EKOEXCEL transforms Lagos public education

Education

As EKOEXCEL celebrates its fifth anniversary, the Lagos State government's groundbreaking initiative has proven to be a game-changer in transforming public primary education.



Launched in 2019 by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu under the THEMES Agenda, EKOEXCEL (Excellence in Child Education and Learning) was designed to elevate education standards and bridge the learning gap in Lagos State’s public primary schools.




Five years on, the programme has recorded significant milestones, reshaped classroom experiences, and delivered measurable learning gains, establishing itself as a beacon of hope for educational reforms across Nigeria and beyond.



Since its inception, EKOEXCEL has systematically improved the foundational literacy and numeracy skills of pupils, empowering them with the tools needed for future academic success.



The programme, managed by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), in partnership with NewGlobe, a technical partner renowned for its innovative, technology-driven educational solutions.



By leveraging modern pedagogical methods, technology, and data-driven approaches, EKOEXCEL has successfully moved over 13,000 teachers from analogue to digital teaching methods, reaching nearly a million children across 1,013 public primary schools.




The impact of this transformation is evident in the significant strides made in the education sector of Lagos State.
The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 presented a unique challenge to education systems worldwide, including Lagos.



EKOEXCEL, however, adapted quickly by launching the EKOEXCEL@home initiative, ensuring continuity in learning despite school closures.



The innovative approach combined self-study activity packets, interactive audio sessions, virtual classroom experiences, and WhatsApp quizzes, guaranteeing that pupils, even in the most remote and poorly connected communities, could continue learning.



This swift adaptation became a model for other states and regions grappling with similar challenges.
The data speaks volumes about EKOEXCEL’s effectiveness.



The 2020-2021 Endline Fluency and Numeracy Evaluation revealed that EKOEXCEL pupils made substantial progress in oral reading fluency and foundational numeracy.



An average Primary 3 pupil under EKOEXCEL now reads at nearly the same fluency level as an average Primary 5 pupil before the programme’s launch.



In terms of numeracy, the achievements are equally remarkable, demonstrating that the learning gains achieved through EKOEXCEL are substantial and at par with global best practices.


A study by Nobel Prize-winning economist, Prof. Michael Kremer, further validated EKOEXCEL's approach.



The study found that early childhood development (ECD) and primary school pupils in education programmes employing NewGlobe's methodology, as used in EKOEXCEL, gained almost an additional year of learning in just two years compared to their peers in traditional schools.



These results are unprecedented and have reinforced EKOEXCEL's standing as a leading educational intervention that aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 4.1.1.b, which aims to reduce learning deprivation by ensuring all children can read a simple passage with comprehension by the end of primary school.