NewGlobe, Africa's leading education technology partner, has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing state-led reforms in Nigeria's basic education sector, warning that the nation faces a "system-wide emergency" in foundational learning.

Speaking at the 2025 State-Level Workshop on Foundational Learning and Out-of-School Children in Abuja organised by the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) in partnership with NewGlobe Vice President for Policy and Partnerships Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu highlighted alarming statistics:

- Over 10 million Nigerian children remain out of school (the highest globally, per UNICEF)

- 75% of pupils in primary grades cannot read a simple passage by age 10 (World Bank data)

Ugochukwu linked the crisis to systemic failures: undervalued teachers, inconsistent policy implementation, inadequate funding, and misplaced focus on infrastructure over learning outcomes. "If we do not act quickly and deliberately, we will be too late for millions of children," she stressed. "With the right tools, teacher training, and data-driven approaches, we can transform learning outcomes at scale. Nigeria's children deserve a system that works for every learner."

The workshop underscored NewGlobe's collaboration with states to build resilient education systems prioritising measurable literacy and numeracy gains, aligning with the NGF's urgent push to address what Ugochukwu termed "a national emergency demanding immediate, coordinated action."

NewGlobe presented its model for improving foundational learning through data-driven and technology-enabled interventions. Its approach equips teachers and school leaders with structured lesson plans, digital tools, real-time coaching, and performance dashboards. The model supports public school systems, aligns with national curricula, and ensures instructional quality and accountability.

State-led programmes implemented with NewGlobe's support including EKOEXCEL (Lagos), KwaraLEARN (Kwara), BayelsaPRIME (Bayelsa), Edo, and JigawaUNITE (Jigawa) have shown measurable impact. In Bayelsa, literacy rates improved by 20 percentage points in 19 weeks, with enrolment rising from 25,000 to over 40,000 pupils. In Kwara, foundational skill gaps were halved in less than two years, while Lagos now boasts one of the country's lowest learning deprivation rates. Independent assessments show that pupils in NewGlobe-supported schools record learning gains up to 53% higher than peers in conventional schools.

Representing Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, NGF Education Advisor Leo The Great stressed that expanding access alone is insufficient. "Access does not equal learning. Many children sit in classrooms but leave unable to read, write, or do basic arithmetic," he said. "The priority is not more schools, but ensuring every child is truly learning. In 2025, we should have daily visibility into every public school." He cited improvements in learning delivery across Kwara, Edo, Bayelsa, Lagos, and Jigawa, noting that "Structured pedagogy is working. In such schools, teacher feedback has increased by over 200 percent. That's real behaviour change."

UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, also addressed the workshop, calling for alignment across all stakeholders. "We are here to work for one client the Nigerian child," she said. "Access remains our biggest challenge, and intervention funds must respond to real needs, not just check boxes for classrooms."

"Our mission is clear," said Ugochukwu. "We aim to bridge foundational learning gaps and build future-ready education systems that truly serve Nigeria's children. We are proud of the progress so far, but the need is national. We are ready to support more states committed to transforming learning outcomes, because the future of our young people depends on the quality of education they receive today."

NewGlobe's evidence-backed, science-based approach centres on strengthening public education from within. By working closely with state governments, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and UBEC, the organisation ensures alignment with national priorities while supporting scalable, sustainable reforms.

As Nigeria confronts the twin challenges of learning poverty and an expanding population of out-of-school children, the Abuja workshop reaffirmed that systemic change is both possible and already in motion. With continued collaboration, political will, and proven tools, the country could be on the path to ensuring every child is not just in school, but truly learning.