Working systemically and sustainability in Nigeria: Education reform across six states

• In Event: Strengthening systems for sustainable change: lessons learned from four large-scale education programs

Proposal

Nigeria has the largest population in Africa and has approximately 20% of the total out-of-school children population in the world. Adding to this challenge is the demographic pressure of 11,000 newborns every day that overburdens the system capacity to deliver quality education (GPE, 2018). Funding is spread thin, classrooms are overcrowded and teachers do not have adequate training or materials to produce effective learning. The Education Sector Support Program in Nigeria (ESSPIN), a 8.5 year, $165M, DFID-funded education program operating from 2008-2017, aimed to improve learning outcomes for over 6 million children across 17,000 schools, with a particular focus on girls, out-of-school children and marginalised groups. With such an immense scope, this paper will reflect on the following questions: how was the programme designed to ensure impact at scale? How were positive effects sustained after the project ended? And what has been learned that can be applied elsewhere?

In order to ensure impact at scale, ESSPIN comprehensively worked at all levels of the education system. At the school level, the program’s Whole School Development Model focused on creating effective head teachers, teachers, school-based management committees, school development planning and inclusive practices. Underpinning these school improvements, the program strengthened foundations within the broader education system, which included:

1.the Education Management Information System (EMIS) for planning and resource allocation
2.effective planning and budgeting focused on supporting school improvement
3.effective school management and quality assurance via the inspectorate
4.institutional capacity in state governments to deliver and sustain school improvement
5.civil society/government partnerships to strengthen voice and accountability

At each of the different levels of the education system, three mutually-reinforcing spheres of capacity development were embedded, which included:

•individual skills, competence and performance of teachers, head teachers, school governance committees, local and state government officials and civil society;

•organisational strengthening and institutionalisation of school improvement structures, personnel and processes; and

•an enabling environment of policies, resources and political leadership conducive for system-wide reform.

Such a comprehensive approach to strengthening the system allowed for scale. The program’s approach to sustainability was established by building consensus around the state-level institutionalisation agenda, leveraging US$27M federal resources (mainly from oil revenues) to fund education sector plans, school improvement programmes, and building system capacity to continuously improve education access, equity and quality. Effective political engagement at both federal and state levels was a key success factor.

This paper will discuss what impact ESSPIN produced, the application of its approach to other contexts, and what challenges it has faced. Nigeria continues to be a volatile environment to operate in, so project achievements are now being tested by unpredictable funding mechanisms, the weight of working at scale and staff turnover linked to changes in political administration. We will reflect on these factors and invite discussion regarding lessons learned on sustainability of system reform.

Author

• Kayode Sanni, Cambridge Education