AID for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi) has been named as one of six finalists of 2024 WISE Prize for Education.

The organisation joins other global outfits as the only Nigerian and African entity in the final shortlist. The prize is dedicated to recognise world class contribution to education.

From over 427 applications, AREAi’s flagship programme – FastTrack, was selected as a solution to bridge learning gaps for literacy and numeracy skills, particularly for disadvantaged children in underserved and rural contexts.

Leveraging offline, self-assisted technology, FastTrack utilises a digital pen, equipped with audio capabilities, and multilingual instructional materials to facilitate quality foundational learning instruction resulting in higher literacy and numeracy levels.

Since 2019, the programme has been scaled widely as an indigenous solution with evidence of impact in improving reading and arithmetic proficiency for over 25,000 children in 10 refugee camps.

Founder and Global Director, Prince Gideon Olanrewaju, said there were improvements in socio-emotional skills, wellbeing, school enrolment tendencies, participation levels, and transition rates for beneficiaries because of FastTrack.

‘‘This recognition is a testament to FastTrack’s potential in providing instructional support, meeting personalised learning needs and enabling educational access to millions of refugee learners and out-of-school children’’, he said.

‘‘We are resolute to have FastTrack adopted in camps and communities, via collaboration with government agencies as well as local refugee-led or community-based educational organisations.”

In the next one year, with funding of over $125,000, capacity building and mentorship from WISE Team, AREAi will pilot FastTrack+ in Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

 Gideon noted: “It is a delight to run with six finalists. This emboldens our vision of ensuring access to quality foundational learning at scale and put us on the path to sustainable long-term impact.”