Nigeria’s efforts in shaping the future of work through innovative knowledge impartation have been recognised by a global organisation, T4 Education, as part of its moves to champion change and build future-ready talents. 

Through its ‘World’s Best School Prizes’, T4 Education has been motivating institutions to adopt best practices and enable learning that blends academic rigour with creative discovery, connecting learners to the real world. 

The prestigious learning award recognises outstanding efforts in five key areas: Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity, and Supporting Healthy Lives. 

For this year’s edition, the organisation shone a spotlight on a Nigerian academy, Keep Educating Yourself (KEY), for its outstanding and holistic learning approach, which earned it a prestigious nomination among the top ten finalists in the innovation category. 

Lagos-based KEY academy was recognised, among other innovations, for its project-based learning (PBL) model, which prioritises critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem-solving over the traditional model. By adapting the PBL framework to Nigeria’s unique context, the academy strikes a balance between creative exploration and academic rigour, empowering students to solve real-world problems through collaborative projects.

Founder of T4 Education, Vikas Pota, emphasised the need for young people to be creative and adaptable to keep pace with the evolving digital era.

“As AI revolutionises our world, transforming learning and rendering centuries-old jobs obsolete, young people face an uncertain future amidst growing challenges like climate change, conflict, poverty, and populism,” said Pota. “In this precarious landscape, a human-centred education thus becomes more crucial than ever.”

Founder of KEY Academy, Damilola Okonkwo, expressed excitement about being the first Nigerian to receive recognition in the innovation category, stating that it has further motivated the academy to pursue its long-term goal of driving policy reform and catalysing lasting, multi-generational changes to uplift Nigerians.

“We are honoured to be recognised on the global stage. This moment is not just about us. It’s a moment for Nigeria and West Africa to be proud of what’s possible in our education system,” Okonkwo explained. “This nomination affirms what we have always believed, that children in Nigeria deserve world-class, 21st-century project-based learning rooted in innovation and community.”

Winners in the five categories, to be announced in October, will be selected by a panel of experts based on predetermined criteria. Additionally, all winners and finalists will converge on Abu Dhabi, UAE, in November for the World Schools Summit, where they will share their best practices and experiences with policymakers and leading figures in global education.