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Nigeria’s groundbreaking ‘FastTrack’ programme wins 2024 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy
Aware of the significant need in North-Eastern Nigeria, where educational disruptions have impacted over 5 million children, the ‘FastTrack’ programme of the provides crucial support to ensure these children have access to the education they need.
‘FastTrack’ integrates a multilingual education framework that not only improves literacy, but also promotes mutual understanding and peace among diverse communities. The programme adopts a bilingual mode of language instruction, teaching both the national language and the learner's first language. This method has proven effective in boosting community engagement, fostering peaceful coexistence, and helping learners appreciate cultural diversity, reduce prejudice, and develop empathy.
‘FastTrack's’ approach to education is dynamic and responsive, specifically designed to address the different challenges that displaced children face on a daily basis. In unstable and chaotic environments, this adaptability is critical. To address the complexities of multilingual education, ‘FastTrack’ leverages cutting-edge technology with a strong emphasis on individualized support. This combination of strategies is designed to address pervasive issues, such as bilingual teacher shortages, which can severely impede the learning process in linguistically diverse environments. In addition, the programme addresses the complex task of accurately translating educational content into multiple languages, ensuring that all materials are culturally and contextually appropriate.
The impact of ‘FastTrack’ is measured through a mix of qualitative and quantitative assessments, including socioemotional and psychological evaluations. These assessments gauge the programme's success in instilling a sense of identity and active citizenship among learners, thereby contributing to community peace and harmony.
Community engagement is key to ‘FastTrack's’ approach. Innovative tools like the Mavis Talking book and pen, combined with effective teaching methodologies, ensure that multilingual literacy is accessible and engaging. These tools facilitate learning in a student’s mother tongue, which then bridges to English literacy, making the educational process seamless and inclusive. ‘FastTrack's’ commitment to peacebuilding is evident in its educational activities that promote non-violence and mutual respect. The programme's inclusive strategies extend beyond literacy and numeracy, fostering safe and positive community spaces that shield children from violence and aid in peacebuilding efforts.
Looking forward, ‘FastTrack’ aims to expand its reach across Africa, particularly in refugee camps in Niger, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda. The objective is to establish a community of practice that will implement ‘FastTrack’s’ methodologies across diverse settings, ensuring that the programme's benefits are felt widely and deeply.
On International Literacy Day, ‘FastTrack’ sends an encouraging message to all involved in literacy programmes: embracing context, equity, and evidence in educational design is crucial. By aligning educational interventions with learners’ cultural and contextual realities, we can significantly enhance literacy outcomes and foster an inclusive, peaceful society. The recognition of ‘FastTrack’ through the 2024 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy underscores the global relevance of its mission and its potential to inspire similar initiatives worldwide.
