From results gathered from interviews and dialogue with various stakeholders on the state of education in Nigeria, we observed that many informal education and instruction centres and groups exist on the fringes particularly in low-income settlements and communities. Visits to some children’s (motherless) homes also revealed that some of the homes operate sub-standard educational instruction centres.

Such centres largely exist outside the formal school system and often have limited capacity, but they provide basic education services to the communities. The role of EduTrust Foundation in this regard is to support such centres, first by bringing their existence, efforts, success stories and needs to the attention of relevant education regulatory agency, and then taking steps to get them accredited or mainstreamed where appropriate.

Mainstreaming such centres into the formal education sector (whether they remain privately-owned or become government-funded) would mean that the centres will be supervised by the government, that they can enjoy the financial and facility support of government, or get accredited teachers posted to the centres.

Actions that may be supported as part of mainstreaming include:

• Teacher training (training of trainers) and certification
• Scholarships/enrolling promising students for UTME, SSCE, JSCE or NECO exams
• Construction or renovation of classroom blocks
• Equipping classrooms with chairs, desks, tables and chalkboards
• Provision of textbooks and exercise books to students
• Construction and stocking of libraries
• Construction or renovation of teachers’ offices/staff rooms
• Beautifying the walls of the school
• Renovating toilets and playgrounds, etc.

Prior to mainstreaming, upgrading of capacity, facilities or services may be required in order to enable the centres satisfy basic conditions for teaching and learning. Informal schools or education centres may be adopted before mainstreaming, or mainstreamed before adoption.