Nigeria’s Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi) has achieved a remarkable milestone as one of six finalists for the 2024 WISE Prize for Education. Standing out as the only African organization on the shortlist, AREAi’s recognition underscores its commitment to addressing critical gaps in access to quality education for underprivileged and marginalized communities across Nigeria and beyond.
A Transformative Solution: FastTrack Program
AREAi’s flagship program, FastTrack, emerged from a pool of over 427 applications as a unique approach to improving literacy and numeracy among children in underserved areas. Designed specifically for disadvantaged and refugee communities, FastTrack uses offline, self-assisted technology to deliver foundational learning. Through a specialized digital pen with audio features and multilingual instructional materials, FastTrack has enabled children in remote settings to achieve remarkable improvements in literacy and numeracy. Since its pilot in 2019, FastTrack has reached over 25,000 children across ten refugee camps, addressing foundational education needs for a large population often left behind by conventional education systems.
AREAi’s Global Director and Founder, Prince Gideon Olanrewaju, shared that beyond academic skills, FastTrack has positively impacted children’s socio-emotional well-being, enrollment tendencies in formal schooling, and active participation and transition rates. “We are grateful for this recognition, which is a testament to FastTrack’s potential in delivering personalized learning and expanding educational access to refugee learners and out-of-school children,” said Olanrewaju. AREAi’s mission is to see FastTrack adopted across Africa with support from local and national agencies.
New Frontiers with FastTrack+
Building on FastTrack’s success, AREAi will be launching FastTrack+, with a $125,000 grant and support from the WISE Team. This next phase will expand AREAi’s reach into the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda and adapt its tools to new languages and cultural contexts, furthering AREAi’s vision of scalable, inclusive education for all.
AREAi’s Broader Impact and Achievements
Since its founding, AREAi has made significant strides in Nigeria’s educational landscape. The organization has:
- Enhanced Access to Education: By creating scalable models like FastTrack, AREAi has worked to bridge learning gaps in underserved communities, often collaborating with local stakeholders to maximize impact.
- Promoted Gender Equality in Education: AREAi’s projects consistently support girls’ education in marginalized areas, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals for gender equality.
- Capacity Building for Teachers: Recognizing the role of educators, AREAi has conducted training and workshops, empowering teachers in remote areas with tools to support foundational learning in innovative ways.
- Support for Out-of-School Children: Through projects focused on bringing education to marginalized youth, AREAi has transformed access for thousands of children who would otherwise lack educational opportunities.
AREAi’s selection as a WISE Prize finalist reflects its lasting impact on educational development in Nigeria, where it continues to break down barriers to quality learning for under-resourced communities. This recognition is not just a milestone for AREAi but also a victory for Africa’s educational advancement.
Collaborating for a Brighter Future
AREAi extends heartfelt gratitude to the Education Forum and the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) for providing platforms that foster global collaboration and innovation in education. By supporting initiatives like AREAi, WISE addresses pressing global challenges in early childhood and quality education, paving the way for lasting change.
As AREAi moves forward in the WISE Prize journey, the organization remains committed to expanding foundational learning across Africa and building a sustainable model of educational impact that reaches even the most underserved corners of the continent.
