Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State welcomed a delegation from the World Bank on Monday to assess the remarkable progress made with the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation Program (EdoBEST). This initiative, spearheaded by the Obaseki-led administration, has garnered praise and been hailed as revolutionary by both national and sub-national governments.
Expressing gratitude to the multilateral organization for their support in implementing the series of reforms, Governor Obaseki highlighted the need to ensure sustainability and scalability of the EdoBEST program.
He stated, “We have initiated a revolution in education on the continent with EdoBEST, and now we must focus on taking it to the next level as our children grow and progress in their learning.”
Governor Obaseki affirmed his commitment to extending the reforms to higher levels of education, aiming to transform the entire spectrum of education and benefit 15 to 18-year-olds. He emphasized the importance of the partnership with the World Bank and other development partners in achieving this goal.
Mrs. Ozavize Salami, the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), explained that the visit by the World Bank officials was part of an ongoing mission to assess the impact of EdoBEST.
She highlighted the positive outcomes of the program, stating that “the kids that have gone through the program are doing better,” and emphasized the independent evaluation being conducted by SUBEB.
Mr. Martin De Simone, the leader of the World Bank delegation, praised Governor Obaseki’s unwavering commitment to transforming education in Edo State and encouraged other states in Nigeria to emulate Edo State’s education reforms.
He reiterated the purpose of the visit, which is to assess the implementation of the program and ensure that milestones are being met.
Edo State’s education transformation has gained international recognition and serves as a model for other regions. With sustained efforts and support from partners like the World Bank, Edo State continues to revolutionize the education sector and provide a brighter future for its students.
