeloye, Chairman Task Force Lagos State promised adequate support in terms of enforcement and also appreciated the Board for the visit to the unit. “Exposure of pupils to criminal activities can cause mental imbalance for our children , which is why we have made our decision irreversible in ensuring that anytime the Board calls on us we will answer” he said.

Parents reject Lagos model colleges fee hike

August 19th 2021 The Lagos State Ministry of Education is on collision course with parents whose children are in the boarding houses of the 17 Lagos State model colleges and upgraded secondary schools over a proposed boarding fee hike. During a meeting with the Education Commissioner, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja, and principals of all the colleges, at the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Maryland on July 7, parents were told of plans to increase the boarding fees payable by the junior and senior secondary pupils to N75,000 from N25,000.

“When the sustainable project was launched in 2015, it was discovered that many teachers across the world are not trained, so we decided to train our teachers. Teachers are not recognised, but we see you as peers, burden bearers, service providers, we feel it is necessary for us to appreciate you, go back to your society with new vigour, new energy, show love to the children and be committed,” he said.

It is about rewarding excellence, rewarding our teachers so they can put in their best. We initiated it to further encourage you. Carry every child along, the child neglected today may become the problem of the country tomorrow, leave no child behind.

Permanent board member, special project, EkoExcel, Mr Adebayo Adefuye, said, “It is about rewarding excellence, rewarding our teachers so they can put in their best. We initiated it to further encourage you. Carry every child along, the child neglected today may become the problem of the country tomorrow, leave no child behind.”

LASUBEB tells teachers to show love to learners

August 12th 2021 Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board has enjoined teachers across the state to show more love to their learners. Executive Chairman, LASUBEB, Mr Wahab Alawiye-King, gave this admonition during a breakfast event with the 33 teachers who gave brilliant summaries of all they were taught during the EkoExcel training. He explained that if learners were shown love, they would assimilate faster and perform excellently in their academics. “We have just hired some teachers and some of them performed excellently during the training and this is what we have to encourage them and they will be our ambassador. We are showing them that they did well and they should also show love to the children because if you show love to children, they will learn easily and none of them will be left behind,” he said.

LAGOS GOVT UNVEILS ONLINE SCHOOL PLATFORM FOR STUDENTS … A Largest Digital Classroom In Africa – Education Commissioner, Adefisayo

August 10th 2021 The Lagos State Government today unveiled the EkoDigitalSchool.com, an online learning platform introduced to engage students on classroom activities. Revealing this new development to Lagosians at an official launch and presentation held today at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Education, at the Secretariat, Alausa, the Commissioner, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo stated that this innovation is in line with the education cum technology agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration adding that the EkoDigitalSchool.com is an online platform established to ensure continuous learning for all children in Lagos state. The commissioner emphasized that this platform enables students either in or out of school to have continuous uninterrupted learning stressing that the initiative is in fulfillment of 4 Education Transformation focus areas of the state.

“These areas are; to invest in technology as a learning aid; improve overall student welfare and capacity development; improve the capacity and welfare of school personnel and also establish and leverage impactful Public Private Partnerships”, She said.

According to her, “The administration of Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu in realization of the unbargained challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic seeks to ensure safety and secondly to keep pupils and students continuously engaged via e-learning and teaching platforms”.

She further added that these realities reiterated the firm commitment of the government to innovatively use media technology to push quality of education to a world class standard while making learning accessible despite all odds. While speaking, Adefisayo revealed plans of the government to provide devices for all teachers in secondary schools, same way the administration provided over 15, 000 for primary school teachers through the Eko-Excel programme. The Commissioner concluded by advising students to maximize this opportunities for their academic success as the government has invested enormously on this project. “Through this platform, students can take classes online, do group projects and chat with their teachers, if they have challenges in solving test and quizzes” He stressed

Collaboration key to transforming education sector – Folashade Adefisayo

August 6th 2021 When panelists were asked to mention one word that represents their perspective of how African Governments can harness the science of education to drive learning gains at a webinar recently, “Collaboration” was the word that Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, Commissioner of Education, Lagos State chose. But that was not the first time she had hinted on the power of “Collaboration” at the webinar which was organized by NewGlobe, a social enterprise organization silently revolutionizing learning outcomes in countries including the U.S., Nigeria, India, Kenya among others.

Indeed, her choice of word mirrored the strategy of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) which has explored collaboration to deliver quality education to at least 25 million children in over 30 lowincome countries in the past six years.

An education expert and leader in learning, NewGlobe has unequalled experience in dramatically transforming educational outcomes at speed and scale. It has an unprecedented ability to gather and apply data-driven learning improvements across every aspect of the education system, providing a strong foundation for today’s youth and tomorrow’s future.

The Lagos State Education Board notes that EKOEXCEL is dramatically accelerating learning, with children learning two times more maths and three times more in literacy.

In Lagos State, the EKOEXCEL basic education program, is a prime example of NewGlobe’s approach to education. Tens of thousands of government teachers have been retrained and are now supported to teach in a digital and scientific way. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu invested in EKOEXCEL to change the learning outcomes from schools in Lagos. The approach new is paying off already. In the same vein, Edo State has adopted a model worth emulating at the national level. The Edo State Government, led by Governor Godwin Obaseki, implemented the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme to improve basic education across the state three years ago. Through EdoBEST, the government is transforming learning outcomes for over 300,000 children across 1,029 public primary and 471 junior secondary schools in Edo State and the results are commendable.

Buhari’s Attendance at GPE Summit, a plus to Nigeria’s Education sector

July 28th 2021 President Muhammadu Buhari will be attending the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2021 to 2025 holding from the 28th to 29th July, in the United Kingdom. The summit brings together Heads of State and Governments as well as officials and youth leaders to provide a platform for partners to chart a way forward toward transforming education systems through the exchange of best practices. Buhari’s physical attendance at this GPE summit is a step in the right direction. This summit tasks member countries to commit to more than just funding domestic education budgets by placing greater emphasis on improving learning outcomes and employing new techniques and methodologies which have been proven to yield better results for students.

That is why all the millions of teachers, classrooms and schools that NewGlobe supports in programmes across Africa already operate in the way that responds to President Kenyatta’s call. Using technology; analysis and continuous professional development we take a fundamentally scientific approach to education and are always learning about learning.

Governor Babajide SanwoOlu explains his Government invested in EKOEXCEL in order “to change the learning outcomes from our schools. We believe a solid foundation for our children starts with qualitative primary education.”

Based on the success already recorded by two trailblazing state government education projects, EKOEXCEL in Lagos State and EdoBEST in Edo State, a surefire way for President Buhari’s administration to fulfil campaign promises and answer the call to action issued in President Kenyatta’s name ahead of the GPE summit is to place the Federal Government’s executive might behind leveraging technologysupported learning to improve equity in access to education and investing in strengthening the capacities of teachers, recognising the instrumental role that they play in determining learning outcomes. Learning is a science. To take an analogue approach to education, one not based upon scientific principles, technology and the analysis and utilisation of reliable data is to damage the efficacy of education systems; and limit the progress of the children they are there to serve.

Why GPE summit is right to look beyond spending

July 26th 2021 By its own estimate, more than 400 million children have been affectednot achieving basic literacy skills by the age of 10 – since world leaders adopted the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 and with them a pledge to provide quality education for all. To emphasise the point, it has created its own lost potential Tracker – which constantly updates the number of disadvantaged children in real time, as more and more literally fall through the gaps in learning provision. Many of the headlines in the coming days will focus on money. The Summit, after all, is a financing one, designed to raise money from donor countries to spend in partner countries and at the same time urge partner countries to strengthen their own financing of education. Large sums will be pledged.

In Lagos State in Nigeria, the EKOEXCEL programme, is a prime example of this new approach to education imagined by the GPE and it’s Co-Chairs. Over thirteen thousand government teachers have been retrained and are now supported to teach in a digital and scientifically supported way.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu explains his Government invested in EKOEXCEL in order “to change the learning outcomes from our schools. We believe a solid foundation for our children starts with qualitative primary education.”

Results are already evident. A controlled study administered in partnership with the Lagos State Government showed that pupils in the EKOEXCEL programme were learning three times more in literacy and two times more in maths than non-EKOEXCEL pupils. Ahead of the GPE Summit, it’s Co Chair President Kenyatta has strongly endorsed investment in technology-supported learning. “We need to make smart investments in education technology to help close the digital divide and leapfrog infrastructure deficits in schools,” he explained.

How environmental project helped seven public schools

July 22nd 2021 Poor waste disposal practices are a challenge in Lagos State, especially in low-income, densely-populated communities where indiscriminate disposal of waste has become an eyesore and a health hazard. However, KOFOWOROLA BELOOSAGIE reports that pupils of seven public primary schools have shown that the environment can be clean and waste recycled for wealth by putting into practice the environmental education curriculum through the Clean our World project. Few people believed that Atanda Street in Sari Iganmu area of Orile Iganmu, a slum community in Lagos State, could ever be clean. A stagnant pool of murky, smelly water on a reasonable stretch of the road was home to all kinds of litter, used tyres and sand bags. Traversing the road, especially on rainy days, was nightmarish for pupils of Metropolitan Primary School, Orile Iganmu as they were in danger of falling into the water.

That was why when they embarked on a community clean-up and sensitisation as part of an environmental project, Clean our World (COW), initiated by Oando Foundation, in collaboration with Sumitomo Chemicals, a Japanese firm, they were applauded by residents of the community.

“This is part of the experimento initiative of our board and that is to use enquiry based learning approach to expand what we do in EkoEXCEL. It is a practical way of learning and that is what is happening here – trying to expose the pupils to their surroundings – let them know what is happening in their environment; making school more lively using practical and live experiences to show what is happening in the world,” he said.

Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King, praised Oando Foundation and Sumitomo Chemicals for supporting the board to make learning more concrete – explaining that it was in line with the government’s new drive at experimental learning (called experimento) in its public schools. He said through the project, the pupils learnt with their hands, heads and hearts and now know more about the environment. Alawiye-King said COW had worked and can be expanded to other schools. “We have seen it; it has worked. We can see this as a pilot programme which has worked. We need to expand it to other schools so that they know what is happening across the world. We must expose our pupils the right way to live; our actions and inactions, what they can cause to the environment,” he said.

Leah Foundation births, champion course of hated women

July 20th 2021 An educationist, Reverend Ngozi Achodo, has said that her foundation, Daughters of Leah was established to champion the course of women who have suffered one form of hatred or the other.

However, Wahab Alawiye King, Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, disclosed that the involvement of Achodo in the Ministry of Education was that of sincerity and complete faithfulness.

She made this known at the occasion organised to mark her last day in the Lagos State Ministry of Education as a teacher as well as her 60th birthday ceremony.

Speaking on education, he said: “It is the only instrument you can use to fight poverty. And it is important that we continue to encourage not only the girl-child but everyone. We cannot exclude anybody from getting that education.

Speaking on her new assignment as a full-time counsellor, Achodo noted that most women are faced with different social and economic challenges and subjected to societal torture and pains.

“We have Eko Excel which is a drive for right value and the development of our wards. It is to instill discipline through training so as to obey regulations and that is an important aspect of Eko Excel”, he noted.

“We must continue to encourage our wards to be educated. It is part of our mandate at the universal basic education level. We must continue to provide education that is relevant, accessible, qualitative to all and sundry. “Regardless of the challenges, this education is free. For national development to happen, there must be personal development, in fact, national development is the aggregate of personal development. In her reaction, the Principal of IdiAraba Junior High School, Mrs. Olufunmilola Adefala said: “We are happy to see that our sister has successfully concluded her tenure. She served the Lagos State Ministry of Education for 35 years. .

Sanwo-Olu : Compassionate Leader With A Midas Touch

July 19th 2021 Governance in Lagos State is undoubtedly at its best moment at the moment because the Centre of Excellence is being governed by a tested, trusted and reliable administrator. It is a fact that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu took charge of the economic nerve centre of Nigeria at a very challenging period. A good leader in the mould of Sanwo-Olu could best be likened to a bright light that had promptly sent darkness packing and illuminated the path of his people. The number one citizen of Lagos State has evidently over-performed in the last two years of serving as governor to have earned the trust, love and confidence of all Lagosians. The sterling performance of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in just two years has equally fetched him accolades from different quarters and categories of people that include students, traders, artisans, industrialists, opinion moulders and religious leaders.

Running through the major achievements of Sanwo-Olu in the last two years, the compassionate governor had consciously touched all the sectors of Lagos. The peoples’ governor had equally committed time and resources to the completion of virtually all uncompleted projects he inherited from his predecessors. Moreso, particularly worthy of note is the commendable handling of Covid19 pandemic by Governor SanwoOlu. This efforts had in the real sense saved Nigeria from what could have become a major heath disaster in the entire country.

In the last two years, the EKO EXCEL was also introduced. This represents an education reform programme that targeted at developing highly skilled teachers through training, support and motivation. Thus far, this program had been extended to almost 1,009 schools, 13,000 teachers as well as 450,000 pupils across the metropolis.

It could be strongly asserted that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had successfully and impressively delivered on his four years madate in just two years. Therefore, the remaining two years of his administration could be sais to be for bonus performances. Notwithstanding the incredible performance and demonstration of leadership genius by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor is not prepared to slow on his quest for a transformed, consistently developed and massively prosperous Lagos State.

LASUBEB describes education as tool to fight poverty

Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), Wahab Alawiye-King, has said education is the only tool to fight poverty, saying government must give its best towards education of its people. He stressed that education must be made compulsory and free for every Nigerian child, reminding that part of the mandate of the board is to provide education that is relevant, accessible and qualitative at no cost. Alawiye-King, who spoke at the 60th birthday and retirement ceremony of a director at the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Dr. Ngozi Achodo, noted that for national development to occur, there must be personal development.

He said: “In fact, national development is the summation of the aggregate for personal development.

Achodo, in her remarks, said her love for children informed her decision to be a teacher.

“The recently introduced programme of the state government tagged: “Excellence in child education and learning (EKO EXCEL), which is focused on basic education is to ensure that the children are disciplined. The idea is to change learning outcomes from schools and give utmost attention to the sector, particularly public schools and instill discipline in the pupils.

“Teaching has been a career I love so much and this is because of my love for children. So, working for these number of years has been very interesting and fulfilling. Even as I retire, I am fulfilled and happy because God really helped me.

We believe that when discipline is instilled, children are well trained to be the best, and subsequently form a better society. We are not ready to impose sanctions; we are here to train them to obey rules and regulations. And that is the aspect in EKOEXCEL that we are trying to focus on.

“When we started, the salary was poor but when one is doing something out of love, the blessing of God will come,” she stated.

LASG ‘ll Continue To Improve On Education —- Commissioner July 3rd 2021 Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, Lagos State Commissioner for Education, says the state has been living up to expectations towards improving its standard of education. Adefisayo, accompanied by the state’s Education Managers, gave the assertion at the 13th Total School Support Seminar/Exhibition (TOSSE) held in Lagos on Friday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, with the theme, ‘ Plan Ahead ‘ is an annual educational trade show that connects all stakeholders in the education sector. “There is this project that the governor has introduced that we build schools that are EKOEXCEL friendly, meaning that the roof will be solar powered and they quit big.

“And we are working hard to put it across the state; for now, it’s a pilot project at Vetland Junior School and it’s a fantastic idea and the governor is very passionate about it. ” It’s a green school and we are building schools with everything, laboratories, tablets, laptops, interactive board and off course we are not going to rely on public power supply, but solar” she said. She noted that there was need for partnership between private and public school in the state, adding that there was no way that government can absorb all.

We know that we cannot take everyone into our public schools and that is the reason we are willing to support everybody so that we have a good education system in the state.

” Be it private, public schools as long as children can go to school to get quality education and in a good environment, and that is the plan,” she added. The commissioner, however, warned schools against giving admission to under-aged pupils, which was against national policy on education. Meanwhile, Mrs Yinka Ogunde, convener of TOSSE, on the sideline of the event, described the 23th edition with interactive session as successful. Ogunde disclosed that a lot was achieved as participants from private and public schools had an enabling platform to air their views on issues which was thoroughly addressed by the Lagos State Education team Managers.

Sanwo-Olu: Of impactful leadership By Olusina Thorpe, June 9th 2021 In the education sector, 1,097 projects are ongoing in various parts of the state. Recently, Mr. Governor commissioned four schools on the same day in different areas of the metropolis. Over 500 new classrooms have been improved, while over 2000 hostel accommodations have been constructed in boarding schools. Over 100,000 new benches and tables have been handed over to public schools. At the moment, three brand new schools are being built in Elemoro.

To beef up teaching personnel, about 1,500 new teachers were recruited, while over 15,000 others were trained through the Eko Excel programme on 21st century modes of teaching and learning. The government is working on using technology as a strong enabler for the public schools.

It also introduced EKO EXCEL – an education reform programme targeted at developing highly skilled teachers through training, support and motivation, which has reached about 1,009 schools, 13,000 teachers and 450,000 pupils.

Over 80 schools are to benefit from ongoing 3000km PPP metropolitan fibre optics grid being planted across the state. Very soon, 100 fibers will be available to enhance internet capability. The optic fibers would go round all schools, hospitals and public buildings across the state. This will make the internet and data available.

LSUBEB Celebrates Children through Symbolic Registration into Schools By Funmi Ogundare, June 2nd 2021 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB), recently commemorated the 2021 Children’s Day celebration with a symbolic registration of nursery and primary one pupils into public schools. The theme of the celebration was ‘Unite to Reverse the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Children’. In his remarks, the Chairman of the board, Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King said the initiative was part of its tradition to register pupils at the beginning of the session, adding that it is free. According to him,”we have been doing it in the past and it has become a custom for us to do it again. All parents need to do is to go and register their children. It is free.”

Speaking on the theme of the celebration, he affirmed that it was apt, as government is making effort to ensure that the children are supported and to reverse the impact of COVID-19 by bridging the learning loss.

The government is very much concerned about the children’s psychological, educational, social and emotional wellbeing. The government is doing everything possible to ensure that we bridge the learning loss. And in order to achieve that, we must continue to empower our teachers through distribution of materials that enhance learning.”

In her remarks, the state Commisioner for Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo said in order to recover the learning lost during the period of COVID, with the EkoExcel initiative, the students were all given MP3 players and the teachers were encouraged to work even beyond the normal call of duty. “During the period, we had the telephone links especially for the secondary school children, so if they had any problem, they could call the numbers they could. The supply of devices to the students and tablets to the teachers is just to ensure that learning keeps going.” A parent, Mrs. Sarah Michelle who came to register one of her children going from kindergarten to primary at Ikeja Central Primary School, expressed excitement about government’s efforts on the pupils, saying that the academics of some of her neighbour’s children has improved as a result.

We’ll Keep Improving On Education Sector In Lagos State ― Commissioner By Tunbosun Ogundare, May 22nd 2021 The state Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo and the Special Adviser to the state governor on Education, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, jointly gave the assurance while speaking separately, on Friday, at a ministerial press briefing to commemorate the second anniversary of Mr Babajide SanwoOlu’s-led administration, which came to power on 29th of May, 2019. The commissioner spoke on primary and secondary education while the special adviser on the tertiary. Speaking, the commissioner gave insight into many activities of her ministry and its allied organs in the last one year to move the sector forward and the plans to further add significant value to the sector.

She listed provision of various developmental projects, infrastructure, capacity building, workers’ welfare, winning of local, national and international laurels by students and schools, students improved performance in public examinations, deployment of teaching and learning on digital platforms including radio and television, impactful collaboration with private sectors and so forth as some of the achievements.

Up to 1,097 school infrastructure projects were delivered across 970 schools spread across 20 local government area of the state, and that over 15,000 teachers were trained through the EkoExcel Programme and that 12 new cars were given to outstanding teachers across primary to senior secondary school levels as a way of rewarding hard work and improved performance.

She also said up to N12.8 million housing loan was disbursed to some teachers while a sum of N N679 million was approved to pay to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for a total of 45, 447 students in public schools to sit for the forthcoming Senior School Certificate Examination as a way of cushioning effect of economic hardship on parents and also in line with the free education policy of the state from primary to secondary schools. She emphasised that the current administration in the state is strongly believed in the education sector as a vehicle to drive meaningful development to the state government and the people of the state across facets of life, hence the huge investment putting into the sector.

EKOEXCEL: LASUBEB trains 2,000 primary school teachers By Samuel Oamen, April 30th 2021 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) has completed the final phase of training for 2,000 newly recruited primary school teachers on integration of technological devices for instructional classroom delivery under the EKOEXCEL initiative of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. According to LASUBEB, the training would not only empower and develop the newly recruited teachers and participating head teachers but also bring them up to speed with how knowledge is being impacted across other parts of the world by including technology in the basic education system. EKOEXCEL is dramatically accelerating learning two times more learning math and 3 more in literacy. The 2,000 teachers represent the final batch of teachers, who completed their training in a session phased in 3 batches to comply with the State Governments Covid-19 regulations.

All participating teachers promised to implement all they have learnt in the classrooms, noting the training will not only boost their confidence in the classrooms but also ensure their pupils gainfully engaged in school. EKOEXCEL, which means Excellence in Child Education and Learning, is an educational transformation initiative of the present administration, which is aimed at bridging the gap in quality education delivery, through the use of technological devices such as teaching tablets and smartphones in public primary school pedagogy.

In driving excellence in learning for all pupils across primary schools in Lagos state, Sanwo-Olu introduced EKOEXCEL. EKOEXCEL is an education reform programme successfully developing more highly skilled teachers by training, supporting and motivating existing government teachers to succeed in their classrooms.

Over 14,000 government teachers are being re-trained and skilled through EDEXCEL. EKOEXCEL is an education reform programme successfully developing more highly skilled teachers by training, supporting and motivating existing government teachers to succeed in their classrooms. Leveraging Technology will enable teachers and head teachers to be more effective. They are also being supported through in-person and ongoing coaching. 1016 head teachers will receive one-on-one coaching and support. The quality assurance team will be supported with digital tools.

World Book Day: EKOEXCEL pupils’ accessing superior learning materials April 23rd 2021 As the world celebrates International World Book day on Friday 23 April, Lagos State Public Primary School pupils under the EKOEXCEL Programme, an initiative of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu are joining the rest of their counterparts around the world to mark the significance of the day set aside to celebrate the joys of books and reading. With this year’s theme dubbed Share a story, EKOEXCEL pupils are already telling success stories of their own since the inception of the programme funded and led by the Lagos State Government.

Access to new and improved content-rich text books, National Curriculum focused and those written Lagos State Unified Scheme of work have been provided to all teachers which has led to schools becoming more energetic and joyful, pupils eager to come to school and enhancing the learning outcomes.

Governor Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to education in Lagos state has been highly commendable and is one to be emulated by other state governments to achieve a total educational overhaul in Nigeria.

EKOEXCEL is also leveraging transformative technology, in what can be described as the largest ever eLearning drive in Africa, personal e-learning devices in form of MP3 players preloaded with grade appropriate pre-recorded lessons were distributed to all public primary school pupils in Lagos state make learning at home easier and more accessible for children, an initiative that is dramatically accelerating learning with 2 times more learning math and 3 times more in literacy. According to a parent, Mrs. Patience Christopher. Teachers are at the heart of successful learning. Introducing new training models to support and empower them will impact pupil and teacher success. The EKOEXCEL training is both up-front and on-thejob, throughout the year. A fundamental element is better methodology for teachers. The teachers will become more adept in helping children to learn in a positive environment.

EkoExcel: Parents Laud Sanwo-Olu’s Initiative on Basic Education By Funmi Ogundare, April 14th 2021 As Parents of Lagos public primary school pupils have commended the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his brilliant intervention in repositioning the primary education through the EKOEXCEL programme. EkoExcel which means Excellence in Child Education and Learning, is an educational transformation initiative of the governor, aimed at bridging the gap in quality education delivery, through the use of technological devices such as teaching tablets and smartphones in public primary school pedagogy.

According to Mrs. Adebola Coker, mother of Toyin, a pupil at Ireti Girls Primary school, Ikoyi, the enthusiasm of her daughter towards educational content has increased tremendously and her ability to easily grasp what she’s taught in class can be attributed to the new teaching method.

I first noticed the changes about seven months ago. Toyin is now more interested in studying. Even when she comes back from school, she is eager to do her home work with very little assistance. We no longer have to chase her around to get her homework done.

The father of a pupil at Mushin Public Primary School, Mr. Owolabi, commended the state government for introducing EkoExcel in primary schools, adding, “primary education in Mushin had never experienced such a transformation and the results are evident in the lives of the pupils who attend the schools. My children are now more interested in going to school early than ever before, they come back home singing and teaching us new words and they even construct better sentences. For us, it’s a great feeling to see the changes EkoExcel has brought to our government schools especially because we want the best for our children and we can’t afford private schools” he concluded.

Parents: EkoEXCEL helping our wards learn By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie, April 1st 2021 Parents who have children in Lagos public primary schools have praised the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for introducing the EkoEXCEL programme – an intervention to reposition primary education in the state. Eko Excellence in Child Education and Learning (EXCEL) is an educational transformation initiative aimed at bridging the gap in quality education delivery, through the use of technological devices such as tablets and smartphones. Mrs. Adebola Coker, whose child attends Ireti Girls’ Primary School, Ikoyi, said the enthusiasm of her daughter towards educational content had increased tremendously as well as her ability to easily grasp what she is taught in class.

“I first noticed the changes about seven months ago. Toyin is now more interested in studying. When she comes back from school, she is eager to do her home work with very little assistance. We no longer have to chase her around to get her homework done,” she said. Another father, Mr. Owolabi, said:

Primary education in Mushin had never experienced such a transformation and the results are evident in the lives of the pupils who attend the schools. My children are now more interested in going to school earlier than ever before. They come back home singing and teaching us new words and they even construct better sentences. For us it is a great feeling to see the changes Eko EXCEL has brought to our government schools especially because we want the best for our children and we can’t afford private schools.

On his part, Sanwo-Olu described EkoEXCEL as a game changer in primary education. Speaking while receiving the Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere and members of the committee, he said: “In the last couple of years, we have built strong foundations and this fiscal year, we increased our budget on education from eight to twelve per cent. We invested in curriculum development through EKOEXCEL to change the learning outcomes from our schools.”

Lagos Revolutionises Basic Education With EKOEXCEL By Abolaji Adeyeye, March 31st 2021 As Parents of Lagos public primary school pupils have commended the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his brilliant intervention in repositioning the primary education through the EKOEXCEL programme. EkoExcel which means Excellence in Child Education and Learning, is an educational transformation initiative of the governor, aimed at bridging the gap in quality education delivery, through the use of technological devices such as teaching tablets and smartphones in public primary school pedagogy. His critics were loud that he minimised frills but splurged on the basics. Yes, they said the classrooms he built were like poultries, lacking aesthetics. But school children, particularly children of the non-elites, had schools to attend. The government also employed qualified teachers to impart knowledge.

In addition, the students got free books. They learnt, added value to their lives and kept abreast with the world. As LKJ built primary and secondary schools across Lagos, he also built higher institutions. All this he did in just four years. Little wonder that more than 40 years later, beneficiaries and followers of that scheme heaped praises on him at his recent passing. His legacy lives in the minds of the students he empowered. A neighbour whose child attends a public primary school in Agege told me of the impact of EKOEXCEL on his six- year- old son.

He likes to use the device most times that he is free and will not forget to charge it when the power is depleted,” he said of his son’s enthusiasm. “The gadget compensated for lost school time when Lagos introduced attendance schedules for public schools because of coronavirus precautions.

Indeed, the EKOEXCEL devices ensured the students could still study at home and with minimal supervision too. My neighbour also said that his son now understands his English and mathematics better. That is exactly the intention of the Lagos State government. And as reported by The Nation newspaper of March 26, 2021, that was what Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed to some lawmakers and other stakeholders. In the audience were members of the House Committee on Basic Education led by their Chairman, Professor Jullius Ihonvbere, Commissioner for Education, Folashade Adefisayo and Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB), Wahab Olawale Alawiye-King.

EKOEXCEL: Parents laud Sanwo-Olu’s Initiative in Primary Education April 28th 2021 Parents of Lagos public Primary School Pupils have commended the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his brilliant intervention to reposition the primary education in the state through the EKOEXCEL Programme. EKOEXCEL, which means Excellence in Child Education and Learning, is an educational transformation initiative of the Governor, which is aimed at bridging the gap in quality education delivery, through the use of technological devices such as teaching tablets and smartphones in public primary school pedagogy.

According to Mrs. Adebola Coker, mother of a pupil at Ireti girls’ primary school, Ikoyi, the enthusiasm of her daughter towards educational content has increased tremendously and her ability to easily grasp what she’s taught in class can be attributed to the new teaching method. She added that

Teachers from the various primary schools across Lagos state have in the past expressed the same sentiments towards the programme, calling it a right step towards providing quality education for the pupils, urginin the state government to continue with the current wave of capacity development which they say has greatly improved their teaching skills.

I first noticed the changes about 7 months ago. Toyin is now more interested in studying. Even when she comes back from school, she eager to do her howe work with very little assistance. We no longer have to chase her around to get her homework done.

The Lagos State Government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is driving excellence in learning for all pupils across in primary schools through EKOEXCEL, a government funded and led programme in education reform that is successfully developing more highly skilled teachers; by training, supporting and motivating existing government teachers to succeed in their classrooms.

Why we initiated EKOEXCEL in Public Primary Schools - Gov Sanwo-Olu March 25th 2021 The Governor made this known while speaking the the Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Professor Julius Ihovnbere and members of the committee, the Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, Folashade Adefisayo, Chairman, Lagos State Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) Wahab Olawale Alawiye-King and other stakeholders at his office on Monday.

According to the Sanwo-Olu, “In the last couple of years, we have built strong foundations and this fiscal year, we increased our budget on education from eight to twelve per cent. We invested in curriculum development through EKOEXCEL to change the learning outcomes from our schools.

We believe a solid foundation for our children starts with qualitative primary education hence our deliberate focus on primary school education and reform. Our administration will continue to increase investment to bring up the standard of education across board.

The programme has been widely endorsed by educators across the state. The NUT Chairman, Lagos State, Hon. Adedoyin Adesina commended the state government recently for investing in the welfare and educational development of the children while speaking at the official flag-off of Project Zero by the state government, where free MP3 e-learning tools were provided to public school pupils to support learning at home. EKOEXCEL is a Lagos State government funded education reform programme that is successfully developing more highly skilled teachers with thousands of teachers re-trained State-wide in future ready pedagogy which is dramatically accelerating learning with 2 times more learning math and 3 times more in literacy.

Sanwo-Olu presents 13 cars to Lagos outstanding teachers March 31st 2021 The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday presented 13 cars, as well as other gifts to outstanding teachers and school administrators in the state. Speaking during the grand finale of the 2020 Teachers Merit Awards at the Sports Pavilion, Lagos House, Ikeja, Sanwo-Olu said the initiative was in line with his promise to reward excellence and hard work in the teaching profession. Twelve cars were given out at the event, while the 13th would be given to the winner at a later date.

Our teachers keep placing Lagos on national pedestal. They have shown uncommon dedication to the teaching profession. They are dedicated in building character and preparing our students for a productive future.

Sanwo-Olu announced that the awardees would serve as the Lagos State Ambassadors of Excellence in Education for the next one year. Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, said the nomination committee received over 3,600 applications, while 23 made it to the finals. The teachers that got the cars are Adesola Akindele, Temitope Gbadamosi, Temitope Ibiwunmi, Rasheed Odenike, Rebecca Oyinloye, Oluwaseun Balogun, Joshua Olasehinde, Abosede Padonu-Daniel, Ekundayo Ajiborisade, Tolulope Odusanya, Tawakalitu Akinleye, Ovinuyon Buhari.

600 Days: A Chronicle of Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Agenda February 21st 2021 Six hundred days after Babajide Sanwo-Olu was sworn in as the governor of Lagos State, his audacious THEMES agenda is unravelling and is visible in the revival and ongoing rebuilding of critical social infrastructure and the state economy, writes Lanre Alfred This week, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu completes 600 days in office, crossing another milestone in his chequered governorship odyssey. Indeed, so much has happened in the last almost two years of his ascension into office, especially regarding the execution of his six pillars of development known as THEMES (Traffic Management and Transportation; Health and Environment; Education and Technology).

On the third pillar, ‘E,’ an acronym for education and technology, the governor said that the rehabilitation of public schools has begun with the inauguration of a special committee; and no fewer than 5000 primary school teachers will be trained to complete the three-pronged education strategy of fixing the infrastructure, the curriculum, and the manpower through recruitment, training, and development of teachers.

We are bringing new infrastructure and repairing the existing ones including bridges and hospitals. We are going to renovate schools and build new ones for our children; slums will be regenerated, and pressing environmental issues will be solved. We are going to make people feel the essence of governance

As part of the sector reforms, the Eko Excel, an acronym for ‘Excellence in Child Education and Learning,’ was launched on January 25, 2020. The launch was preceded by a two-week intensive training of over 4,000 teachers from various schools and education districts across the state who will be the main drivers of the new initiative to reposition service delivery in public primary schools with special focus on learning outcomes for pupils. Giving credence to its policy to promote a smart city with technology, the Sanwo-Olu administration organised the Art of Technology Lagos where the governor announced N250 million grant for tech start-ups to encourage young people with fantastic ideas. The administration also gave N350 million bailout for personnel cost and increased Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education’s subvention from N200 million to N250 million.

Science: EkoExcel Emphasises Girlchild Education, Study of Science February 21st 2021 EkoExcel recently commemorated the 2021 International Day of Women and Girls in Science, set aside by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), on February 11, to provide the right foundation for girls to pursue science. Themed, ‘Women Scientists at the Forefront of the Fight Against COVID-19’, the day emphasised how the pandemic has shown the critical role of women researchers in different stages of the fight against COVID-19, from advancing the knowledge on the virus, to developing techniques for testing, and also creating the vaccine against the virus.

It also emphasised the gender disparity in the education system and girls and women participation in science which needed to be addressed by new policies, initiatives and mechanisms to support them. The Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Wahab Alawiye-King said the state government places a high premium on the education of children, noting that the board will ensure that no child is left behind in accessing quality education, especially the girl-child being the ‘mother of tomorrow’.

EkoExcel is proud to be a paradigm shifting initiative meeting this challenge for Lagos through our curriculum which ensures age appropriate science lessons by providing the right foundation for the girl-child to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics( STEM).

He added that EkoExcel provides practical science experiments in class room lessons by enabling pupils to directly engage with the possibilities that science brings, ignite the kind of passions that start the journey of some of great women in science in the country. Alawiye- King said the states’s EkoExcel educational transformational program is designed to make quality education available to all irrespective of socioeconomic status making the education of the girl child more attractive and more accessible. “The technology enhanced teaching and classroom management of EkoExcel enable teachers to identify and better support pupils including girls with natural STEM acumen. EkoExcel is proud to provide free quality education to all children in Lagos State, creating a path for girls and women in science which is especially critical for Nigeria’s development,”he said.

LSUBEB Partners KOICA on Smart Model School February 3rd 2021 Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), recently partnered with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in the deployment of stateof -the art equipment, capacity building for teachers, provision of technical expertise and online portal in the UBEC Model School, as part of efforts aimed at improving quality teaching and learning in basic education.

Speaking at a meeting held, recently in Lagos, the Executive Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King, thanked the KOICA group for their partnership and the willingness to provide stateof the art ICT facilities upon project completion. He explained that Iworo -Ajido community in Badagry, was chosen for the project due to its vast expanse of land, good terrain and serene environment.

Mr. Governor is massively contributing to the digital transformation of the education sector, in line with the THEMES agenda of his administration, particularly with the EKOEXCEL initiative.

He said the board is ready to partner with the agency as it has considered three factors; commitment of its partner, integrity and capacity to handle the project . “For us in Lagos, community engagement, partnership, cross sector relationship is very important to us. Education for us is an ecosystem, where you need relationship with both local and international organisation to thrive.” Mr. Woochan Chang, Country Director of KOICA Nigeria, said the agency is committed to satisfying the developmental needs of the Nigerian government. He said Lagos State was chosen as one of the states in Nigeria to replicate the Nigeria/Korea Model School that was established by UBEC in Abuja, due to its capacity and commitment, adding that the agency wants to disseminate digital education in the country.

Int’l Day of Education: NGO, EkoExcel Call for Uninterrupted Learning, Public Expenditure Allocation

By Funmi Ogundare & Michael Olugbode, February 3rd 2021 Some Organisations and government bodies, recently joined their counterparts, the world over, to mark the 2021 International Day of Education which holds yearly on January 24, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. With this year’s theme, ‘Recover and Revitalize Education for the COVID19 Generation’, Action Aid Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, called on the federal government to increase allocation for education to between 15 and 20 per cent of public expenditure. She said there must be evaluation of existing safety measures in schools to identify gaps and take corrective measures followed by regular risk assessment at the federal, state and local government levels; providing leadership and funds to support logistics of monitoring teams at all levels; and enforce compliance to COVID-19 safety rules and measures.

As a developing nation, education is a vital tool for transformational change and is critical for sustainable development. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to a global disruption of learning, this has affected the lives of many children due to the closure of schools, universities, and other institutions of learning in year 2020. Other factors such as insecurity challenges, socio-economic factors, infrastructural deficit have continued to affect education in the country.

On its own part, the Lagos State Government has been intentional in its efforts to mitigate the impact of school closure on learners through an array of remote learning programmes introduced to facilitate continuity of education. Through the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, (LSUBEB), the EkoEXCEL@Home was introduced as an immediate educational support initiative to further facilitate continuous learning and increased engagement for pupils while at home. This is in addition to the Classroom in your Home TV program on (LTV) and the interactive radio instruction (on Radio Lagos 107.5FM and Eko FM 89.7) programmes put in place by the government to ensure school children of all grade levels are learning while at home.

2020

Sanwo-Olu Empowers 450,000 Pupils With Personal E-Learning Devices December 15th 2020 The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has distributed 450,000 MP3 players to no fewer than 450,000 primary school pupils in the state, under the EKOEXCEL project, a flagship education programme of the state government geared to improve quality education following the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic effects on children’s learning. This follows the official flag-off of Project Zero by then governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Femi Hamzat, during which he received 450,000 MP3 players to enhance learning in Lagos State public primary schools. Meanwhile, EKOEXCEL, a Governor Sanwo-Olu administration’s flagship basic education transformation programme, held a demonstration session on the use of the MP3 elearning devices for primary school pupils with the participation of Lagos State SUBEB, Education Secretaries and parents.

The governor’s flagship basic education transformation programme, according to coordinators, sets a new record in public primary school education delivery with presentation of the 450,000 free MP3 players to pupils to empower them in their learning on an individual basis, as well as allowing all pupils to learn at their own pace, and even learn ahead of teachers’ instruction.

This brings a high level of quality to primary school education that is not even available in expensive private schools to all pupils in Lagos State’s free primary school education,

The EKOEXCEL@Home learning adaptation was developed to mitigate the effect of COVID-19 on the state public primary school pupils, because the pupils were at home with little or no access to any academic activity. Therefore, the government insisted that it was important to develop a method of learning that would impact the majority of the pupils at home. Interventions of the ECOEXCEL@ Home learning programme include online digital workbooks for children and interactive parent lesson guides; provision of engaging and downloadable audio lessons via radio and MP3 players; interactive mobile assessment/ quiz using WhatsApp; digital storybooks that children can download; as well as WhatsApp virtual classroom to support pupils and parents.

Project Zero to track, return out-ofschool pupils November 20th 2020 Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday flagged off ‘Project Zero,’ aimed at tracking and returning over 21,000 pupils who abandoned primary schools post COVID-19. Sanwo-Olu, during the flag off in Lagos, noted that those being tracked would also include pupils whose parents had relocated in the aftermath of COVID-19. Project Zero is an initiative deployed to tackle the menace of out-of-school children by supporting and reenrolling children who are out of school or on the verge of dropping out of school.

The initiative, in partnership with Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), is deployed to trace, mobilize and support children who have dropped out of school due to socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic. The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said the initiative would bring pupils on the brink of dropping out back to school.

Our activities shall commence with the tracking and identification of children who have dropped out or with a high risk of dropping out of school. They will be supported with necessary relief items including school uniforms, school sandals, two pairs of socks and writing materials.

Sanwo-Olu said that Project Zero initiative would drive excellence in learning for about 500,000 pupils across 1,016 public primary schools with more highly skilled and technologically savvy teachers. He said that the state government had also recruited additional 2,000 teachers to bridge the gap of the teacher pupil ratio. He added that infrastructural upgrade and renovation were underway across all state schools amongst other ongoing educational reforms. The governor commended private institutions for delivering globally competitive educational service through deployment of the needed technology and enhancement of teacher quality and continuous capacity building.

EKOEXCEL Ensured Lagos Pupils Didn’t Experience Loss Of Learning During Covid-19 Lockdown

October 5th 2020

Honourable Wahab Alawiye-King is a former two-term member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, during which he was the Chairman of the House Committee on Education. When he was appointed the Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), many see his appointment as putting the round peg in the round hole and the former Lawmaker has not disappoint since assuming office. Our mission, when we came on board, is to leave no child behind in getting basic education in the state and to make the Board better than we met it. We repositioned the Board by giving every member a portfolio to manage. That has really assisted us in terms of effectiveness and gave us right direction of running an efficient Board.

One of the major programmes of this administration championed by this Board is the EKOEXCEL programme, what are the reasons behind it, what have you achieve so far with it?

EKOEXCEL is a phenomena in the sense that it was designed, conceived, fully implemented and funded by the state government. It is designed to change traditional ways of doing things in our classrooms. It is designed to inculcate the right set of values in our pupils. It is a complete transformation of the way we do things in the classrooms. It attempts to digitalise the system that runs the operation of the board and implement digitalisation in the art of teaching and learning in our primary schools.

EKOEXCEL is an infusion of technology into our classrooms. We want to make our teachers globally competitive. We have come to realise that the best way to go is to continue to empower our teachers through capacity building and man power development, that is why we have introduced EKOEXCEL. This is basically leveraging on technology to improve the quality, the standard of teaching and learning outcomes in our classrooms. We have a multilayer monitoring approach: aside from the agency doing the monitoring and evaluation, we have some NGOs equally monitoring what we are doing. And we have started by setting out an objective to make sure that at the end of each setting, we should be able to measure what we are doing. Performance monitoring that is all that we are doing, to see that learning and teaching outcome in our class rooms are improving.

EKO EXCEL: LASUBEB Begins Training of 2,000 Teachers 8th September 2020 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) has commenced the phased training of over 2,000 Primary School Teachers on the integration of technological devices for instructional classroom delivery under the EKOEXCEL initiative. In his address at the commencement of the training programme, being held at CMS Primary Schools Complex, Bariga, and Vetland Primary Schools Complex, Agege, the Executive Chairman of LASUBEB, Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King said the Lagos State Government had been anticipatory and proactive before the interruption of COVID-19 by including technology in the basic education system.

He explained that the training would not only empower and develop the participating teachers in their careers but also equip them adequately in order to adapt to the new system and respond to challenges that have emerged in the education sector as a result of the pandemic.

The Chairman noted that as part of efforts towards embracing the new realities, the Board has introduced a new approach which entails blended, integrated and distance learning methods, adding that it has been established that learning and teaching can happen off-sight.

He declared that the EKOEXCEL initiative will not only transform teaching and learning in the classroom but will also change many classroom activities, just as he charged the participants to conform to the new normal in basic education. Recall that EKOEXCEL, which means Excellence in Child Education and Learning, is an educational transformation initiative of the present administration, which is aimed at bridging the gap in quality education delivery, through the use of technological devices such as teaching tablets and smartphones in public primary school pedagogy.

Eko for Work with Sanwo-Olu August 9th 2020 Here is a testimony that speaks to the changing perceptions of Lagos State. “I have been working with a team of reformers (including the HC) on LASG Education strategy for over 18 months, but her acceleration in this Covid-19 crisis has been nothing but exceptional, with the full backing of the governor. Lagos will leave the rest of Nigeria behind within a decade. During the Sanwolu Strategy Retreat, I made a presentation on the Digital Economy and Human Capital, introducing the concept of a ‘Smart’ Megacity, the thrust being that Lagos State was not producing the human capital required to power its tumultuous growth. They have gone all out to realise this."

Word of mouth in today’s People’s Parliament, the various social media platforms, is positive about Lagos State. It is significant that the endorsement comes from professionals on multiple platforms and goes beyond the Nigerian proclivity to focus only on the head man. It is a more nuanced assessment of the cabinet. Folashade Adebayo, the education commissioner, gets plaudits in circles knowledgeable about issues in education.

Experts describe her as “a passionate reformer and professional."

A signature project is the Education for Child Excellence and Learning, aka EKO EXCEL that seeks to prioritise digital in the delivery of education in Lagos State. It is instructive that EKO EXCEL commenced in December 2019 way ahead of the coronavirus pandemic. It has helped Lagos pivot faster to the demands of the new era. As a report noted, “Lagos State has fully embraced digital or online education. Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, Commissioner for Education, submits that online learning is the future and most effective method of learning. “Even after the pandemic, we encourage schools to continue with the online classroom because it encourages a lot of skills”, Adefisayo stated.

Lagos Partners Private Sector to Boost Education, Promises Staff Quarters in Schools

March 7th 2020

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has promised his administration’s readiness to collaborate and partner with stakeholders in the private secor so as to deliver the needed educational outcomes in the state. He stressed the need for support resources and feedback from the private sector, noting that the move will go a long way to achieve the lofty ambitions which requires strategies for achievements of set goals for attainable outcomes.

“There would be several concession opportunities for the private sector to take advantage of, through their impactful collaboration, Sanwo-Olu said.

Sanwo-Olu who made this known, recently, at the 2020 Education Public-Private Partnership (PPP) dialogue, held in Lagos, outlined areas which stakeholders can collaborate with government to include; adopting schools and teacher training center, funding, equiping and upgrading of facilities, providing accommodation, donating equipment and technology tools.

The demonstration of our commitment in a number of ways will include; increasing the budgetary allocation to education, the Eko-Excel initiative – excellence in child education and learning which will train and support public school teachers and administrators to incorporate technology into teaching across all local governments and LCDAs, schools rehabilitation and redevelopment.

The Governor emphasized on the theme of his administration’s agenda saying that it is committed to reforming the education sector for an overall objective of a greater Lagos. According to him.

He disclosed that 60,000 chairs and table units had already been distributed to some schools and promised that 100,000 unit is targeted before the end of the year. “As a way of encouraging teachers in public schools, we are planning to design the teacher’s quarters within the school premises, “the governor said, adding that his administration would give cars to best performing teachers across the 20 Local governments in the state. As policy makers and private sector professionals, he said there is need to ensure that emerging generations of young people are exposed to the same quality educational opportunities with a comprehensive and well-rounded education that involves the impartation of leadership skills, empathy, selfconfidence as well as inculcating values and ethics in them.

Ekoexcel: Charting A New Path For Public Schools February 6th 2020 That the quality of public education in the country is declining is an understatement. The education sector is faced with myriad of challenges such as inadequate budgetary allocation, dearth of infrastructure, teachers’ lack of competency to teach pupils born in the 21st century, declining reading culture of the pupils and abandonment of parental role and many more. Many parents have had to contend with enrolling their children in private schools operating in unconducive environment with poorly qualified teachers. For the schools with suitable standard, parents pay exorbitant bills. For this, governments at all levels have embarked on series of projects over the years to reverse the trend and attract more children to public schools.

In Lagos, the key component of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s education blueprint is to deploy technology to fundamentally transform the basic education template, thereby improving the outcome of teaching and learning. The administration is irrevocably committed to give utmost attention to the education sector, particularly the Public School System where much still needed to be done to improve the learning and teaching environment.

It was against this backdrop that the state government launched the initiative: ‘Excellence in Child Education and Learning’ (EKOEXCEL), on January 25, as one among other interventions to chart a way forward for the Lagos public schools.

The launch followed a two-week intensive training of over 4,000 teachers from various schools and education districts across the state who will be the main drivers of the new initiative to reposition service delivery in public primary schools with special focus on learning outcomes for pupils. EKOEXCEL is an education reform initiative of the Sanwo-Olu’s administration that is successfully developing more highly skilled teachers; by training, supporting and motivating existing government teachers, to succeed in their respective classrooms. The reality is that in many facet of our lives, the society is moving from analogue to digital. Hence, the new programme is primed to change teaching and learning from analogue to digital in line with modern trend.

LASG to extend `Eko Excel’ training to secondary school teachers February 4th 2020 The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said that it would soon extend the `Eko Excel’ training programme to secondary school teachers, so as to meet up with international best practices. The Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, said this at a two-day induction for newly appointed Principals and Vice-Principals of Lagos State Post Primary Teaching Service held in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the induction is: “Strategic Thinking: Management and Policy Development Skills for Newly Appointed Principals and VicePrincipals of Lagos State Secondary Schools.”

Adefisayo said that the performance of students was as a result of the quality of teachers in their various schools.

It would also afford them the opportunity to understand the leadership paradigm of their work environment.

She also stated that the output of teachers was based on those in authority in the school.

It was to appreciate the need to incorporate strategic thinking into the management of the school system and also expose the school heads to electronic elite management mindset.

She urged the teachers to always adapt to every rising challenge embodied in educational leadership and also in transformational leadership.

So many lives are entrusted to your hands for grooming and mentorship; therefore, l urge you all to be up and doing. Do not forget that the teaching profession is to nurture minds. Be of great influence to the students, teach them morals and build their confidence and boldness.

The newly-appointed principals and vice principals were taken through emerging trends in effective school administration and management.

Education is a tool for economic emancipation January 30th 2020 Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said education is a vital tool for economic emancipation and therefore should be taken seriously by all stakeholders, including the government. He said this in Ikeja during the Formal Launch and Graduation Ceremony of the Eko Excel Teachers Professional Development and Training Programme. The Eko Excel is aimed at training, supporting and motivating public school teachers to succeed as highly skilled professionals in their calling. Governor Sanwo-Olu said, “This multi investment in teachers capacity building seeks to reposition public education, improve the method of teaching to make it standard of the 21st Century and restore confidence in the public school system.

“We are committed to enabling Lagos State teachers to be more professional and technologically sound in the delivery of their work. At the end of this initiative, over 14,000 public primary school teachers would have benefitted from the initiative and our belief is that this model will impact people positively all over our state.

The importance of this programme cannot be downplayed since welltrained teachers will assist in the education and development of our future leaders and that we believe, will make them academically sound, financially literate and be committed to serving as role models with an enterprise spirit needed for a sustainable and competitive national economy.

He, therefore, encouraged the graduands to redouble their efforts in order to justify the government’s investment in the educational sector. He urged the teachers to show genuine love and concern for their pupils and care for them like their own real children so that the 7-8 hours they would spend in class would be their best time of the day. The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, said that Eko Excel would lead to a turnaround of the sector for the better in the state. “Education cannot wait, now is the time, we are part of the global technological revolution. I want us to know that it has been carefully thought through and it is not just about technology but about transforming practice, engaging learners, and coming out with excellent results for every child.”

Ekoexcel: We’ll continue massive investments in education sector

LagosAGOS State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday reaffirmed his administration’s plan to transform the educational sector of the State, vowing to increase government’s investment for the good of the pupils. Over 3, 000 teachers from various schools and education districts across the State converged at De Blue Roof of the Lagos Television, Ikeja where the Governor formally launched the EKOEXCEL, a teachers’ professional development and training programme. Earlier, primary school teachers went through a two-week training process, organised by the State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) to increase capacity and develop manpower of teachers in the State. Sanwo-olu noted that at the end, over 14,000 primary school teachers would have benefited from the initiative while over 500,000 pupils would have been positively impacted.

I am particularly happy that this programme is holding at a time when all hands are on deck to ensure that the quality of teaching and learning is improved across all our schools in the State. As a responsible government, we will continue the massive investment in this sector, with the training and retraining of our teachers, making the sector more ICT compliant, exposing our teachers to international best practices as well as ensuring that our schools become a destination for work and learning.

The Governor, in a bid to encourage teachers and make good examples from outstanding ones, said the State Government will identify the best Head Teachers in all the 20 LGs and 37 LCDAs and reward them with a car each. He noted that his administration is not paying lip service to the repositioning of the educational sector, noting that it is the reason the education ministry got a significantly higher envelope in the 2020 budget. The Governor also promised that teachers will undergo free sight assessment and reading glasses will be provided for every teacher that requires it to be able to discharge their duties effectively. EKOEXCEL, which is Excellence in Child Learning and Education Programme is a Lagos State primary education transformation initiative.

Eko Excel: Lagos SUBEB trains 4,800 teachers from 300 schools January 13th 2020 The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) on Monday said that, so far, it had trained 4,800 teachers from 300 primary schools under its Eko Excel project. Mr Bayo Adefuye, the Permanent Board Member in charge of Special Duties, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the training, which started in December 2019, was structured to train teachers on the use of modern-day technology to enhance teaching efficiency. Adefuye said that training of teachers would enable them to provide quality education to pupils at primary level.

Eko Excel (Excellence in Child Education and Learning) is an education reform programme that is poised to develop highly skilled teachers through training, supporting and motivating existing government teachers to succeed in their classrooms. The programme is expected to train and retrain over 14,000 government teachers across the state using technology-driven devices.

At the State Universal Basic Education Board, our mantra is `leave no child behind’, we believe in carrying every child along, irrespective of tribe, religion or economic background. We are focused on raising the standard of education in line with the governor’s vision of carrying every child along, so that they may not pose a threat in the future

He said that part of the Eko Excel training was to provide teachers with tablets to understand new skills and ways of impacting their pupils. According to Adefuye, the principals and vice-principals also have their monitoring tablets to check on activities of every teacher under them so that they see what is happening. “We want to create that enabling environment for pupils to love schools and to love their teachers so that their cognitive reasoning is enhanced. “The teachers, through the training and with the tablets, are able to understand classrooms management and build positive behaviour development for the child,’’ Adefuye said. He said that plans were underway to take care of dilapidated school buildings. Adefuye said that the Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu Administration was focused on changing the face of schools from the primary to the tertiary level.

2019

The A,B,C of EkoEXCEL December 12th 2019 As the Lagos State Government begins training 4,000 teachers to implement the EkoEXCEL project, government functionaries, teachers, parents express high expectations of improved quality education service delivery in public schools.

It is modeled after a similar project being implemented by the Edo State Government, EdoBest – with the Bridge International Academies, a U.S. based organisation operating low-cost private schools, acting as technical partners.

Monday marked a new beginning in the public education landscape of Lagos State with the flag-off of training of 2,000 public primary school teachers who would implement the Eko Excellence in Child Education and Learning (EkoEXCEL).

A second batch of 2,000 teachers would be trained in January to make a total of 4,000 teachers who would begin implementation of the EKoEXCEL in 300 of the state’s 1,016 primary schools.

EkoEXCEL is a technology-based initiative that would empower teachers and school managers to deliver better quality education with the aim of improving learning outcomes in public schools.

An information sheet published by the government described it as “an education reform programme that is successfully developing more highly-skilled teachers by training, supporting and motivating existing government teachers to succeed in their classrooms.”

They go there and support them to monitor what they do. So, from the headquarters, we should be able to monitor what the school teachers are doing. The head-teacher can monitor what the school teachers are doing in their classroom with all that I think we should be able to monitor and evaluate and do the assessment of the programme from time to time.” Speaking to a group of stakeholders being trained to monitor SUBEB project last Thursday, Permanent Board Member, Dayo Israel, said the state expects a change in orientation of teachers in managing pupils at the end of the training. He said the teachers would be trained not to use derogatory words on pupils.

Education: EkoExcel Will Deliver Better Learning Outcomes ― LASG November 28th 2019 The Deputy Governor of Lagos, Obafemi Hamzat has said the state government was keen in supporting teachers to achieve better learning outcomes in classrooms through EkoExcel. Hamzat gave the assurance in Lagos during the Lagos State Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) Stakeholders’ Interactive Forum held on Wednesday in Lagos. According to Hamzat, EkoExcel is a state-designed and funded initiative that will drive excellence in learning for no fewer than 500,000 pupils in 1016 schools.

EkoExcel is using 21stcentury technology-enabled devices to teach students. “It is an education reform programme that is successfully developing more highly skilled teachers by training, supporting and motivating teachers to succeed in their classrooms. ”It will assist teachers to deliver at the same level as their counterparts around the world. “Lagos children can accelerate reading and literacy skills to compete with their peers globally,”

The Chairman, LASUBEB, Mr Wahab-Alawiye-King, said that through the model, teachers would deliver standard learning to pupils. He said that the new form of teaching pupils in public primary schools was in line with global standards. ”With the use of the EkoExcel tabs, it is deploying modern techniques to boost learning outcomes in primary schools. ”With the launch of EkoExcel, we hope to remove educational boundaries in both pupils and teachers, as well as collaborate in real-time using advanced educational technology.”Overall, EkoExcel will empower our teachers to become more skilful in the use of technology in helping our pupils to learn in a conducive environment,” Alawiye-King said.

Lagos to improve learning in schools with 'EkoEXCEL' November 27th 2019 Lagos State Government on Wednesday expressed its readiness to support teachers in achieving better learning outcomes in classrooms with the introduction of ‘EkoEXCEL’ initiative aimed at advancing the education sector in the State. EkoEXCEL is an education reform initiative of the Babjide Sanwo-Olu’s administration that is successfully developing more highly skilled teachers; by training, supporting and motivating existing government teachers to succeed in their classrooms. The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, while addressing a group of education stakeholders at the EkoEXCEL stakeholders’ forum in Ikeja said that parents and other relevant stakeholders in the education sector must make deliberate attempt to complement government’s efforts to transform the State’s education sector.

Speaking on the global recommendation for the education sector, the Deputy Governor debunked claims that the State’s education sector was being underfunded, saying that allocation to the education sector must be viewed holistically considering the spiral effect which other critical sectors had on the education sector.

I want to state here unequivocally that assessing the standard of Lagos State education sector by the percentage of budgetary allocation to the sector will not give a fair representation of the state government’s investment into the sector considering the fact that there are some other areas like the housing sector that indirectly impacts the education sector.

He underscored the need for education stakeholders to key into the initiative, adding that EkoEXCEL promotes modern techniques and new technologies to boost learning outcomes. “EKOEXCEL will empower our teacher to become more skillful in helping our pupils learn in a conducive environment,” he stated. He solicited the support and collaboration of teachers and parents for the effective realization of the objectives of the EkoEXCEL programme. The SUBEB Chairman disclosed that teachers would be trained on the use of EkoEXCEL model and that the training would be conducted in three phases, with the first phase of teachers training commencing in December 2019.

Lagos plans technology usage for quality education October 3rd 2019 The Lagos State Government said it will employ a technology-driven template to drive its education sector. The Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Wahab Alawiye-King, who stated this at an interactive session with head teachers of public primary schools in the state, noted that the technologydriven template would assist the board to achieve its vision of providing quality education for all the children within the school-age in the state.

Alawiye-King stressed the need for teachers to be technologicallycompliant to address some pertinent issues around education sector and improve its dwindling status in the state.

We are preparing our teachers for the 22ndcentury economy being championed by the present administration in the state. The performances of teachers would now be monitored with the aid of technology. We can know what teachers are doing with the new technology that is coming up and it will come very soon.

“We are here to work for the progress of Lagos education because we see you as critical and relevant stakeholders and we think it is germane to seek your cooperation and support.” He further urged the head teachers to uphold the mantra of “leave no child behind” of the board to ensure that children are in school.

Providing quality education priority of Lagos government: Sanwo-Olu November 2nd 2019 Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has said that the provision of qualitative education is a major priority of his administration. On Tuesday, at The Platform, an annual forum organised by the Christian Covenant Centre, Iganmu, Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said the state is retraining teachers to improve on the quality of their output. The governor said that he was determined to change the face of primary education by empowering teachers with new and basic technology to train the students. Lagos has about 1,000 Public Primary Schools, and 18,000 Private Primary Schools. According to him, the state has recruited more teachers to add more value to primary education since his assumption as the governor of the state.

“Learning is paramount to the development of children, and for us to record good success we are with a group called the Bridge House. “They would takeover the task of providing the right atmosphere for our local primary schools to have a standard curriculum. “They are saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring the primary school teachers receive the right training and are guiding their schools according to the curriculum.

They would also monitor absenteeism so as not to leave any student behind, they would also be responsible for providing the right tools for each school in the state

He added that the major aspect that would drive change and bring progress would be the provision of blackboards, books furniture and one meal a day for the pupils. On health, Sanwo-Olu said that serious work is underway to ensure medical practitioners are well equipped to do their job. He said that he was aware of the challenges facing the health sector and is determined to improve on the situation to cater for the populace. “This is why we invited people who can inject into the seed of this dream Nigeria to make it grow. “This is why we have some of the best economic minds in Nigeria who also have the knowledge in governance, ” he said.

Leave No Child Behind