Category: Tech

• Content creators, Aspiring Producers and Songwriters in the region will receive support to scale and grow their channels

•  The 3rd Edition of the Africa Day Concert in partnership with Idris Elba will be held in Nigeria

YouTube has announced a series of events to run throughout the month of May in celebration of Africa month. The events are intended to reaffirm YouTube’s commitment to growing Africa’s creator ecosystem and to spotlight and celebrate the artists and creatives who are driving the growth of Afrobeats and Africa’s music industry.

Content creators in Africa will receive support from YouTube through virtual and in-person training and workshops to help them grow their channels and improve their skills. These include a Creator 360 virtual workshop, which will allow African content creators to collaborate and share skills, and in-person Creator Day workshops, which will be led by industry experts and help aspiring creators learn the skills they need to continue thriving on YouTube. YouTube will also offer workshops under its Future Insiders Program to empower budding producers and songwriters with hands-on training taught by seasoned producers such as Sarz and Musa Keys.

The YouTube Africa Day Concert, in partnership with Idris Elba, will return for the third year in a row as part of the Africa Month lineup. The concert will include an in-person event in Nigeria that will be live-streamed on YouTube, featuring some of the continent’s hottest artists. The concert will once again commemorate Africa Day by using music as a platform to showcase African culture.

Read Also: YouTube selects 26 African creators to join second year of #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund 

“We’re incredibly proud at YouTube to provide a platform that shares Africa’s creativity with the rest of the world. From music, fashion, and beauty to the latest trending movements, YouTube plays an important role in the emergence and expression of Africa’s unique cultural stories to local and global audiences. By commemorating Africa Month through these impactful initiatives, we continue to spotlight, and elevate the work of creators and artists who are at the forefront of the continent’s creative explosion”, says Alex Okosi, Managing Director, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA.

YouTube’s longstanding commitment to the creator industry in Africa is evident in initiatives such as the #YouTubeBlackVoices Funds and the YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100 million fund designed to reward creators who make creative and unique Shorts for their contributions. Earlier this year, 26 creators from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa were among 135 creators from around the world who participated in the 2022 edition of  #YouTubeBlack voices creator class. The creators receive seed funding alongside dedicated support to help them develop their channels and thrive on the YouTube platform.

Recently, the YouTube NextUp program, which focuses on providing access to learning through one-on-one coaching, workshops and resources was launched to amplify the growth of many successful creators across the region.

YouTube continues to provide a platform for African creators who are dedicated to building audiences across the globe, while also building a business and generating revenue.

For more information on YouTube Music’s Africa Month activities, and to set reminders for upcoming events, see the detailed list below.

 

 

Nowadays it seems like video games and eSports are everywhere, especially with high-speed internet and new technology mediums making it possible to play whenever and wherever you want.

It’s a digital trend that’s reflected in the incredible rise of eSports, or professional video gaming. Insider Intelligence expects its global revenue to hit the $2 billion mark in 2022, a figure fuelled by rapid growth in developing markets like Africa.

With a reported 141% increase in gamers since 2015 in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, the region is on the cusp of an eGaming boom. But what does this mean for the people who live there? Will it help improve living standards in some way, or add to the problems that already exist there?

The gambling link

A boom in video gaming has many advantages from a sociological point of view: it gives young people a pastime, a motivation to achieve something, and keeps them away from crime – especially if it’s financially rewarded.

However, many games have a clear link to gambling. Loot boxes are a tool that developers use to encourage the gamer to upgrade their in-game weapons or armor, but many critics liken them to gambling in that the result of the game can depend on whether the player spends money or not.

In Africa, this poses a problem. Education about the dangers of online gambling is not as widespread as in other parts of the world, and even in ‘well-informed’ countries, problem gambling issues are common. Educational content on websites like Vegas Expert can provide guidance, but it’s not going to be enough to physically stop a player from spending money. In regions where it’s more difficult to find even this support, the potential for gambling habits to develop is much higher.

The trends are already there. A 2021 Springer study uncovered ‘mounting evidence’ for growing problem gambling issues in the region, a trend powered by the widespread availability of mobile devices which offer easy access to video games and online gambling sites.

Without the introduction of problem gambling tools and education, the issue could get much worse before it improves.

The promising future of African eSports

While gambling issues are a rightful concern, the huge potential of competitive gaming in the region is a cause for optimism. The number of gamers in Sub-Saharan Africa has grown significantly over the last decade, and the trend is set to continue. Stats show a steady year-on-year increase to almost half a billion users by 2026.

It’s led to experts referring to the continent as the gaming industry’s ‘last untapped consumer audience.’ Masseka Game Studio founder Teddy Kossoko – a pro gamer born in the Central African Republic – even called it ‘the new El Dorado,’ a reference to the 19^th gold rush in the United States. “Centuries ago, there was a gold rush in America,” said Kossoko. “Today, I believe this gold rush is happening here on the African continent, and we (Africans) have to be first.”

South Africa has the highest proportion of gamers, with 40% of its population taking an active interest in games, according to data. Next on the list are important growth regions, like Ghana (27%), Nigeria (23%), and Kenya (22%).

Game customization

As well as easier access to mobile devices, one of the main reasons for this explosive growth has been technical capabilities such as game customization.

African developers can now use blockchain technology to add new gaming elements, letting gamers create characters and assets within the games. Youngsters, already much more tech-proficient than previous generations, can master this new form of gaming easily, presenting them with new professional, as well as leisure, opportunities.

Whereas in the past, it was difficult for young Africans to access online earnings, new savings mechanisms allow people to put these gaming earnings into pension schemes and health insurance, building up a financial savviness that was out-of-reach previously.

The currencies behind this new wave of business tend to take a digital form, too. We’ve all heard of cryptocurrencies, but for many Sub-Saharan Africans they’re now a way of life in societies that have repeatedly suffered from high inflation and failing traditional currencies.

A gaming-based future

Global crypto gaming hit a value of $321 million in 2020, and many believe this is just the start. Africa, with its huge youth population, could be at the forefront of this.

Already, Nigeria has introduced its own digital currency – the e-Naira – and several other African nations are set to follow suit. Six other countries, including Tunisia and Ghana, are carrying out extensive research into a possible launch, while Kenya has the world’s highest peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading.

Such an enthusiastic adoption is good news for gamers who depend on blockchain for their gaming endeavours. As part of the world’s fastest-growing gaming market, they could be on the cusp of the gaming ‘gold rush’ that produces the hottest new content – and earning opportunities – for years to come.

Zabira Technologies has unveiled renowned actor Bolanle Ninalowo as her Brand Ambassador for Grip, a new digital exchange platform for fast transactions and ease of payment.

Grip is an innovative and timely interface where users can confidently trade Gift Cards, fund bet and lottery wallets including payment of all utility bills from electricity, cable subscription to even airtime top-up.

Grip.ng offers the following services

• Buying and selling of Gift Cards.
• Grip Wallet Funding from your local bank account.
• Utility Bills Payment- Airtime/Data Top Up, Electricity Meter Vending, CableTV Subscription.
• Lottery/Betting Wallet Funding

The platform boasts of being the fastest in turnaround time for payments across board and the introduction of a monthly reward system for active traders makes Grip.ng a flagship among contemporaries.

The creative stability of the Bolanle Ninalowo brand resonates deeply with the core values of Grip.ng and this partnership gives assurance to our esteemed clientele of our commitment to making their lives easier with successful digital exchanges in real time.

Interestingly, Grip.ng is not only here to positively change the dynamics of digital exchanges, customer satisfaction is a major core value hence clients are able to walk-into the physical office to put a face to the brand and to have a most satisfying user experience.

Last spring, news of the newly formed European Super League hit the press. Football fans responded with passion—whether in favor or against the proposed league. Most criticized the move, while others searched for a sportsbook promo to use for the first game in the ESL.

The simple idea seemed like a winner from a business point of view. In order to bring football fans even more action, 20 elite clubs from around Europe would band together to form a unique league. Teams from Arsenal to Real Madrid to Bayern Munich would be pitted against one another to ensure high-action games with the world’s top stars.

From a fan perspective, the proposed league looked like little more than a fancy new attempt to steer European domestic football. First, it would compromise the players involved by forcing them to travel more often and compete in difficult matches. Second, it would increase the gap of talent and funds that’s already been lengthening between top teams and second-tier hopefuls.

Lastly, it would cost a pretty penny for football fans who wanted access to watch live games. This would only further deepen the pockets of the already-lucrative clubs involved. Needless to say, fans stepped in to protest and boycott the executives at the clubs behind the move. Within weeks, the ESL was struck down as an elitist cash grab.

One year later, the idea isn’t totally vanquished. In fact, some are concerned about FIFA’s plans to mirror certain aspects of the Super League’s agenda.

The ESL Isn’t Dead

Within days of the ESL’s announcement, nine clubs withdrew officially from the league with the promise of maintaining a fan-centric approach to football (rather than a business-first approach). But not every club backed down so easily. Notably, Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid has stayed loyal to the idea.

Meanwhile, other executives behind the curtain of the Super League also stepped forward to defend the league. While they didn’t attempt to justify the proposed format, they stuck to the original idea while promising vital new changes.

The ESL released a statement saying, “…we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community.”

The notion that the ESL would disappear after its failed launch is false. For the most part, the ESL has stayed ‘out of sight and out of mind’ for football fans. But a handful of executives are still working behind the scenes to create meaningful changes to the ESL that won’t alienate fans (again).

A New ESL

Today, three clubs remain solidly behind the project: Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Juventus. This is despite ample pushback that continues to brew for the ESL. Recently, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin compared ESL supporters to Flat Earth believers, while LaLiga president Javier Tebas also made his feelings quite clear on the matter.

Regardless of the comparisons, the ESL might have the upper hand legally. Last year, all three clubs submitted a case to the court that alleges UEFA can’t punish the clubs for attempting to form the league. The idea is that UEFA has an unfair monopoly on the continent’s football sector.

Recently, Juventus president Andrea Agnelli said he plans on sitting back and waiting for an official decision from the European Court of Justice. Meanwhile, ESL executives have been building new plans for a brand new rollout—and hoping for the green light from the Court of Justice.

So far, the ESL has rolled out five new changes, which were published last autumn. First, the ESL won’t include a roster of permanent members. Instead, there will be a 20-team top tier and a 20-team second tier that includes standard promotion and relegation rules.

Second, teams will qualify from their domestic league rankings, which will be standardized. Third, there will be a reduction in the number of games in order to remove fears around fixture congestion and promote the well-being of the players in the clubs involved.

Fourth, the ESL has restructured its financial plans. The league will now allocate funds for non-winning teams in order to mitigate the risk of lengthening gaps in wealth and talent between teams. Lastly, the ESL has promised financial support for fans so that they can attend away matches to support their team.

The Question of the FIFA Monopoly

So far, the ESL has seemed incredibly willing to restructure its weakest points in order to appeal to fans, players, and club staff. Regardless of whether the league eventually takes off, it’s presented football fans with an important argument surrounding FIFA’s control over the sport.

As the global governing body for football, FIFA has the power to penalize teams for their attempt to compete in UEFA competitions and the ESL. The idea is that UEFA helps regulate the sport to ensure fairness… but along the way, the organization has become a monopoly that bars other football leagues from forming internationally.

The idea comes down to regulation. Many industries are regulated by a central body that grants licenses and prevents practices like price gouging and the creation of a monopoly. However, these regulatory bodies don’t control how many companies are competing in a sector—they’re just making sure the companies abide by the law in their business practices.

The ESL argues that UEFA isn’t acting like a regulatory body, but a monopoly that has the sole hold on international association football. The ESL legally fulfilled its responsibilities in attaining all necessary licenses, but the degree of UEFA’s influence made it impossible for them to enter and compete in the same market.

But the legal waters are murky. As it stands now, there’s nothing preventing clubs from forming their own leagues. They would be banned from their domestic leagues and all FIFA competitions (the World Cup included), and then face massive licensing and registration challenges. Still, it’s technically legal.

However, the ESL will either need to be sanctioned by FIFA or find a way to support itself outside of the purview of the Association.

 

A Colombia-based Fintech company Minka has said it has secured $24 million in capital through a funding round led by Tiger Global and Kaszek.

Minka with the new funding plans continue modernising the clearing houses and central banks’ infrastructure, but also to grow the network by enabling a full self-service platform for publishing and moving money to organisations.

Minka is a seamless payment network built which enables last-mile infrastructure, including banks, clearing houses and organisations, to publish and exchange balances.

The network was designed to connect separate legacy systems through blockchain concepts and modern APIs to simplify the movement of complex money flows. This allows for an almost unlimited number of use-cases and helps money to move simply, securely, instantly and without the need for reconciliation.

Minka’s TransfiYa project, built in partnership with ACH Colombia, is one of the fastest-growing real-time payments projects in Latin America. It includes direct read and write API access to 80% of the accounts in the country making it also the largest open banking project in the region, something that Minka would like to replicate in markets across the world including Africa, which has leapfrogged into fintech space and has become an attractive market for innovative fintech companies.

Domagoj Rozic, Minka’s CEO stated, “We aim to connect the world’s balances through the web using shared, connected ledgers. The project in Colombia has proven this is possible and has become one of the fastest-growing real-time payments networks in the region, enabling previously slow money to move instantly and with minimal cost.”

Currently, nearly two million people use the project to send money using only a phone number and soon it will support one-click purchases, payouts and collections.

Commenting on the investment, Santiago Fosatti, Partner at Kaszek said, “We’re excited to be partnering with a FinTech which is adding such significant value to the markets they’re serving. The Minka network is already having a huge impact on millions of people by enabling their money to move freely and instantly – and the journey is only just beginning!”

Carlos Alonso-Torras, Principal at Fintech Collective added, “We have been closely following Minka’s progress since leading the Seed round and are thrilled by the progress. The company’s ability to leverage highly experienced tech talent in Croatia is a powerful differentiator given the comparative scarcity in Latin America. Having made several investments in payments infrastructure across emerging markets, we think Minka is well-positioned to excel, far beyond Colombia. After promising results powering TransfiYa, we are excited to continue supporting the company’s expansion to other use cases.”

“Minka creatively uses new technology to upgrade national payment systems for the digital economy. The new investment allows Minka to expand geographically and

deploy its platform to other use cases, such as supply chain and other B2B payments,” concluded Kai Schmitz, Partner at Crestone, former Senior Specialist at the World Bank’s Payment Systems Group.

Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter for about $41 billion in cash, saying the social media company he has often criticized needs to go private to see effective changes.

Musk’s price of $54.20 per share, which was disclosedin a regulatory filing on Thursday, represents a 38% premium to Twitter’s April 1 close, the last trading day before Tesla CEO’s more than 9% stake in the company was made public.

The billionaire rejected an offer to join Twitter’s board earlier this week after disclosing his stake in the company, a move which analysts said signaled his intention to take over the company as a board seat would have limited his stake to just under 15%.

“Since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company,” Musk said in a letter to Twitter Chairman Bret Taylor.

Musk, who calls himself a free-speech absolutist, has been critical of the social media platform and its policies, and recently ran a poll on Twitter asking users if they believed the platform adheres to the principle of free speech.

“My offer is my best and final offer and if it is not accepted, I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder,” Musk added.

Twitter will review Musk’s offer with advice from Goldman Sachs & Co and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a source told Reuters.

The company’s shares jumped 12% in premarket trading, while those of Tesla fell about 1%. The total deal value was calculated based on 763.58 million shares outstanding, according to Refinitiv data.

Musk has amassed over 80 million followers since joining the site in 2009 and has used the platform to make several announcements, including teasing a go-private deal for Tesla that landed him in hot water with regulators.

Read Also: Elon Musk acquires 9.2% stake in Twitter

He has also been sued by former Twitter shareholders who claim they missed out on the recent run-up in its stock price because he waited too long to disclose his stake.

Twitter’s lower-than-expected user additions in recent months have raised doubts about its growth prospects, even as it pursues big projects such as audio chat rooms and newsletters to end long-running stagnation.

“It would be hard for any other bidders/consortium to emerge and the Twitter board will be forced likely to accept this bid and/or run an active process to sell Twitter,” Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives wrote in a client note.

“There will be host of questions around financing, regulatory, balancing Musk’s time (Tesla, SpaceX) in the coming days but ultimately based on this filing it is a now or never bid for Twitter to accept,” Ives said.

Musk said Morgan Stanley was the financial adviser for the offer.

“Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it,” Musk said in his letter.

 

Reuters

We haven’t seen everything that the blockchain can offer us, and more new ways of using it are going to keep appearing as software engineers and crypto enthusiasts keep messing around with it.

That’s how NFT and crypto-based videogames were created. These are like your regular videogames, but they combine crypto mining and NFTs by rewarding you with real exchangeable coins every time you use them. If this article was useful to you, we encourage you to check out the rest of Profit Edge and learn more about the fantastic and vast world of crypto.

Axie Infinity is one of these acclaimed games. If you want to start playing today but don’t know where to start, keep reading and find out all the basics about this game.

 

What Is Axie Infinity?

This is a game with cute illustrations that could actually help you earn money. It is blockchain-based, and users can buy NFTs and mine coins while playing.

Axie Infinity is inspired by Nintendo’s Pokemon, but unlike your regular videogames, you need to make quite a significant investment if you’re interested in playing. However, most players confirm their investment is almost always wholly returned after playing for a while.

The game consists of quick turn-based battles against the game’s artificial intelligence or other players. It became so famous due to its play-to-earn approach, in which the player accumulates Axies, the digital currency of the game, and then trades it for real money.

 

What Are AXS and SLP?

Axie Infinity runs with a decentralized governance model, and AXS tokens work as shares that are divided among the AXS holders who help make decisions about the future of the platform.

Moreover, anyone can earn SLPs by playing the game. SLPs are mainly used to create more Axies. It is also important to mention that both of these tokens can be sold in the Ethereum blockchain and any other official trading site.

 

Why Is It Special?

Axie Infinity and many other crypto-based games are revolutionary ideas that can even become full-time jobs for some people. Although the phrase “play-to-earn” may scare you off, all you need to do to be successful in these games is learn how to play them properly.

However, just like any investment, it has some risks. Some people don’t decide to start playing because the initial payment they need to make is quite large, but the testimonies from experienced gamers who have spent years playing ensure that it is 100% worth the risk.

 

How to Get Started

If you made it this far into the article, you’re probably wondering how you can begin playing this game. The first thing you need to do is to buy three Axies. These vary in price depending on when you’re reading this, so if you want to know their real value, you should check the estimated price online.

Then, you need to create a Ronin wallet and download the game on your desired device, and after linking your account with your wallet, you’re all ready to begin playing.

A good pro tip is to watch gameplays and learn as much as you can from the best in the industry. However, you’re going to actually learn how to play once you get a hold of the game.

 

Bottom Line

Axie Infinity has loads of updates incoming for 2022, which are meant to help more gamers be a part of their community and start their investing journey. Keep in mind that even though you don’t have the money to start playing, you can always opt for one of the many scholarships they tend to offer.

Many African nations like Nigeria and Kenya thrived in supporting Bitcoin (BTC) in the past several years and Rwanda is following its neighbour’s example. The trade, ownership, and investment in digital currencies are now becoming popular in the Republic as more businesses aim to adopt them.

However, Bitcoin’s use among Rwandans is still a new prospect given its government’s original resistance to adopting decentralised modes of payment. It’s still not adopted as an alternative to Rwandan franc (RWF) but it is a popular asset for trading. Here’s a quick overview of Bitcoin’s acceptance in the Republic of Rwanda as of 2022:

Crypto safety and legal status in Rwanda as of 2022

At the moment,   but possession and purchase is not prohibited. Thus, Rwandans are enjoying utmost freedom when trading BTC using available services online. The only fee users have to pay is the cost of remittance and wallet transfers.

Businesses that centre around or support cryptocurrencies are allowed to operate in Rwanda as long as they have a licence to do so. Among the most popular are exchanges and gambling and BTCcasino platforms. Such businesses are great for helping the Republic of Rwanda’s economy through its citizens’ transactions using local payment methods.

Crypto exchanges entering Rwandan economy

Various offshore businesses bolstered their access to Rwanda when BTC’s popularity rose among its citizens. World-renowned exchanges like Yellow Card and Paxful are some of the most popular given their simplicity. Both are platforms for buying and selling any digital assets with super easy means to make a new account without having to link to an official bank.

Yellow Card is more popular among users who only focus on trading digital assets . It’s fast and easy while also having dedicated customer support for all African users. Paxful is also fast and simple to use and it’s partnered with a lot of international businesses that lets you buy immediately using local currencies. It’s reliable for users who are more interested in using crypto instead of trading like playing at a BTCcasino.

Online casinos now accessible to Rwandan players

The Republic of Rwanda allowed many forms of gambling in 2011 and formed the Rwanda Gambling Board in 2013 under the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Rwanda. This board is in charge of the taxation of gambling businesses involving its citizens. Rwandans pay 15% of their winnings as withholding tax  but it wasn’t clarified if the local government can charge casinos.

Just like with digital assets, there are no laws to regulate online casinos. Gambling companies typically have to pay 13% of their earnings as General Gambling tax but it doesn’t apply to an offshore BTCcasino. However, this law applies to endorsers who take sponsorship payment from gambling companies whether they are land-based or online. Rwandans can use their services but only at their own discretion.

The absence of regulations means that users are free to use their own money however they wish. They can send or withdraw using local payment methods without the central bank limiting their practices. The same is true for trading Bitcoin as Rwandans are free to use any crypto-related businesses and earn from trading digital assets.

A network of community schools in Lagos and Osun, Bridge Nigeria is imparting academic excellence, developing leadership skills among pupils and preparing the young learners to become confident and empowered young adults as they progress in learning every day.

According to Academics Manager, Ezinne Tochie-Asogwa, the task for educational institutions in imparting academic learning is to ensure that students can achieve their personal and future goals and turn out to be successful citizens of the country. Adding that apart from academic learning, it is essential for pupils to develop leadership skills among themselves.

“At Bridge, we make provision of duties to pupils, particularly within the school and classroom to build their leadership skills. With positions like class prefects, head boys or girls, ambassadors, line prefects, etc. available in the school, they develop leadership skills and can lead and guide others in the right direction while inculcating the traits of selflessness, diligence and conscientiousness.” Tochie-Asogwa said.

Showcasing some of the Bridge girls with leadership responsibilities, Eleven-year-old pupil, Chioma Godson in primary 6 serves as an Ambassador in her class.  Her responsibilities include guiding pupils and showing new pupils around the school. Chioma teaches other pupils things that they do not understand in the classroom.

Another pupil in primary 6, Funke Bhadmus is the class prefect with the responsibilities of putting things in order, helping the teacher., and making sure everything in the classroom is in good condition.  Funke says her role model is Mary Slessor because of the role she played in stopping the killing of twins in Nigeria and her love for defending innocent people. She hopes to become a lawyer in future. “I want to be a lawyer because I want to defend innocent people like Mary Slessor. Bridge is giving me the right foundation that will propel me to succeed in the future by teaching me morals and training me to be a good leader of tomorrow.” She said.

On her part, eight-year-old Chiziterem Okorafor, a primary 4 pupil loves Maths and English because she enjoys solving new problems and reading stories. Chiziterem is the class prefect and has the responsibility of ensuring that her classmates are well behaved when the teacher steps out.

The Bridge model uses policies and practices that elevate learning and give equal opportunities to both boys and girls. Through innovative approaches such as gender sensitive instruction in lesson and textbook materials; expecting equal participation through ‘cold calling’ of boys and girls in the classroom, enabling pupils to succeed is a carefully designed approach.

A published report by the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID) has revealed complete equity of learning in Bridge classrooms, regardless of a child’s socioeconomic background. The report negates decades of global education research that asserts that family background matters more than the school a child attends, in relation to levels of learning.

For consecutive years, Bridge International Academies pupils have sat for the national common entrance examinations examination, securing admissions on merit into top secondary schools and earning scholarship slots into aspirational schools across the country.

KwaraLEARN (Leading Education Achievement and Reform Now), the transformative educational programme that entails digitizing teaching and learning to improve learning outcomes in public schools, has concluded training enumerators for a baseline study.

The baseline study aims to ascertain the foundational skills of pupils in English literacy and numeracy before the deployment of KwaraLEARN’s full intervention.

The training, which happened last week, involved SUBEB officials, Education Secretaries from each Local Government Education Authority among others to ensure collaboration and successful program delivery.

The Kwara state government has reiterated its readiness to provide quality and sound education that will be accessible to the common man in the state.The Executive Chairman of Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof. AbdulRaheem Sheu Adaramaja disclosed this during a 2 day training for enumerators on KwaraLEARN’s School baseline study at the conference hall, Sinclair Hotel, GRA, Ilorin recently.

Read Also: KwaraLEARN and Governor AbdulRazaq endorsed by traditional rulers

Adaramaja speaking through the Director Planning, Research and Statistics, KWSUBEB, Mr Abdulquadri Zakariyau stressed that, “the present administration led by Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq has vowed to deliver dramatic improvements in learning outcomes for public school children across the state through numerous interventions that his administration has embarked upon, such as comprehensive renovation of schools, rehabilitation of dilapidated classrooms, training and retraining of teachers, digitalization of teaching and learning through KwaraLEARN, among others”.

The Chairman said, the training agenda for selected 68 enumerators is on baseline assessment in order to monitor progress in literacy and numeracy, as well as among the non-learning indicators like teacher instructional practices and headteachers management practices.

Prof Adaramaja further said, the baseline assessment will also examine differences in school management, teacher practice, and pupil growth for first hand information before the full takeover by KwaraLEARN.

In his words, “the baseline assessment will collect data on the level of literacy and numeracy of students and teachers and also through observations and interviews about teacher and headteachers attitudes and practices. In addition, the assessment will provide rich performance and contextual data that can be used for comparison with subsequent follow-up studies after the introduction of the KwaraLEARN programme. This will allow KwaraLEARN, Kwara SUBEB, and other stakeholders to understand and highlight the progress achieved through the KwaraLEARN Programme”.

He stressed that the first phase of the programme will start in 4 local government comprises Ilorin West, Ilorin South, Offa and Baruten local government respectively.

The Chairman however implored the enumerators to be objective and factual in discharging their duties for the programme to be successful. Launched in November 2021 by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, KwaraLEARN is a three-year program between 2022-2025. It will cover all the primary schools in the 16 Local Government Areas in Kwara State with a target of 400,000 pupils.

The initiative would use innovative technology, data-driven platforms, high-quality learning materials, practical training and continuous coaching and support for teachers and school administrators. It will also enhance the teacher-pupil interaction experience through technology (eLearning) and strict curriculum adherence.