The LEGO Foundation and Co-Impact have selected four Nigerian organisations as programme partners under a five-year, 30-million-dollar partnership aimed at strengthening public education systems for children affected by conflict.
The organisations are Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa, Common Heritage Foundation, Centre for Girls’ Education and Restoration of Hope Initiative.
The organisations made this known in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.
Newsmen report that the partnership, launched in 2026, will support seven locally rooted and predominantly women-led organisations across Nigeria and Kenya.
According to the statement, the initiative seeks to improve learning and wellbeing outcomes for children affected by conflict and crisis by strengthening the education systems that serve them.
The partners bring expertise across foundational learning, early childhood development, refugee and host-community inclusion, psychosocial wellbeing, safeguarding, girls’ education and crisis-responsive education governance.
The statement said that the Nigerian partners would pursue different pathways to strengthen education systems and make them more responsive to children affected by conflict, displacement and exclusion.
It said that TaRL Africa would contribute its expertise in foundational learning through the Teaching at the Right Level approach, which seeks to improve literacy and numeracy by aligning instruction with children’s learning levels.
According to the statement, common Heritage Foundation will focus on education governance, community accountability and public systems, while the Centre for Girls’ Education will work to improve educational opportunities for adolescent girls.
“It will do that through girls’ education, safe schools, mentoring and trauma-informed approaches.
“Restoration of Hope Initiative will contribute its experience in strengthening education systems in conflict-affected communities through interventions spanning education, child protection and psychosocial support,” it said.
The statement said the seven programme partners entered the design phase of their grants in August, working with Co-Impact, the LEGO Foundation, strategic advisers and peer organisations.
It said that the phase was expected to enable the partners to refine their strategies, strengthen learning and measurement, and identify opportunities for collaboration across the programme.
“Conflict and displacement are increasingly affecting the lives and learning of millions of children globally, creating a need for long-term, systems-based solutions alongside humanitarian assistance,” it said.
It said that Nigeria and Kenya were selected based on the scale of need and government commitment to improving education in crisis-affected settings.
“In Nigeria, an estimated 17.8 million children are out of school, while in Kenya, more than 250,000 refugee children remain outside the national education system.
“The initiative is expected to align with national priorities, including Nigeria’s Safe Schools Initiative and Kenya’s Shirika Plan,” it said.
It said that the partnership would support locally led approaches that could enable children affected by crisis to return to school, feel safe, learn and thrive.
It also called for other funders to support locally led initiatives capable of strengthening education systems and improving learning, wellbeing and inclusion for children affected by crisis.
Newsmen report that the LEGO Foundation is a Danish corporate foundation working with partners globally to support children’s needs and champion the dignity of childhood.
Co-Impact brings together local organisations and funders to strengthen health, education and economic systems, with a focus on gender equality and women’s leadership.