When the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme was launched in 2018, it was in response to a system-wide crisis in learning outcomes across Edo State’s public schools. Nearly one in four children between ages 5 and 16 were illiterate, and one in five lacked basic numeracy skills. Students were missing an average of 6.9 days of school each month amounting to nearly 44% of instructional time lost. The primary school completion rate stood at just 45%, compared to Nigeria’s national average of 68% and the OECD average of 98%. It was against this backdrop that the Edo State Government, in partnership with NewGlobe, introduced a model that has since become a national reference point.
From the outset, the strategy behind EdoBEST was rooted in system-wide transformation, not piecemeal reform. Structured pedagogy became the core of the initiative developing sequenced lesson plans aligned with the national curriculum, delivered digitally through tablets issued to teachers. These devices provide daily, research-backed lesson content and track teacher usage and attendance, ensuring accountability and consistency across all schools regardless of location or resources.
What distinguishes EdoBEST is not just the integration of technology but how that technology is used to reinforce effective teaching. The system captures real-time data covering student attendance, lesson completion, and performance metrics allowing for evidence-based interventions. Teachers are coached and supported through continuous professional development, while data dashboards help administrators address learning gaps swiftly. In resource-constrained environments where teacher shortages persist, the programme innovated with a mixed-grade teaching model, enabling a single educator to manage levelled instruction across combined classrooms.
The results have been substantial. Within one term of implementation, Primary 3 students in EdoBEST schools scored six percentage points higher in mathematics and seven points higher in English literacy compared to their peers in non-EdoBEST schools. More tellingly, the programme has led to a 61% increase in enrolment at the lower primary level, driven by renewed parental trust in the public education system.
The programme’s reach is expansive. Over 16,000 teachers have been trained, and more than 380,000 students in primary and junior secondary schools are currently benefitting from EdoBEST. These figures underscore the scalable nature of its interventions.
Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), described EdoBEST as “a revolution.” Speaking to Business Day following a UBEC gathering of 36 State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Chairmen in Benin City, Bobboyi said, “EdoBEST brought a paradigm shift to basic education services delivery in Nigeria.” He highlighted how Governor Godwin Obaseki’s strategic decision in 2017 to invest in basic education led to structural reforms that transformed classroom learning across the state.
Bobboyi noted that the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) at the foundational level is no longer optional. “We must incorporate ICT into what we do at the basic education level now,” he said. As part of this digital shift, UBEC is also supporting e-learning hubs across Nigeria, with the Abudu Smart School in Edo State serving as the South-South zonal model. The school includes facilities like robotic labs, smart boards, fiber-optic connectivity, and solar power—built to serve as a training hub for teachers across the region.
Beyond EdoBEST’s direct impact, the programme represents a broader movement toward a modernised education system in Nigeria one that can compete globally. The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s education system, with many learners left without access to learning for months. Initiatives like EdoBEST offer a model for resilience, ensuring continuity of education even in times of disruption.
With continued political will and strategic investment, the programme’s data-driven and technology-enabled structure offers a roadmap for other states. As Bobboyi emphasised, basic education is foundational not just for children, but for the development of Nigeria as a whole. “Anybody trying to oversee this system must be in a position to mobilise the stakeholders the parents, traditional institutions, and education providers to be on the same page in making sure we do not disappoint the Nigerian child,” he said.
Today, as other states and education leaders look to emulate EdoBEST, the message is clear: effective system-wide reform is possible. With structured pedagogy, teacher empowerment, and a commitment to data-driven improvement, the transformation of Nigeria’s public education system has a clear and scalable blueprint.
