Community Innovation Lab
A hub for teachers and students in rural communities to access 21st Century learning resources for better teaching and learning outcomes. Highlights include; Teacher Development Forum (TDF), Rural English Literacy (REL), Public Library, Game Hub, Book Club, Lab Extras
Rural English Literacy- REL
Exists to give basic literacy skills to both teachers and learners in rural community schools for meaningful learning to occur through its free English Lessons and Book Club. It is currently running 1 Literacy Centre, 1 After School Literacy Program and has reached 8 rural community schools, 50 teachers and 342 school children
REL Book Club
This has school children meet to listen to stories read to them and interact with books.
The Teachers’ Meet
The Teachers’ Meet is an annual 3 day conference for school owners, school administrators, teachers, and other Child Care Providers in rural communities. For the past two years it has reached. Over 100 schools and communities. Over 300 teachers, school owners and school administrators. Over 10,000 school children
Teacher Development Forum
Provides in-house continuous professional development to teachers in rural
schools through a variety of topics. Since 2016, it has reached. 3 rural
community schools. 50 teachers. 891 school children
Teacher Volunteer Network
There are a lot of rural communities in Nigeria without schools nor access to schools. Our current focus is on North West Nigeria where many of such typical communities are begging for schools to be established in their communities. We train, equip and send out volunteer teachers to such communities. These volunteers start and set up COEC Literacy Centers that will eventually transition to full-fledged schools built and sustained by such host communities.
A school without a functional library is hugely handicapped. A library is the sustaining life of any school that thrives. Many public schools do not have libraries and where they have them, such libraries are poorly equipped with the relevant books and materials that aid teaching (for the teacher) and learning (for the student).
To this, COEC’s Public Library Program exists to solely serve both teachers and students in equipping them with up-to-date books. Semi libraries equipped with all relevant textbooks in all subject areas for both primary and secondary school levels will be set up in (rural/low income) schools.
Public libraries will be set up in choice locations across the country for use by members of the host communities.
However, COEC will set up a model library at its Community Innovation Lab which will be used as a prototype for all the other public libraries that will be set up.
One of the greatest threats to the students is being able to pay school fees. 80% of the students are coming from daunting backgrounds that do not empower them to pursue an education. Being in school can be emotionally and mentally sapping for them as a result of the economic pressure they have to bear. Often, food is even a problem. Thanks to those who donate food items. This exists to provide scholarship opportunities for children in rural areas or low income homes and gives children the opportunity to get sponsorship to schools in their communities and also to better schools outside their rural communities up till the tertiary level. A hub is created where individuals can partner with COEC and send a child to school. This way, children from families that cannot afford to pay their children’s school fees through post primary education get a chance at a decent education paid for by other well-meaning individuals or corporate bodies.
Extreme Makeover: School
Exists to ensure healthy learning environments in rural and disadvantaged communities. Hence, it handles school rehabilitation for deserving schools to ensure conducive learning environments for better learning outcomes.
Pipe Borne Water, Water Closet, 3 classrooms, 3 community schools
This program exists to provide high quality education for children in rural communities or from low income homes. The building of a modern boarding school facility equipped with a school clinic and a feeding program; a Community Innovation Lab which would have a fully-equipped and functional public library, an ICT/Research Hub to teach computer skills and a Game Hub for play therapy sessions is in view. This will exist to pick children from the worst of living conditions and give them an opportunity to develop, grow like normal children should and give them top notch quality education to enable them become global citizens. These group of schools will be from Preschool through High School.
Documentary and Profiling
This project exists to highlight schools, teachers and students in Nigeria especially in rural and disadvantaged communities. This it does via the following platforms:
a. Teachers and Students of Nigeria (TASON): Little attention is given to the stories of the great and committed teachers that have worked tirelessly to uphold the education sector and make a difference from the teaching profession. TASON will serve as a platform that puts teachers on the spotlight by profiling them and sharing their individual stories as it relates to the collective story of teachers who have served or are still serving in Nigeria. This will be done in print and online via a website and social media platforms. TOFN will not be focused on a particular aspect of teacher life or on teachers from specific regions. It will focus on any and every aspect of the story that the teachers desire to share with the world cut across all parts of the country likewise students from all levels of education.
b. Schools of Nigeria (SON): This platform exists to solely talk about the thousands of schools spread across Nigeria. SON will tell the story of Schools and how they were established, how many communities they serve, staff strength, condition of school structures, student population, access to good roads, community involvement, alumni, etc.