Kwara Kicks-off Education Transformation

Funmi Ogundare

Basic education in Kwara State is currently undergoing a revolution following the introduction of KwaraLEARN (Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now) by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration.

KwaraLEARN is a public education transformation programme that would improve teaching and learning using innovative technology, data-driven platforms, high-quality learning materials, effective training and continuous coaching and support for teachers and school administrators.

Governor AbdulRazaq signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of KwaraLEARN last November to develop the education sector and further boost its contribution to sustainable economic growth and development.

The education reform programme will enhance the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning), boost uniformity and strict adherence to the curriculum as teachers’ tablets will be preloaded with lessons and content that will be effectively monitored for standardisation across all public primary schools.

Governor AbdulRazaq’s flagship education programme, which will run till 2025, will also accelerate pupils’ learning, lead to better classroom culture and more robust curriculum management. The innovative intervention will accelerate student’s literacy and numeracy performance while also upskilling teachers.

A parent, Ganiyu Abdullahi, expressed delight about the governor’s strategic intervention while highlighting the benefits to students, teachers and the state.

Abdullahi who recalled the impact of EdoBEST and EKOEXCEL, in Edo and Lagos States, respectively, described KwaraLEARN as a thoughtful and vital intervention by the forward-looking governor who has invested massively in education.

According to him, “Governor AbdulRazaq is God-sent to us in Kwara because this is a much-needed intervention in basic education. He knows the importance of education in today’s world, especially as we have since moved into a knowledge economy. How will our children cope if they have faulty educational foundations?

” How will they fare in a digital 21st century where knowledge is crucial? This is a strategic initiative that would benefit all classes of people in Kwara and rescue public primary schools. With sound education for our children, our state’s future is secured.”

Chairman, Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB), Prof Shehu Adaramaja, who has an oversight on the intervention, also explained how it would further reposition public schools.

He reiterated government’s commitment to education, saying that instruction in public primary schools would be enhanced with e-learning tools and access to high-quality and well supported teachers.

“The governor has been concerned about the state of public schools since he assumed office and has worked assiduously to arrest the rot. KwaraLEARN is a further demonstration of his commitment to academic excellence and positioning our state for sustainable development in the 21st century”, he said.