Education authorities across Nigeria are celebrating the remarkable success of the Jolly Phonics literacy project, declaring it the country's most effective educational intervention in recent history.
Nationwide Recognition for Literacy Breakthrough
State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) from Kano, Lagos, Kaduna, Adamawa, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom, and Jigawa have unanimously praised the Jolly Phonics Project for its exceptional impact on early-grade literacy development. Their enthusiastic endorsements follow the recent release of the 2025 Phonics Screening Exercise results conducted by Universal Learning Solutions under the UBEC 2023/2024 Teacher Professional Development programme.
The comprehensive findings reveal that students taught using the Jolly Phonics methodology have consistently outperformed their peers in reading and writing abilities since systematic monitoring began in 2019. The 2025 assessment marks the third major nationwide evaluation, building on previous exercises conducted in 2019 and 2021, all demonstrating clear and steady improvement in literacy achievement levels.
Remarkable Results and Measurable Impact
One of the most impressive improvements appears in Primary 1 English word recognition skills. The data shows the proportion of pupils meeting national benchmarks jumped dramatically from just one in five students in 2019 to one in three in 2025, representing a substantial 60 percent increase in reading proficiency.
Patrick Uzu, Country Director of Universal Learning Solutions (ULS), expressed his excitement about these developments. "These results are truly inspiring," he stated. "In an educational landscape where many projects struggle to demonstrate measurable outcomes, Jolly Phonics distinguishes itself through consistent, evidence-based results. With additional investment, its reach could expand even further."
The programme's effectiveness aligns with international research, including the UK's Rose Review and the US National Reading Panel, which have confirmed synthetic phonics as one of the most reliable foundations for early reading instruction. This global best practice is now producing tangible results in Nigerian classrooms.
From Small Beginning to National Transformation
What began as a modest pilot program in a single Akwa Ibom school in 2006 has blossomed into a comprehensive nationwide initiative currently operating in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The project's expansion represents one of Nigeria's most significant educational success stories.
Gary Foxcroft, CEO of Universal Learning Solutions, reflected on this extraordinary journey. "It's incredible to consider that Jolly Phonics started in one school 19 years ago and now reaches every state in Nigeria. We take great pride in the teams, teachers, state coordinators, SUBEBs, and UBEC who deliver these evidence-based interventions that are genuinely transforming children's lives."
The nationwide impact stems from strong collaborative efforts among UBEC, SUBEBs, Universal Learning Solutions, and the Federal Ministry of Education. This powerful partnership has enabled the training of 241,227 teachers across 120,738 schools and 7,182 officials, ultimately benefiting approximately 30 million Nigerian pupils.
State education leaders report dramatic improvements in their jurisdictions. In Kano State, SUBEB Executive Chairman Alhaji Yusuf Kabir emphasized the program's tangible benefits. "Among various early grade literacy interventions in Kano State, Jolly Phonics stands out for its significant impact," he affirmed. "We've observed remarkable enhancements in pupils' reading and writing capabilities, increased teacher motivation, and classrooms filled with enthusiasm and confidence. The program has established a solid literacy foundation for our state."
Continuous monitoring has strengthened accountability and sustained progress throughout the initiative. Uzu commended UBEC and state governments for their leadership, noting that "UBEC has ensured this functions as a national literacy strategy rather than a short-term project. SUBEBs have demonstrated genuine ownership by supporting teachers and maintaining consistent data collection. Nigeria should take pride in these accomplishments."
With the 2025 results confirming another year of improvement, education experts are urging policymakers to scale up investment and training. Foxcroft emphasized that "the data speaks for itself. If this level of progress can be achieved with modest resources, imagine what could be accomplished with increased support. Every Nigerian child deserves the opportunity to learn reading early, and Jolly Phonics has demonstrated this is achievable."
Reaffirming Kano's commitment to the program, Alhaji Kabir declared, "Our objective is for every child in Kano State and throughout Nigeria to read confidently by the conclusion of Primary 2. Jolly Phonics provides the proven tools to realize this goal."
