Education
Study Reveals Scalable Path to Quality Early Learning to Every Child
A new study released by a non-profit firm, SmartStart, has revealed compelling evidence that early learning programmes run in homes and community venues could significantly boost children’s outcomes, even at scale.
The findings underscored the critical role that could be played by accessible, community-based early childhood education in breaking the cycle of educational inequality.
A team of independent researchers found that the proportion of children “on track” increased by a remarkable 20 points from 45% to 65%, while the proportion of those “falling far behind” nearly halved.
The study’s most striking revelation is the dramatic reduction in the achievement gap between children from low- and high-income households, falling from 25 points to just 6 points. This substantial narrowing represents more than a statistical triumph; it demonstrates a powerful mechanism for social mobility and educational equity.
“These findings show the transformative role that can be played by women living in low-income contexts when they are empowered to deliver early learning programmes in their homes and other community settings. The study therefore has profound implications for policymakers because it shows an affordable, scalable path to early learning for every child,” says Grace Matlhape, Chief Executive Officer of SmartStart. “Accessible, high-quality early learning programmes have the potential to break intergenerational cycles of educational disadvantage, offering children from all backgrounds a more level playing field for future academic and personal success.”
Commenting on the study, Chief Director for Foundations for Learning in the Department of Basic Education, Kulula Manona, observed that “this study shines a light on the incredible potential of our children when provided with the right developmental and learning opportunities. It also underscores the critical role of community-based early learning programmes, and the dedicated practitioners who deliver them, in bridging the early learning access gap”.
Researchers for the study, including Professor Sarah Chapman from University of Cape Town as the principal investigator, used South Africa’s Early Learning Outcomes Measure (ELOM) to track the progress of 551 children in SmartStart ELPs over an eight-month period. The results revealed that the SmartStart cohort outperformed the national Thrive by Five Index benchmark, a monitoring tool developed to track early childhood development progress in South Africa, providing robust evidence that well-designed, community-integrated early learning programmes can deliver scalable and measurable improvements in child development..
“The implications of this study demonstrate that effectiveness isn’t contingent on costly infrastructure and equipment, but on empowering practitioners with the right tools, skills and support. Simple, everyday practices, including nurturing care, lots of talk, and child-centered play, can transform outcomes for young children,” Chapman adds.
“The crucial thing about the SmartStart model is that it honours the inherent strengths of our communities. Our programmes run in homes and community venues, which means they offer an immediate and affordable solution to close the access and quality gaps for excluded children. This underscores the need for governments to establish enabling policy and funding frameworks that recognise and support these practitioners where they are,” says Matlhape.
Celebrating its tenth year of impact, the SmartStart network currently has over 13,000 ELPs serving over 125,000 children, every week. Its network model is deeply rooted in social capital and community empowerment, underpinned by the principle of meeting communities where they are and leveraging their existing assets.
“Today we salute the extraordinary ordinary women across our network who are using simple but transformative practices every day, to create a better future for young children. These women are powerful agents of change, beacons of hope for future generations,” Matlhape emphasises.
“We also salute the dedication of our implementing partners, and the unwavering support of communities who stand united for their children. Their collective efforts show the power of a collaborative implementation model to transcend socio-economic barriers and, ultimately, to bridge the equity gap in early learning.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 61.54 per cent of candidates obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Mr Amos Dangut, announced the results at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.
Mr Dangut said 1,200,514 candidates met the benchmark for admission to higher institutions, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination nationwide, held between April 24 and June 19.
He said 102,708 examiners were engaged in the marking exercise held at 88 marking venues across the country between 2 July and 20 July.
“Today, I am happy to inform you that all the processes leading to the release of results have been completed. It is now my pleasure to announce the release of the results of candidates who sat the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026 in Nigeria,” he said, directing candidates to the agency’s portal to access their results.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at waec.org and check your results now on waecdirect.org,” the examination body said, noting that candidates must obtain their Serial Number and PIN before they can check their results.
To generate the required credentials, candidates are expected to visit WAEC’s official website and select the “Serial Number and PIN” option at the top of the page.
They are then required to select the appropriate examination year and diet, enter their examination number and National Identification Number (NIN), and ensure that the NIN provided is the same one used during registration for the examination.
Candidates must also provide their email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
After entering the OTP, candidates can recover their Serial Number and PIN, which they can subsequently use to check their results through WAEC Direct.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes, the Obajana Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has distributed some educational materials to some pupils in Kogi State.
The items shared to the beneficiaries included school bags, exercise books, writing materials, water bottles, and other essential learning aids aimed at enhancing the learning experience of the pupils and preparing them for the next academic session.
The General Manager for the Social Performance Department of Dangote Cement at Obajana Plant, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the materials were donated days after Dangote Cement distributed similar education materials to pupils in public schools in its catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata; and commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana, which added to the growing list of social investments that includes an earlier hospital project in Iwaa and Oyo Communities.
He noted that, over the years, the company has invested billions of naira in a wide range of social programmes for host communities, including empowerment programmes, road construction, and potable water projects, and it remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining and expanding its interventions.
He noted that the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes are aligned with government development priorities and are implemented through sustained, mutually beneficial partnerships.
“The intervention was informed by findings from a needs assessment conducted by Dangote Cement. During the assessment, it was observed that several pupils attended school without school bags, while others carried their books by hand. It was also discovered that many students lacked essential learning materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other basic learning materials,” the cement firm said.
The Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Mr Abubakar Sanni, expressed profound appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement for the gesture.
The Head Teacher expressed gratitude to the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools located at the state headquarters.
The beneficiaries, school management, parents, and community stakeholders expressed gratitude to Dangote Cement for the timely intervention and prayed for the continued growth and success of the company in its efforts to improve lives and support sustainable community development.
