A partnership between Adamawa State and EIDU is attempting to change the academic fortunes of thousands of children, writes Victoria Ojiako
“Aunty I, I, I… Aunty me, me, me… Aunty I, I, I…”
The voices rise in near perfect rhythm inside a Primary Three classroom at Central Primary School, Yola North, Adamawa State. Several pupils, most of them under the age of 10, stretch their hands impatiently into the air, eager to answer the question their English teacher has just written on the board.
Inside the classroom, learning feels animated, energetic and deeply participatory; a noticeable contrast to the quieter, more rigid learning culture that teachers say once characterised many public-school classrooms in the area.
Standing before the pupils is Bilkisu Umar, a teacher with two decades of classroom experience in Adamawa’s public education system. She pauses briefly, observing the enthusiasm in the room before inviting one of the pupils to answer.
“Since the EIDU programme was introduced into our classrooms, this has become our normal,” she says.
For years, many schools in Adamawa reflected a broader foundational learning crisis affecting Nigeria’s public education system. In many cases, children progressed through school without acquiring literacy and numeracy skills considered appropriate for their age.
The World Bank describes the phenomenon as “learning poverty” — the inability of a child to read and understand a simple text by the age of 10.
In response, the Adamawa State Government partnered with EIDU, a global education technology organisation focused on improving foundational literacy and numeracy in underserved communities.
The programme, introduced almost a year ago, currently operates in 36 schools across Yola North and Yola South local government areas, reaching approximately 13,000 learners alongside about 425 teachers, head teachers and school supervisors.
Education officials say the intervention is still at an early stage, but teachers in participating schools already report noticeable changes in classroom participation, attendance and learner confidence.
Still, some observers caution that the real test will be whether those improvements can be sustained and expanded across a state with more than 2,000 public primary schools.
Inside the EIDU Corner
At the centre of the initiative is what teachers now call the “EIDU Corner” — a dedicated section of the classroom where pupils engage in individual learning exercises using smartphones, learning cards and specially designed teaching materials.
“The pupils are very comfortable with the technology they use at the EIDU Corner,” Bilkisu Umar explains.
“They become excited when the smartphone mentions their names and displays their pictures. They immediately know it is their turn to carry out their exercises.”
Each child spends a scheduled period at the corner daily, completing literacy tasks designed to help teachers track learning progress more closely.
According to programme coordinators, artificial intelligence is used to assess pupil responses and identify areas where learners may require additional support. The system also recommends remedial steps teachers can take for struggling pupils.
Beyond the technology itself, the programme has introduced structured literacy exercises, phonics sessions, lesson guides and teaching support materials aimed at improving classroom delivery.
For many teachers, however, adapting to the new system was not entirely straightforward.
Some initially struggled with the technology-driven approach, while intermittent electricity supply and limited digital familiarity created early implementation difficulties.
“Introducing technology into classrooms naturally came with challenges,” says Dr. Murtala Umar Babayi, Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB). “But through continuous training and support, teachers are now more comfortable with the process.”
Despite the challenges, teachers say the shift has altered classroom dynamics considerably.
“The children are bolder now,” Bilkisu says. “When they respond to questions on the smartphone, they are more confident because they are beginning to understand what they are learning. It is very different from what we used to see before.”
Some teachers also report improved attendance among pupils who were previously less engaged in classroom activities.
For many children, school appears less intimidating than before. The programme’s digital approach has added a modern dimension to the traditional play-based method of learning, one many pupils seem to be embracing enthusiastically.
Rukayya’s Story
Among the pupils participating in the programme is Rukayya Mustapha, a quiet girl whose experience reflects some of the changes teachers say they are beginning to observe.
Before the programme, Rukayya struggled to participate in classroom activities.
“She was very shy initially,” Bilkisu recalls. “She was afraid of making mistakes.”
According to her teacher, Rukayya often avoided answering questions publicly and appeared withdrawn during lessons.
But over time, the repeated exercises, classroom interaction and encouragement from teachers gradually drew her into participation.
Slowly, she began volunteering answers, participating during literacy exercises and showing greater confidence around her classmates.
Today, Bilkisu says Rukayya is among the more active pupils in the class.
“She now participates more confidently than before,” she says.
Teachers say similar stories are emerging in other participating schools, although they acknowledge that learning outcomes still vary among pupils.
Independent education experts argue that while anecdotal stories are encouraging, long-term programme success will ultimately depend on measurable improvements in literacy and numeracy assessments over time.
Fintiri’s Education Vision
For education officials in Adamawa State, the EIDU partnership represents part of a broader education reform strategy under Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
Over the years, the administration has invested in school rehabilitation, teacher recruitment, professional development and digital learning initiatives.
“Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has demonstrated strong commitment to basic education through investments in infrastructure, funding, teacher professional development and digital education,” says Babayi.
According to him, the EIDU programme complements the state’s wider efforts by introducing more structured and data-driven approaches to foundational learning.
“What we are seeing is a transition toward a system focused more deliberately on measurable learning outcomes,” he explains. “The objective is not simply enrollment. The objective is learning.”
That distinction has become increasingly important across many African countries where school enrollment has improved over the past two decades, but learning outcomes have often remained weak.
Adamawa’s approach attempts to confront that challenge directly by focusing not only on getting children into classrooms, but also on improving what happens once they arrive there.
Teachers participating in the programme undergo onboarding sessions, continuous monitoring and periodic training designed to strengthen classroom instruction.
Books and instructional materials are also provided to support literacy development both inside and outside the classroom. That way two major elements relevant to learning are addressed by the reform: the level of preparedness of teachers, and instructional aids and materials that can ease the process.
A Quiet Experiment in Reform
Officials acknowledge that the programme remains relatively small compared to the scale of Adamawa’s educational challenges.
With more than 2,000 public primary schools across the state, the current intervention reaches only a fraction of learners.
Funding, scale, teacher capacity and long-term sustainability remain important questions going forward.
Even so, state officials argue that the early signs justify further expansion.
Plans are already underway to extend the programme to additional schools based on available resources and performance assessments.
For now, the clearest evidence of change may not lie in glossy policy documents or neatly packaged official presentations, but inside classrooms like Bilkisu Umar’s.
There, children who once sat quietly through lessons now compete eagerly to answer questions, participate in literacy exercises and engage more actively with classroom activities.
Teachers say something important is already changing: more children are beginning to believe that learning belongs to them too.
