In a bid to improve basic education, a fact-finding mission led by Hadiza Abubakar Yaradua, the Commissioner of the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education, visited the EKOEXCEL (Excellence in Child Education and Learning) project in Lagos State. The objective was to understand the EKOEXCEL model to develop a similar transformative education project in Katsina State.
During the visit, Commissioner Yaradua and her team, including Dr. Kabir Magaji, Chairman of the Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board, were received by Dr. Hakeem Shittu, Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, and Hon. Bayo Adefuye, Chairman of the EKOEXCEL Steering Committee.
Launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2019, EKOEXCEL is Lagos State’s flagship education transformation program. It aims to enhance teacher support and learning outcomes across 1,016 public primary schools, benefiting approximately 15,000 teachers and 500,000 pupils. EKOEXCEL utilizes intensive teacher training, continuous support, technology, and big data to deliver high-quality, culturally sensitive, grade-appropriate lessons consistently.
EKOEXCEL has achieved significant success, particularly in reducing learning deprivation. Before the program, less than 10% of pupils could read a simple age-appropriate passage with comprehension by the end of primary school. Within 80 instructional weeks, this figure has been increased fourfold aligning the performance of EKOEXCEL pupils with those in upper-middle-income countries of the world.
Commissioner Yaradua expressed her satisfaction with the program, noting its potential for a similar initiative in Katsina. She highlighted the benefits of the technology used, particularly the tablets, which she found to enhance teacher efficiency and classroom engagement. “I like what I’ve seen so far, especially the tablet. It would create so much efficiency with our teachers and it is very rich in terms of the content,” she remarked. She also praised the engaging classroom environment fostered by the technology.
Following this visit, the Katsina State Government is exploring the implementation of a technology-enabled system for its basic education sector. This includes a digital learning platform, intensive teacher training and coaching, adaptive instructional content, live data-driven monitoring, and comprehensive people and technology support.
Governor Radda’s administration remains dedicated to transforming Katsina’s educational landscape, aiming to provide a brighter future for its children through improved educational opportunities and outcomes.
This article appeared originally on Sun News, 26 May , 2024
