Nigeria launches National Reading Framework for early grade reading

June 5, 2023

By Emmanuel Uko

3 min read

On May 25, 2023, the Nigerian Ministry of Education celebrated the launch of a National Reading Framework to improve early grade reading outcomes with an event in Abuja.

The framework is the culmination of years of collaboration between the Ministry and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council — under the Federal Ministry of Education — began working on the National Reading Framework with the USAID-funded Northern Education Initiative Plus (2015-2020) and finished it with the support of the USAID-LEARN to Read program.

The framework links Nigeria with the Global Proficiency Framework for Reading towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4. It also ensures that Nigerian pupils are assessed using the same standards as their counterparts from around the world. It addresses governments at all levels, head teachers, teachers, parents, and the community.

The National Evaluation Framework for Reading is at the core of the overall framework. It outlines the reading skills that must be included in any reading curricula, textbooks and other reading materials for Nigerian pupils. The evaluation framework was developed by classroom teachers, curriculum experts, measurement and evaluation specialist and language experts from 10 language groups across the country.

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, addressed attendees at the event and emphasized the importance of the framework for the Nigerian education system.

Nigeria’s Minister for Education Mallam Adamu Adamu (left) and LEARN to Read’s Chief of Party, Dr Nurudeen Lawal (right), with dignitaries proudly display copies of the National Reading Framework during the launch.

“Through this framework, Nigeria now has a basis for equivalent scores on different reading assessments. The reading performance of the Nigerian child can now be assessed and compared over time, while improvements are being monitored,” he said.

Expressing his contentment at the event, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Professor Ismail Junaidu, said, “[The framework] ensures pupils across Nigeria develop reading skills based on the same standards. We are happy to have worked with development partners including USAID-LEARN to Read to achieve this milestone.”

The USAID-LEARN to Read project is working to strengthen, scale and sustain improvements and evidence-based practices in early grade reading outcomes for about 3.5 million Primary 1 to Primary 2 pupils in Nigeria.

In his speech, the Chief of Party for the USAID-LEARN to Read project, Nurudeen Lawal congratulated the Federal Ministry of Education and NERDC for the achievement. He reiterated USAID’s commitment to partner with the Nigerian government through the USAID-LEARN to Read project and to improve reading outcomes for all Nigerian children.

Lawal called on governments at different levels to consider revising the curricula for early-grade reading in all languages of instruction; allocate adequate time on school timetables for teaching of reading every week, and ensure pupils spend more time reading independently. He identified the need to develop, print, disseminate and ensure access to high-quality reading materials; train teachers on evidence-based instructional practices on reading; and establish grade-specific performance standards for language of instruction.

The Minister of Education was joined at the event by other key stakeholders in the education sector, including the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew David Adejoh; the Executive Secretary for NERDC, Prof Ismail Junaidu; Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi; the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Arch. Sonny Echono; Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Professor Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye; representatives from the National Universities Commission, the National Council for Colleges of Education, and other development partners.

Creative Associates International, who implements the USAID-LEARN to Read project, has implemented education programs in Nigeria for a decade, including Northern Education Initiative (2009-2014), Education Crisis Response Program (2014-2018), and Northern Education Initiative Plus (2015-2020).

Ghana panel: Women, Youth & Social Cohesion — Locally led innovations that lead to positive change

May 23, 2023

1 min read

Panelists discuss how engaging youth and women into peacebuilding programs are critical to building social cohesion in Ghana. Organized by the USAID/OTI program called Littorals Regional Initiative, the session included Father Clement, Center for Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies, as the moderator and the following panelists:

Jawol Vera Magan is the director of youth empowerment for life (YEfL – Ghana); Abdul-Razak Farida Numbu is the project officer for the community development alliance (CDA-GHANA); and Daouda Dao, the Deputy Chief of Party – programs for the USAID/OTI Littorals Regional Initiative.

Mali’s Online Sleuths: Preparing citizens to counter aggressive misinformation campaigns

May 11, 2023

1 min read

Weeding through misinformation and the more sinister disinformation in Mali is a challenge for citizens and observers. “Fake news has contributed to, and exacerbated, community conflict,” according to one study.

USAID’s Peacebuilding, Stabilization & Reconciliation program supports efforts to promote credible, reliable information in Mali. Working with established organizations, the program has trained hundreds of journalists, youth and citizen sleuths to better understand the origins of misinformation and how to factcheck before sharing content.

The opinions expressed in this video are those of the interviewees and may not necessarily reflect the position of the U.S. government.

Empowering young minds: The story of a dedicated teacher, Fatima Ismail

May 10, 2023

By Alinor Osman

3 min read

Fatima Ismail did not plan to be a teacher. Fatima pursued a bachelor’s degree in medical studies, though she could not shake the feeling that she might like to follow in the footsteps of her father and brother and become an educator.

Fatima saw how much the community respected teachers and the impact they were having on students.

“Teaching is not an easy job, and it is not a profession that gives you a high income,” Fatima says. “But it is a noble job because you are in a position to teach and inspire the young generation.”

Contrary to the expectations of her friends and family, as well as forgoing her university degree in the medical field, Fatima entered the teaching profession and chose the Al-Nur Primary School in Yaqshid. At first, her new career in a classroom was not simple and tested her resolve.

As a new teacher, Fatima encountered several challenges — managing the classroom and ensuring that every student is behaved well, engaged and learning. To address these daunting tasks, Fatima sought the advice and support of her more experienced colleagues. She attended several training courses organized by the USAID Bar ama Baro program that demonstrated different approaches to teaching and classroom management.

Through her determination, hard work and commitment to the profession, Fatima was able to overcome the challenges faced by new educators like herself. She never lost sight of her goal to make a positive difference in the lives of her students, and she remained focused on continuously improving her teaching skills.

Fatima credits Bar ama Baro’s training as a valuable opportunity for her and her colleagues to enhance their teaching skills and to learn new and innovative ways to engage their students in the classroom.

Bar ama Baro “is a well-needed program in the country as it is making a significant difference in the lives of poor children who have not been able to access education due to financial constraints,” says Fatima.

Outside of the classroom, Fatima’s impact was felt throughout the community. She takes pride in her work and has become an inspiration and a role model for young people, especially girls, who see her as an example of what could be achieved through hard work and dedication.

“My students and the youth in the neighborhood often approach me for any support they need in terms of advice and counseling,” says Fatima. “I always receive them with a smile and share my knowledge and experience with them on how to improve their academic performances.”

Like her father and older brother, today Fatima is recognized as one of the most talented and respected teachers within her community. Her success story is a testament to the power of passion, hard work and a commitment to making positive differences in the lives of others.

At just 25 years old, Fatima has earned the respect of colleagues, not only because of her passion for the teaching profession, but also because of her relentless commitment to the success of her students.

Alliance and localization: Two sides of the same coin

May 8, 2023

2 min read

Local leadership and ownership in development work are critical for sustainable outcomes. By allowing local actors to frame their developmental agenda, we create the space to develop solutions that are contextually relevant, sustainable and locally responsive. The U.S. Agency for International Development’s recent policy on localization is a step in the right direction.

Locally led development is more than just pushing funds to local organizations; it is about ensuring the sustainability of development programs. It requires that host governments and other local stakeholders drive the process, and all investments or interventions align with host governments’ development policy and priorities.

The approach must be responsive to community needs and be led by a cadre of local experts. It is essential to ensure that systems and procedures are in place to sustain the program interventions and that there is strong community and stakeholder support for programming.

Supporting locally led development with the Dev-Alliance

The Development Alliance (Dev-Alliance) is a strategic alliance between five companies to support local and regional efforts to address economic, social and educational challenges in the Middle East and North Africa. The new Dev-Alliance leverages talents, skills, cultural knowledge and geographic expertise of the companies — including one in the United States, three in Jordan and one in West Bank and Gaza — to improve locally conceived, designed and led programs.

The Dev-Alliance seeks to break the traditional mold that often treats local partner relationships as transactional and extractive. The members are treated as equals, their voices are heard, and they are encouraged to take the lead on their unique capabilities to enhance their countries’ development initiatives.

The Dev-Alliance is working to extend relationships beyond a single project and to band members together behind a common set of development principles and goals in the region. It serves as a regional platform for growth, strengthens local capacity and helps to operationalize Administrator Power’s localization agenda.

Dev-Alliance members will support USAID to address underlying factors of fragility, bolster local humanitarian response systems and enhance resilience to shocks and stresses.

The power of working together locally

The Dev-Alliance members see themselves not only as program implementers but also as key players in instigating new approaches and ideas that can ensure sustainable development. They see this as a platform that provides an opportunity to come up with evidence-based solutions to local problems through their expertise, network and experience. It also allows them to bring community needs to the forefront and serve as honest brokers between government and the private sector, as well as between the host government and local communities.

We believe in working with like-minded organizations to give space to locally rooted solutions with global best practices. It is an opportunity to connect locally and internationally with other organizations and have access to a platform that brings attention to key issues and local solutions.

A Voice for Peace, A Shining Star for Persons with Disabilities in Northern Togo

May 5, 2023

By Atiewin Mbillah-Lawson

3 min read

Togo: Azizi Sedou — The door-to-door peace ambassador from Creative Associates Int’l on Vimeo.

Weeks after Togo recorded its first case of COVID-19 in March 2020, Azizi Sedou noticed a deterioration in the relationship between youth and authorities in and around Cinkassé town in Togo’s Savanes region.

“There was tension because the civilians did not understand why they had to close down their businesses or stay indoors,” he recalls.

Preventive measures to curb the spread of the virus—including the banning of mass gatherings, the closing of markets and businesses, and border closures—had started to take a toll on the economic and social well-being of the population as attempts to resist or enforce these orders often resulted in violent confrontations between security agencies and youth.

The frequent clashes concerned Azizi—he was often called on to intervene on behalf of the youth to resolve these conflicts and saw first-hand how the situation negatively affected social cohesion.

“Everyone was afraid that the situation would escalate,” he admitted.

Since his return to Cinkassé after graduating with a degree in human resource management from the university in Lomé, Azizi had become a respected youth leader in his community. In addition to his activism to calm tensions between youth and authorities, he was also an advocate for the inclusion of and non-discrimination against persons living with disabilities. As a child, Aziz survived polio, but left him unable to use his legs. However, this did not stop him from pursuing his dreams of providing others with disabilities the same opportunities he was given.

“I noticed that people with disabilities were discriminated against, and so as one of the few disabled university graduates, I wanted to change that narrative,” Aziz notes.

Azizi and his peers from the training have engaged more than 1,000 men, women, and youth across Togo’s Savanes Region.

Azizi’s activism secured him a spot as one of 120 youth representatives to receive training on preventing violent extremism, peacebuilding, social cohesion, and early warning, a USAID/OTI initiative facilitated by Timbuktu Institute and organized by Togo’s National Youth Council.

After the first training, Azizi was again selected, alongside 19 other promising youth leaders, to participate in an advanced advocacy and conflict-sensitive communication session. “After the training is when I became a spokesperson for the youth, irrespective of their abilities, I understood what was meant by violent extremism, how the ongoing conflicts made our community vulnerable, and how to prevent violent extremism,” explains Azizi, who now goes from house to house to sensitize his peers and his community about the need for social cohesion, early warning and preventing violent extremism.

Azizi and his peers from the training have engaged more than 1,000 men, women, and youth across Togo’s Savanes Region and continue to reach more residents. As a result of these engagements, there has been an improvement in the relationship between the authorities and youth, observed by greater collaboration between both parties for information sharing and providing security updates.

“My dream is of Cinkassé where everyone is at peace, where there is this social cohesion, there are no prejudices based on ethnicities, social standing or disability,” Azizi concludes.

Strengthening education systems with good governance: Lessons from Jordan, Yemen and Nigeria

April 25, 2023

By Ashley Williams

5 min read

Safe, equitable access to quality education is a worldwide challenge, and weak governance can derail education efforts. People often think about education as what happens in a classroom, but there is an entire system behind it that must function well for students to succeed.

If a government cannot hire and retain teachers, education availability and quality suffer. If ministries duplicate efforts because they did not collaborate, students can receive fewer resources.

The everyday mechanics of governing make the magic of education possible. Creative works around the world to transform education systems by building government capacity to respond to student and labor market needs.

“Our projects in countries like Jordan, Yemen and Nigeria show how investing in systems plants seeds for education to flourish,” says Cory Heyman, Vice President of Creative’s Education for Development division.

Creating a national teacher policy framework in Jordan

Jordan’s growing population of school-aged children, the COVID-19 pandemic and an influx of refugees from Syria and elsewhere are straining the country’s public education system.

Despite the government’s best intentions to meet these burgeoning needs, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth continue to confront internal challenges, like systemic barriers, resource limitations, poor coordination among agencies and the absence of reliable metrics, among others. The impact is evident across the youth and education sectors, where reforms are lacking to help children and youth reach their full potential.

USAID’s Jordan Technical Assistance Program seeks to transform the organizational culture and improve the systems (e.g., human resources, finance, etc.) and abilities within the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth to ensure officials can implement much-needed reforms.

One measure they are taking is to create a new teacher policy framework. The framework includes making teaching a more attractive profession, developing systems to train educators and creating career pathways.

“These elements will help improve how the society thinks about teachers and further professionalize the field, ultimately improving the quality of education,” says Mamdouh Fadil, the project’s Chief of Party.

Good governance supports education system sustainability by creating a legal framework based on accountability, transparency, open dialogue and participation. The new teacher policy framework builds a system that encourages excellence, activity and creativity and supports better teacher development and lifelong learning.

Strengthening HR and governance in Yemen

Conflict and displacement in Yemen have depleted Ministry and school staff, leaving a fractured and unsupported education system. The USAID Gateway to Education project is identifying and addressing gaps in the administration, governance, personnel, and delivery of functional, safe and inclusive education.

With Save the Children as the lead implementer, Creative has worked with the Ministry of Education to study how it can improve service delivery in the education sector. One piece of this has been researching what teachers already know, how they’re applying that knowledge in the classroom and what the Ministry has in place to train teachers over the lifespan of their careers.

With this information, the project and Ministry are working together to create new policies that restructure recruiting — so they can get the right people into the right education jobs — and their learning management system, which is a tool to measure teacher professional development over time.

“Investing in the human resources side of education governance is critical. Children have access to better teachers when the Ministry has the right policies in place to recruit and support educators,” says Kate Fleming, Senior Project Director at Creative.

Applying “the 5 Cs” in Nigeria

Four Nigerian boys in their classroom wearing green and white checkered school uniforms and smiling.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria is home to one in five of the world’s out-of-school children. While education is technically free and compulsory in the country, it is not translating to students in seats.

“A major factor promoting this unfortunate situation is the country’s high population growth rate (2.41%) without a corresponding increase in educational provisions,” says Nurudeen Lawal, Chief of Party for the USAID-funded LEARN to Read program. “Nigeria’s education spending is below the international benchmark and the resources are allocated inefficiently, with southern states spending significantly more on education than northern states.”

Countless successive governments have declared an education crisis in Nigeria, but governance issues continue to create barriers to quality, accessible education. The many agencies, commissions and institutions that define Nigerian government structures form a complex web of interests, responsibilities and authorities with overlapping roles and competing demands.

LEARN to Read recognizes that evidence-based classroom interventions are necessary in Nigeria, but they are insufficient on their own. The project must strengthen governance and the systems that underpin early grade reading at all levels to achieve transformational change.

“LEARN to Read works with the government to transform attitudes about reading at every level of the reading ecology that surrounds a child,” says Scott Frick, Creative’s Senior Project Director. “At the state level, for example, this can look like using social behavior change research to help officials understand the onus and opportunity for supporting learning through planning.”

This involves implementing the 5Cs framework: context, collaboration, coherence, connection and continuation. We must understand the complex government context in Nigeria and use that to make the right connections and promote collaboration at the federal, state and local levels. All of this must be mobilized towards a coherent, unified aim to shift mindsets and ensure effective early grade reading practices continue past the lifespan of the project.

“The 5 Cs ensure we’re tying everything together and considering everything needed for meaningful and sustained progress in a complex environment,” says Scott Frick, Creative’s Senior Project Director.

Effective systems rely on interdependence and interaction. Creating, implementing and maintaining an education system has many moving parts across government and other institutions. Systems need to collaborate horizontally between institutions and vertically down to schools. When this is done well, it can empower actors to do their part in bettering student outcomes.

“Organizational culture and behavior change are inherent in strengthening government systems to be responsive to its citizens. The work being done in these three countries are good examples of that,” says Susan Ayari, Program Area Director for Creative’s Education for Development Division.

Trauma-informed education in Northern Ethiopia

April 25, 2023

1 min read

USAID’s READ II Education Recovery Activity includes a key component that addressed the traumas sustained by students, educators and their families as a result of the two-year conflict in Northern Ethiopia.

A trauma-informed system is “one in which all parties involved recognize and respond to the impact of traumatic stress on those who have contact with the system including children, caregivers, staff, and service providers.” Adopting trauma-informed practices, “schools undertake a holistic approach to recognize, understand and address the learning needs of children impacted by trauma.”

Originally designed as an early grade reading program, USAID’s READ II Education Recovery Activity pivoted to provide education in conflict services to students, educators and families in three regions. It demonstrated how education can be a life sustaining tool in conflict affected communities by supporting about 500,000 children to return to learning and continue their education.

READ II Education Recovery Activity is implemented by Creative Associates International and World Vision. The opinions expressed in this video are of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the U.S. government or its implementing organizations.

Using art to overcome trauma in northern Ethiopia

April 25, 2023

1 min read

After two years of conflict concentrated primarily in northern Ethiopia, most students were traumatized and many were reluctant to return to their classrooms. The USAID READ II Education Recovery Activity stepped in with psychological first aid and social-emotional learning interventions.

The program worked with schools to use art and other techniques to support students. The objective is to engage students in creative exercises to reflect on their experiences during the conflict and envision a better future, build their self-esteem and express dreams and desires for their futures and hopes.

Ongoing monitoring of the students have found that the artwork and other interventions are supporting efforts to help them to overcome the traumatic experiences.

USAID’s READ II Education Recovery Activity has transformed education into a life-sustaining activity that reached more than 500,000 students in 1,100+ schools. Its work continues today.

The Journey of a Book

April 21, 2023

By Alinor Osman

3 min read

books being transported on donkeycarts in Marka, Somalia

Mohamed, age 12, is lost in his English Level 2 textbook. He leans in close, meticulously following along in the story passage so he can answer the questions on the next page. The stacks of books on each of his classmate’s desks represent a world of knowledge they are eager to explore.

These textbooks — including math, science, Somali, Arabic and English — are essential to the Bar ama Baro accelerated basic education program. Each one took a long journey from development and printing to being delivered to urban, IDP and rural schools in 31 districts.

The U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Bar ama Baro program is implemented with Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education and its state-level counterparts to open new opportunities for Mohamed and over 100,000 other Somali children.

Bar ama Baro, part of the Ministry’s efforts to expand basic education, allows out-of-school children and youth to complete the eight-year primary cycle in four years and allows for transition into the formal school system. This requires high-quality textbooks that can support learning at an accelerated pace.

Writing impactful textbooks

Students attend class at a school in in Baidoa, Somalia, on 04 September 2022. Credit: © Ismail Taxta

Before a textbook makes it onto a student’s desk, it takes a team of writers to turn a curriculum into a practical and engaging tool for children.

Bar ama Baro contracted Beder Printing House, a Somali company, and trained them on the specifics of accelerated basic education and how to improve the textbook writing process. The program provided ongoing support and reviewed the accelerated basic education syllabus, scope and sequence, textbook and final teacher guides developed by Beder.

“The writing process of the textbooks went through a rigorous quality assurance process and multiple review layers, and our team of Somalia experts worked tirelessly to ensure that the books were of the highest quality and that all feedback from different stakeholders was incorporated during the review stages,” says Beder’s Writing Supervisor Aden Abdullahi, Ph.D.

Bringing subject experts together for review and design

Students attend class at a school in in Baidoa, Somalia, on 04 September 2022.

The textbook chapters went through several stages of review to draw from different areas of subject expertise and improve the textbook quality, starting with the Beder supervisor, the Bar ama Baro technical team, the Ministry of Education supervisor and finally USAID.

Next, the textbooks were presented to key stakeholders from the Ministry of Education, state ministries of education, schools, and NGOs to ensure their feedback was heard and incorporated.

“It was very important to get people from different groups involved in the reviewing and validating process,” says Amin Mukhtar Ahmed, the Director General for the Hirshabelle State Ministry of Education. “Our feedback ensured that the curriculum was relevant, effective and inclusive.”

Turning a curriculum into a physical book

Beder printed more than half a million copies of the books for over 100,000 students.

“We were thrilled, and it gave us a great sense of pride and accomplishment to hold the physical books in our hands for the first time,” says Mohamed Hassan Mukhtar, the Ministry’s Director of Curriculum Department.

“It represented a huge milestone in our efforts to expand access to education for out-of-school children and youth.”

Delivering books by any means necessary

Books being offloaded from boats in Barawe

The final step is to get the textbooks into students’ hands. While this is more straightforward somewhere like Mogadishu, the program has to get creative to deliver books in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

Isolated districts like Baardheere and Diinsoor received textbooks books by air. In Lower Shabelle, when road access was not feasible and there were no local flights available, the books were shipped by boat to Marka and Baraawe, then transferred to carts and trucks to make it the last stretch to schools.

Access to textbooks has been a game-changer for Mohamed. He finds it easier to remember what the teacher said in class, completes practice exercises that have significantly improved his understanding and academic performance.

Togo: Azizi — L’ambassadeur itinerant de la paix

April 21, 2023

1 min read

Dans le nord du Togo, le Programme Régional d’Appui Aux Pays Côtiers de l’USAID/OTI s’est associé au Conseil National de la Jeunesse et à Timbuktu Institute pour former 120 jeunes leaders sur, le plaidoyer en faveur de la paix et la cohésion sociale. Après la formation, l’un des jeunes, Azizi Sedou, forme et sensibilise sa communauté à la prévention des conflits et au renforcement de la cohésion sociale.

Azizi et ses pairs ont sensibilisé plus de 1 000 hommes, femmes et jeunes dans la région des Savanes et continuent d’atteindre d’autres membres de leurs communautés.

Togo: Azizi Sedou — The door-to-door peace ambassador

April 21, 2023

1 min read

In northern Togo, USAID/OTI’s Littorals Regional Initiative partnered with the Conseil National de la Jeunesse and the Timbuktu Institute to train 120 youth leaders on peace advocacy and social cohesion.

One of the graduates of the training program, Azizi Sedou, goes from house to house and engages residents about the need for social cohesion and conflict prevention. Azizi and his peers have engaged more than 1,000 men, women and youth across the Savanes Region and continue to reach more residents.

Produced by Littorals Regional Initiative on behalf of USAID/OTI. The opinions expressed in this video are of the interviewees and may not reflect the position of the U.S. government.