Oando Foundation Unveils LEARNOVATE Strategy to Transform Education in Nigeria

The Oando Foundation has unveiled a strategy to change the face of education in Nigeria with its novel LEARNOVATE initiative.

The program is geared towards improving foundational learning, accelerating environmental sustainability, and developing early childhood education in marginalized communities across the country.

At the heart of the LEARNOVATE strategy is the Foundational Learning Improvement Programme (LEARNOVATE-FLIP). The programme seeks to tackle pressing learning deficits in numeracy and literacy, focusing on primary-level students from underprivileged communities. Oando Foundation, in collaboration with Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa, Quality Education Development Associates (QEDA), and Hilltrust Top Foundation, reaches out to 80 government primary schools in Ebonyi, Plateau, Sokoto, and Adamawa states.

The program is backed by evidence-based interventions, including Early Grade Reading (EGR) and TaRL, both of which have proven to improve learning outcomes at the foundational level. The goal is to ensure young students acquire the foundational skills needed for them to succeed academically, building the groundwork for long-term educational development.

Besides its focus on formal education, the Oando Foundation’s LEARNOVATE model also integrates environmental education, particularly through its Clean Our World (COW) initiative. The COW project, launched in 2020, promotes environmental consciousness and sustainability among students in primary schools. The project focuses on providing green skills training in recycling, upcycling, and waste management that are critical in raising a generation of environmentally conscious citizens.

The COW project has already touched the lives of over 69,500 students across 70 public primary schools in Lagos and Plateau States. Through the initiative, schools receive hands-on training in environmental sustainability, while environmental clubs dedicated to advancing such values further within local communities are established.

In another impetus to its educational scope, the Oando Foundation partnered with the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to formulate Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD). The partnership, which began in 2024, aims to fill the gaps in early childhood education in Plateau State. Through this initiative, 10 schools have been refurbished with new infrastructure, teaching materials, and teachers’ training. Its aim is to provide young children with a sound foundation and prepare them to deal with the challenges of formal education.

The LEARNOVATE model is a holistic vision for transforming education in Nigeria, bringing together innovation in foundational learning, environmental sustainability, and early childhood education. By targeting these areas of priority, the Oando Foundation seeks to empower students, teachers, and communities, driving long-term societal and economic development.

Through these initiatives, the Oando Foundation continues to be committed to Nigeria’s educational growth, ensuring that future generations are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly changing world.