Equal education for all approach has benefited Nigerian students

In an effort to remedy this, Bridge International Academy has ramped up its efforts in the African continent.

A dedicated initiative that has been continuously rolled out over the last decade, Bridge's community schools have already seen massive improvements in Nigerian school children's learning outcomes.

Breaking socioeconomic barriers with education

With a focus on reaching marginalized communities whose socioeconomic standing has unfairly impeded their access to education, Bridge International Academies has pioneered unique learning institutions and modern learning programs that empower contemporary Nigerian students.

For instance, Bridge recognizes the unique challenges faced by Nigerian school children.

Thus, they have created a special teacher training program that enables educators to focus on teaching individual students with comprehensive learning materials, rather than being distracted by overcrowding and a lack of resources.

Consequently, this personable approach has led many students from low-income families to earn grades that mark highly even on a national standard.

As a matter of fact, some Bridge students who previously faced challenges attending school have scored top marks that have led to further educational opportunities.

These include scoring near-perfect scores at the National Common Entrance Examination, receiving scholarships from Shell Nigeria Exploration, and attending the über-competitive Lead-Forte Gate College.

Even a study helmed by the UK government showed that Bridge's initiatives have substantially uplifted the learning opportunities among school-age children in the region.

More recently, during the COVID-19 physical school lockdown, the Pulitzer Center noted that only the more financially stable families in Nigeria would have continued access to education.

To prevent their students, many of whom come from homes with little to no internet access, from missing their studies, Bridge pivoted their tech-enabled teaching efforts.

From using internet-enabled devices in the classroom, Bridge introduced remote learning methods that utilized the devices available to their students at home.

This meant creating free learning modules online, partnering with local internet shops to provide print-outs, and rolling out SMS quizzes.

Boosting educational budgets for all

Because education budgets in Nigeria have always been below the UNESCO recommendation of 10 to 15%, Bridge has also made it a priority to work with investors who can strengthen the stability of learning for all.

Thanks to the prolific work and positive results produced by the Bridge network schools, renowned entities like the World Bank have become regular investors. In total, Bridge has received over $140 million worth of funding.

This has been used to support the digitally-backed teachers, students, and brick-and-mortar schools for the benefit of lower-income youth.

While children and teachers nationwide slowly return to face-to-face classes, Bridge is eager to resume their proven methods that have consistently seen their pupils rank 10 points higher than others in standardized tests.

As the Nigerian Ministry of Education has mandated the reopening of all physical schools, Bridge is also planning to expand towards more underserved communities looking to rebuild from COVID-19’s challenges.

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