PRISM

Nigeria, like many other countries in the global south, is currently facing a significant learning crisis that has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Bank estimates that learning poverty in sub-Saharan Africa has reached an alarming rate of up to 89%, creating a huge gap in the quality of education being offered to students. These statistics are replicated in Nigeria.

The root of the problem is multifaceted, with various factors contributing to poor access to quality education. One major issue is the lack of security in some areas, which hinders students from accessing schools. In addition, funding is insufficient, leading to a shortage of resources and inadequate infrastructure in public schools.

Even for those students who manage to attend school, education does not necessarily translate to learning. Teachers are often poorly trained, and many public schools are ill-equipped to meet the needs of their students. The curricula are outdated and unengaging, failing to prepare students with the practical skills they need to tackle real-world challenges.

These problems have far-reaching implications, causing one-third of young graduates to end up unemployed after completing higher education and about another third to be underemployed. This situation leads to a population that is intellectually and economically disadvantaged, unable to pursue opportunities that would enable them to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty.

To address this learning crisis, governments in Africa must allocate more resources to education, as they have only been spending an average of 3.7% of their GDP on education, which is way less than the recommended 4-6%. It is also essential to have innovative private interventions that work hand in hand with public initiatives to improve access to quality education and equip students with the practical skills needed to thrive in the modern world, and this is the problem we are trying to solve.

Our solution merges proven teaching models – Finnish student-centred learning, IPRO's interdisciplinary project-based approach, and Harvard's case study analysis – to transform education in Nigeria. This unique blend of collaborative student-centred focus learning, problem-solving and critical thinking is designed to overcome the barriers to quality learning we face, empowering both teachers and students.

We partner with schools to provide this project-based class as an extracurricular (while we work to get this integrated into the regular schedule) for their students and train their teachers to become facilitators rather than just dispensers of information. Teachers gain the tools to guide students as they work in teams to identify pressing issues within their communities. Projects span local community challenges or corporate-sponsored challenges related to health, the environment, technology gaps, economic development, etc.

To broaden perspectives, we use online platforms to connect students with peers and teachers in schools internationally. These collaborations allow for the sharing of resources, diverse viewpoints, and potential solutions. Throughout the projects, teachers and international mentors offer support, helping students develop critical thinking, communication, and cross-cultural competencies. Additionally, we adapt and integrate relevant case studies based on successful projects, both from Nigeria and globally, providing inspiration and models for problem-solving.

Our technology usage is focused and strategic. We utilise video conferencing tools, secure collaboration platforms, and curated online resources to enable student-to-student exchange, mentorship access, and the sharing of best practices among teachers. We also create an offline record of each project in each host institution to enable continued access for youth in the community with or without access to the internet.

Beyond the individual projects lies our program's emphasis on teacher development. We provide ongoing support and create professional learning communities where teachers can share successes, troubleshoot challenges, and continuously improve their practice. This ensures long-term sustainability and wider impact.

Ultimately, our solution isn't just about better lesson plans. We aim to ignite a revolutionary shift in and out of classrooms across Nigeria. Projects foster essential skills like teamwork, real-world problem-solving, and adaptability. Case studies spark students' imaginations, showing them what's possible. International collaboration broadens their worldviews and helps them envision themselves as global changemakers. We empower teachers to become drivers of innovation, and in turn, students become the resourceful, engaged citizens Nigeria needs to thrive in the 21st century.

Our program aims to serve two interconnected populations in Nigeria: students from senior secondary school to university in underserved schools and their dedicated yet under-resourced teachers.

• Students:
  • Underserved: Our program targets students in both public and private senior secondary schools and universities who lack access to engaging and relevant education. Many of these students attend overcrowded classrooms with outdated curricula, prioritizing rote memorisation over real-world problem-solving. Students in rural areas or those affected by conflict are particularly disadvantaged.
  • Impact: Our program transforms learning from a passive experience into an empowering one. We help students discover their agency as problem-solvers, developing the practical skills and confidence to tackle challenges in their communities. Case studies ignite ambition, showing them possibilities that traditional teaching doesn't. International collaboration offers exposure to new perspectives and builds their capacity as global citizens. Ultimately, we equip them with the skills and mindset to break cycles of poverty, pursue meaningful careers, and become active leaders in shaping Nigeria's future.
• Teachers:
  • Underserved: Teachers in Nigeria often face low pay, lack of resources, and limited professional development opportunities. Traditional teaching methods leave them feeling uninspired and make it difficult to address diverse student needs.
  • Impact: Our program positions teachers as the catalysts for change. We provide them with the training and tools to shift their classrooms into hubs of innovation and student-centred learning. Through project facilitation, they see firsthand the transformative power of this approach, reigniting their passion for the profession. Our learning communities offer a supportive network for sharing successes and problem-solving, combating isolation and increasing their impact. By investing in teachers, we create a ripple effect that benefits countless students, now and into the future.

Beyond these core populations, our program has transformative potential for communities as a whole. Student projects with a local focus generate tangible solutions to pressing problems, improving the quality of life and sparking civic engagement. By demonstrating the positive impact youth can have, we promote increased investment in education and a broader culture of innovation throughout Nigeria.

Importantly, our model is designed with both adaptability and scalability in mind. It can be tailored to the unique needs of different schools and regions, widening its impact. Our focus on teacher empowerment creates a built-in mechanism for the program's continued growth and sustainability.

My team and I are uniquely positioned to deliver this solution because we are deeply rooted in the Nigerian educational landscape, understand the challenges firsthand, and bring together the diverse expertise needed for transformative change.

• Proximity and Experience: I am a product of the British, Nigerian and US education systems, and I have seen first-hand the difference between them. Team members include experienced Nigerian educators, curriculum developers familiar with local contexts, and technology specialists skilled in adapting online tools to our needs. This proximity ensures our solution is not just an imported model but one designed with a deep understanding of cultural nuances and on-the-ground realities.
• Teacher-Centric: Crucially, our team advisors include teachers directly from the types of schools we aim to serve. They bring an invaluable perspective on classroom dynamics, student needs, and potential hurdles to implementation. This collaborative approach ensures every aspect of our program, from training to project design, is grounded in teachers' lived experiences.
• Community-Driven Design: We believe in co-creation, not merely delivering solutions. From the earliest stages, we've held focus groups with students, parents, and community leaders in our pilot schools. Their insights shaped our focus on locally relevant projects with tangible community benefits. This ongoing dialogue remains a cornerstone of our model. Teachers are empowered to adapt our framework to the specific needs of their communities, and ongoing feedback loops will be used to fine-tune the program.
• Multifaceted Expertise: Beyond our educational focus, our team possesses a combined background in project management, business development, and forging strategic partnerships. This allows us to not only design an exceptional program but also build strong relationships with both the public and private sectors. This network will be crucial for securing resources, scaling our solution, and showcasing successful student projects to a broader audience.
• Passion and Shared Vision: Perhaps most importantly, my team is united by a profound belief in the potential of Nigerian students and a shared vision of an educational system that unlocks that potential. We are committed to fostering the same passion we feel within teachers and to relentlessly advocating for students who deserve access to a quality education that empowers them to shape their futures.

We selected the Prototype phase as it accurately reflects our current progress and the iterative approach we believe is crucial for success. Here's a breakdown of what we've built, tested, and achieved so far:

Core Program Development:

• Curriculum: We've created a comprehensive curriculum framework merging the best of the Finnish, IIT IPRO, and Harvard methods. This includes sample project modules spanning various challenges relevant to our Nigerian context, along with teacher training materials and student assessment guides.
• Partnership and Outreach: We've established pilot partnerships with four schools across two states (a mix of public and private), demonstrating openness to innovation. This involved securing formal agreements and building a rapport with school leadership.

Pilot Implementation:

• Teacher Training: We conducted an intensive workshop for teachers from our pilot schools, providing hands-on experience with project-based learning and our specific approach. Feedback surveys and observations informed refinements to our training model.
• Initial Project Launch: We supported teachers as they guided student teams to identify community-based problems.
• Iterative Refinements: We collected feedback continuously through teacher focus groups, student surveys, and project documentation. This led to adjustments in project scaffolding and the development of better data collection tools.

Beneficiaries:

• Over 60 students directly participated in the pilot projects, developing crucial skills and gaining a sense of agency through addressing real-world problems.
• 8 teachers benefited from targeted professional development, shifting their perspective of their own role in the classroom.

Key Learnings:

• Student Motivation: We confirmed our hypothesis that collaborative, problem-centred learning ignites enthusiasm and engagement among Nigerian students.
• Resource Constraints: We gained a realistic understanding of infrastructural limitations in some schools, leading us to design both online and offline components into our solution.
• Partnership Power: Close collaboration with pilot schools remains vital for tailoring the program to different contexts and ensuring buy-in.

While still in the testing phase, our progress underscores the potential of our model. The pilot was essential for validating our approach, refining our solution, and building a foundation for the expansion and refinement of our program.

We are applying to Solve because we recognise the transformative power of collaboration and seek to scale our impact beyond our promising initial pilot. Solve's network, resources, and focus on fostering innovative solutions align perfectly with our mission and the specific hurdles we aim to overcome.

Critical Barriers We Face:

• Scaling and Adaptation: While our pilot proved the power of our model, expanding it sustainably to a larger number of schools requires resources and expertise in refining our implementation framework. We need guidance on tailoring our curriculum and support model to diverse school environments while ensuring fidelity to our core principles.
• Technology Integration: We envision a robust online platform to facilitate better student collaboration, mentorship, and resource sharing across schools. Currently, we lack the technical capacity to design and build such an in-house platform.
• Partnership and Advocacy: Creating systemic change in education requires influencing policy and building strong public-private partnerships. Solve's connections to policymakers, NGOs, and potential corporate sponsors would significantly amplify our voice and accelerate our ability to secure long-term support.
• Validation and Learning: Exposure to Solve's global network of innovators would offer invaluable insights from similar initiatives working in different contexts. Learning from diverse models will help us continually evolve our approach for maximum impact in Nigeria.

How Solve Can Propel Us Forward:

• Mentorship and Expertise: We seek connections to educational experts and organizations with proven success in scaling project-based learning models, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Mentorship in areas like technology integration and partnership building would be invaluable.
• Visibility and Credibility: Solve's platform would give us significant visibility, establishing our program as a leading solution for tackling Nigeria's educational challenges. This credibility is crucial for attracting the support needed for long-term impact.
• Network and Collaboration: Solve's emphasis on fostering connections is a key draw. The potential to form partnerships with like-minded organizations, explore joint initiatives, and share learnings with international Solver teams would multiply our impact exponentially.
• Resources and Opportunities: Access to Solve's potential funding sources, innovation lab spaces, and pro-bono support in areas such as legal or market analysis would help us overcome key hurdles and achieve sustainable growth.

We are not solely seeking funds. We are eager to contribute to and learn from Solve's dynamic community of changemakers. Our commitment to transforming Nigerian education is unwavering, and we believe Solve can be the catalyst that takes our solution to the next level, empowering a generation of students to become the leaders our nation needs.