How EdoBEST is Improving Learning in Nigeria Through Data, Training, and Innovation

The EdoBEST program, backed by the World Bank, the American Institute of Research, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is transforming education in Edo State, Nigeria, through structured pedagogy, teacher coaching, digital learning, and data-driven assessments. While it has improved attendance, teaching quality, and learning outcomes, challenges remain in teacher proficiency, curriculum flexibility, financial sustainability, and equitable access to resources.

The Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) program, a collaboration involving the World Bank, the American Institute of Research, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Accelerator Program, is a pioneering effort to revamp the education sector in Edo State, Nigeria. Faced with low teacher quality, inadequate infrastructure, and governance inefficiencies, the state launched EdoBEST in 2018 to introduce structured pedagogy, digital learning, and teacher training reforms. Covering approximately 381,000 students in over 1,200 schools, the program aims to enhance foundational learning through evidence-based interventions. The initiative is a response to years of educational decline, characterized by teacher absenteeism, outdated teaching materials, and a lack of accountability in public schools.

Revolutionizing Teaching with Structured Pedagogy

At the core of EdoBEST is structured pedagogy, a system where teachers use scripted lesson plans delivered on digital tablets, ensuring uniformity in teaching across schools. While this has brought structure and consistency, some teachers find the lessons too rigid, limiting their ability to adapt to student needs. The heavy emphasis on memorization over critical thinking remains a challenge. However, the system has led to increased teacher engagement, more structured classroom activities, and improved student assessment practices. Teachers now have a clearer framework for lesson pacing, but many complain that they struggle to complete all planned activities within the allocated time.

To support teachers, EdoBEST introduced a coaching system led by Learning and Development Officers (LDOs), who regularly visit schools to provide feedback and mentorship. On average, one LDO supports eleven schools, ensuring teachers receive ongoing guidance and evaluation. However, fundamental issues persist, with only 19.2% of teachers proficient in the subjects they teach. The low quality of teacher training programs before EdoBEST remains a significant concern, leading the government to introduce the EdoSTAR Teaching Fellows Program, which recruits university graduates from diverse academic backgrounds. These fellows undergo intensive training before being placed in classrooms, offering an alternative to Nigeria’s traditional, often ineffective, pre-service teacher training system.

Closing the Learning Gap with Textbooks and Digital Tools

A major component of EdoBEST is ensuring students have access to textbooks and learning materials. By 2023, over 1.5 million books were distributed to address previous shortages. While this has helped bridge the resource gap, alignment between textbooks and scripted lessons remains an area for improvement. Additionally, only 45% of classrooms currently meet the standard of 90% of students having access to textbooks, indicating the need for further investment.

The EdoBEST@Home initiative, designed to supplement classroom learning with digital resources, has shown limited success due to infrastructure challenges. Many students lack access to devices and reliable internet connectivity, which has restricted the program’s reach. While technology has proven to be a powerful educational tool in other contexts, its effectiveness in Edo depends on ensuring affordable and equitable access to digital learning resources.

Tracking Progress: Data-Driven Learning Assessments

A standout achievement of EdoBEST is its emphasis on learning assessments. The state developed the Edo Learning Assessment System (ELAS), a large-scale census-based evaluation that provides real-time insights into student performance. The first round of assessments in 2023 revealed that while student proficiency remains low, improvements are visible in later grades. Results showed significant disparities between urban and rural students, with female students consistently outperforming males.

Despite the progress, challenges remain. Edo lacks a formal policy framework for large-scale assessments, creating risks for the sustainability of this initiative. Additionally, the assessments do not yet include critical non-academic factors, such as family background and socio-economic conditions, which significantly impact student learning. Incorporating contextual data in future assessments could provide a more holistic understanding of student performance and intervention strategies.

The Road Ahead: Sustainability and Future Reforms

EdoBEST has already demonstrated notable success, with school attendance rising from 63% in 2018 to 82% in 2023 and quantitative and verbal reasoning scores increasing by over 12% between 2021 and 2023. However, long-term sustainability remains a challenge, particularly regarding funding. While the cost per pupil has dropped from $65 to $16, financial constraints could threaten the continuation and expansion of the program.

Sustained political commitment has been critical to EdoBEST’s success. Strong leadership has helped navigate teacher resistance, funding difficulties, and implementation challenges. To ensure long-term impact, the government must focus on improving lesson plan flexibility, strengthening teacher content knowledge, and embedding learning assessment systems into policy. Additionally, expanding the language of instruction beyond English could enhance learning outcomes, as many students speak local languages at home.

The EdoBEST experience highlights that transforming education is a complex but achievable goal. The program’s approach to structured pedagogy, teacher coaching, learning assessments, and technology integration has set a strong foundation for future educational reforms in Nigeria and beyond. As Edo State continues to refine its strategies, it has the potential to become a model for sustainable, scalable education reform across Africa.