The World Bank has lauded the education reform of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government of Edo State.
The commendation came at the United Nation General Assembly in New York, at a side event to discuss and highlight how institutions and the state, in particular, are working to eliminate learning poverty.
The World Bank estimated that only half of the children in low and middle-income countries could read and understand well by their late primary age. States like Edo have viable programmes to address this challenge and Governor Godwin Obaseki is an example of a leader that is trying to achieve the SDG4 forcefully and urgently taking actions to eradicate education crisis in his state.
Obaseki, who has become an international representation in the advocate of education transformation, is increasing the quality of education in his state using the reform to boost the economy and improve living standards.
Edo State is recognised as one of Africa’s education trailblazer is leading in the actualisation of the Sustainable Development Goal for education (SDG4) aimed at ensuring that by 2030 all boys and girls have access to completely free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
The apex bank said it has been closely monitoring and following up with the state government on its ongoing innovattion on the public education reform programme tagged ‘EdoBEST’ (Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation), a comprehensive program aimed to develop state education across five pillars of work: governance, teachers’ training and development, community partnerships, infrastructure, and the local education board.
EdoBest has been improving all state primary and junior secondary schools in the region by partnering with the private sector as the initiative is transforming learning outcomes for around 300,000 children in 1,500 schools over a four year period.