Obaseki Presents EDOBEST Model in London

Why this is here: ICESCO member states collectively account for nearly half of the world’s children experiencing learning poverty, highlighting the urgent need for scalable education reforms.

Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki presented the EDOBEST education reform program at the ICESCO High-Level Ministerial Dialogue in London, United Kingdom. He spoke about translating education policy into measurable classroom improvements for developing nations. The conference, attended by ministers and experts from ICESCO’s 53 member states, focused on scalable solutions for foundational learning, given that nearly 1.7 billion people live in areas with significant learning poverty.

EDOBEST, now a subject of study at Boston University where Obaseki is a researcher, gained attention for its tangible results and replicable structure. ICESCO noted that roughly 44 million children in Nigeria and Pakistan alone struggle with basic reading comprehension. The organization emphasized a link between foundational learning and long-term economic growth, estimating up to 75% of variation in national economic growth relates to early learning outcomes.

Obaseki stressed the need for sustained political leadership and public trust to overcome resistance to reform. However, the article notes that ensuring reforms survive changes in administration remains a challenge. ICESCO continues to seek practical, evidence-based models to address learning poverty across its member states.