An African proverb says knowledge is like a garden; it cannot be harvested if not cultivated. Education is, therefore, the software of any society; it programs us to see the world the way we do and conduct ourselves the way we do.Â
 In Nigeria, however, too many doors filled with opportunities remain locked. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has decried the increasing number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, saying it is now 18.3 million, making them feel like education is a privilege rather than a right. The reality is grim, from overworked and poorly compensated teachers to rickety classroom furnishings and leaking roofs.Â
 Amidst these gut-punching realities, educational charities have emerged as flickers of hope mending the cracks in Nigeria’s learning space. These organizations have been filling the government’s gap by providing scholarships, building schools, training teachers, and introducing digital literacy to the underserved. This deep dive will explore their impact, challenges, success stories, and the future of Nigeria’s education.
The educational landscape in Nigeria: Challenges and gaps
The education sector in Nigeria has been a battlefield where students and teachers fight against sky-high odds. Sobering statistics by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) say 75 per cent of children aged seven to fourteen in Nigeria cannot read a simple sentence or solve basic maths.Â
 While school enrollment numbers are rising, poor infrastructure, teacher shortages, and economic hardship mean many children fall through the cracks. Low wages also discourage qualified professionals from pursuing teaching careers.
There are instances where students have been forced to learn under trees because of dilapidated school buildings. Let’s talk about poorly paid teachers who are overburdened with many subjects and lack the necessary resources to make learning engaging.Â
 You’d agree that in rural areas, the digital divide is stark; many children have never seen a computer, so how can they measure up with their peers in developed countries? This is thought-provoking!
Let’s also talk about socioeconomic barriers like child labor, gender inequality, and disparity, which also play a role, with many girls denied education due to cultural beliefs or early marriage and insurgency in the North. The Boko Haram insurgency has hurt education in Nigeria, especially between 2015 and 2024, according to a report.Â
 These further widen the gap between the learned and the illiterate. In this chaotic condition, educational charities in Nigeria are carving a path where holes can be patched while rewriting the future of education. They are providing urgent intervention.
 The role of educational charities in bridging the gap
Let’s consider the government’s effort to fix education in Nigeria as a leaky bucket. These organizations are the hands plugging the holes. Isn’t this laudable? In different forms, these organizations are known to address specific gaps in the educational landscape.
Non-profit organizations like Slum2School and Teach for Nigeria are focused on getting children back into classrooms and improving teacher quality. Faith-based charities, including missionary schools and Islamic education programs, provide free learning to marginalized communities.Â
 Corporate-backed initiatives like the MTN and UBA Foundations have also positively impacted Nigeria’s educational ecosystem by investing in school infrastructure, scholarships, and digital learning tools. Grassroots organizations, too, aren’t left behind; run by local activists, they ensure children in remote areas are included. A good example of this is the Nigerian activist VeryDarkMan, who launched an NGO to transform public education through the involvement of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
Their impact is profound because thousands of children who would have been hawking goods on the streets now sit in classrooms receiving education, and schools that were once at the edge of total collapse are receiving renovations. At the same time, teachers have gained new skills.
  To corroborate what William Arthur Ward said, the mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, and the great teacher inspires. How would students be greatly inspired without adequately trained and well-remunerated teachers? This is where we have come to appreciate these organizations helping students confidently step into the future.
Educational charities making a difference
Stories of transformation breathe life into the work of educational charities. These success stories stress the educational charities’ pivotal role in reshaping Nigeria’s academic landscape, turning the tide for countless children and setting the foundation for a brighter future.
Slum2School
Slum2School is a volunteer-driven development organization transforming society by empowering underserved children in slums and remote communities with quality education, entrepreneurial skills, and psychosocial support to realize their full potential and become social reformers. They offer scholarship programs, teacher support, and school and community support.Â
 Their learning spaces are the enterprise development center, the early childhood development center, the computer lab, and the STEM and innovation center. Their success stories involve supporting a thousand Nigerian students as they return to school.Â
 Every year, Slum2School Africa identifies vulnerable out-of-school children across several underserved communities and States in Nigeria; its volunteers and partners raise resources and funds and develop new partnerships to provide scholarships and enrol the children in schools where they are educated and supported through school.
Since 2012, Slum2School has enrolled over 1660 children in schools and supported over 32,000 children through various programs, and this year was no different. Their Fundraising campaign to sponsor one thousand out-of-school children into school was officially kicked off on Saturday, August 18th, 2018, and was themed #AThousandDreams. The goal was to raise resources to enroll a thousand children in school for the 2018/2019 academic session.Â
 On October 27th, Slum2School successfully enrolled 510 out-of-school children between the ages of 4 and 15 into schools for the first time. Slum2School’s collaborations have magnified their reach. A notable partnership with EatN’Go, a prominent food franchise, has spanned over seven years, weaving a narrative of hope, resilience, and transformation. This alliance has enriched the lives of many children, providing them with opportunities previously deemed unattainable.
Teach for Nigeria
Teach for Nigeria, fellowship means more than just a program – it’s an invitation to become a positive force in the lives of Nigeria’s children. In this transformative journey, fellows develop leadership skills and uncover a more profound sense of purpose as they shape young minds and contribute to a brighter tomorrow. According to them, Nigeria is witnessing a tragedy of epic proportions. While our constitution guarantees fundamental human rights for all citizens, this is far from the reality for many children.Â
 TFN has placed over 1,200 fellows in more than 600 primary and secondary schools across Ogun, Lagos, Kaduna, and Oyo states.
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 Statistics reflect a broken system that makes it difficult for most students to thrive and fulfil their potential. Children living in poverty are often the worst hit by these statistics, with their education — and therefore their life choices, being severely affected.
  70% of children who complete primary education are unable to read, 50% of students drop out of the school system before senior secondary school 3, 9 out of 10 students enter secondary school without basic math and literacy, 65% of students do not make it to university, 92% of children from low-income families do not access pre-primary education. At the same time, School closures during the pandemic worsened existing inequalities.Â
 Children who were already at the highest risk of missing out on quality education were hit the hardest. Against this backdrop, TFN leaders are working together at all levels of the system to provide an excellent, equitable education to all of Nigeria’s children. Teach for Nigeria is committed to fuelling Nigerian leadership to guarantee our children’s human rights and enable them to fulfil their full potential.
The Impact of Teach For Nigeria on whole child development, teaching quality, and school community is that from 2021-2023, Teach For Nigeria, in collaboration with Teach For All and RAND, conducted a groundbreaking study to evaluate the impact of TFN’s Leadership Development Program on whole child development (including academic achievement and socio-emotional learning), teaching quality perception, and school community.
The findings reveal that students in TFN classes experienced learning gains of 2-5 months compared to their peers in non-TFN classrooms. Insights from the qualitative data also highlight TFN’s significant contribution to student’s holistic development and their strong relational attributes within the school community. The total impact is improved literacy and numeracy skills for thousands of students.
United For Education Foundation
In sync with Sustainable Development Goal 4, which ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and the promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all, the United For Education Foundation, a non-government and non-profit organization, was established with a vision to reduce education inequity by improving the standard and quality of public education.
U4E supports the government in reforming the falling standard of education in the public primary education sector. They are focused on bridging the gap between the private and public sectors so that through corporate volunteering, mentorship, and infrastructure development, pupils in the public primary school system have access to the quality of education that can make them competitive. This is critical in helping Nigeria build a vital human resource base to provide national competitiveness.
Their initiatives include teacher training, providing teachers with support to improve their instructional skills, and providing learning materials, including textbooks and educational resources, to those in need. U4E also works to improve infrastructures such as classrooms, toilets, and water facilities. They also engage with local communities to promote education while involving parents in their children’s learning.
 New Era Educational and Charitable Support Foundation
 New Era Educational and Charitable Support Foundation (NEEDCSI) is a Nigeria-based registered non-profit committed to reviving human values that transcend religious, ethnic and cultural differences. These values include belonging to a common humanity, respecting and considering all people, compassion and non-violence, a commitment to preserving the natural environment, and a social service ethic.Â
 New Era Educational and Charitable Support Foundation is an active NGO Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and a Cooperation Circle (CC) of the United Religions Initiative (URI), an NGO with Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Their programs and projects focus on facilitating peacebuilding and conflict prevention, youth capacity building and development, education, Interfaith Dialogue and poverty alleviation, etc.Â
 They endorse and support the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact. New Era Educational and Charitable Support Foundation is a member and active participant of the Plateau Peace Practitioners Network (PPPN).
Their mission is to build, support, and empower teams of youth with the capacity to emerge from a life on the streets, drugs, and dysfunctional families to become leaders capable of helping themselves and their communities. They are leading a movement that connects youth, educators, and communities and empowers them to transform themselves from recipients of information and resources into valuable, contributing members of their communities.Â
 They help young people discover and develop their inherent gifts, talents, and abilities, and they support their development as ethically responsible, self-disciplined, and creative social citizens capable of participating in a positive and sustainable society. Their work focuses directly on the heart and the great value of human life.Â
 Their programs and projects focus on initiatives that improve educational opportunities and provide life skills, including self-confidence, goal-setting, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and teamwork, by equipping youth with essential skills that will empower them to become competent, confident, responsible, and caring adults.Â
 Since 2011, New Era Educational and Charitable Support Foundation has successfully conducted the Youth Leadership Institute for over 500 undergraduates selected from 25 Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in towns and cities across Nigeria.
 The Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF)
 The Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) was founded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 2004. Since then, the NHEF has been committed to enhancing the capacity of Nigerian higher education institutions.
A strong, world-class higher education sector in Nigeria is essential to the development of the next generation of leaders. It contributes to a growing economy, facilitates a just and vibrant social structure, and promotes participation in a stable, lasting democracy.
The NHEF is working toward a future in which Nigerian higher education is one of the best in the world—where Nigerian institutions develop global scholars and 21st-century leaders who can make a lasting impact in Nigeria and throughout Africa. Therefore, they seek to collaborate with Nigerian universities and provide local and global resources to develop, sustain, and advance the skills and leadership of young Nigerian scholars.
Since its inception in 2004, NHEF has achieved remarkable milestones, supporting countless scholars in pursuing higher education and realizing their dreams. Since 2004, the NHEF has reached over 700,000 students across six partner universities and trained over 368 future leaders.
Their initiatives have extended beyond academia, focusing on holistic development and creating future leaders who contribute meaningfully to society.
 Challenges faced by educational charities in Nigeria
 Despite the educational charity’s remarkable contributions in Nigeria, it faces challenges, with funding remaining the most pressing issue. Economic downturns and a lack of adequate financing have led to budget cuts.
Another concern stifling its contribution is sustainability. Often, it kicks off with significant momentum, but in the long run, it struggles to stay afloat. Community resistance rooted in cultural or religious beliefs can also hamper their efforts, especially in areas where Western-style education is met with skepticism.
Technology, on the other hand, also presents challenges. The push for e-learning is impeded by poor electricity supply and limited internet access in rural areas. Educational charities must constantly innovate to ensure their interventions are effective and sustainable.
The future of educational charities in Nigeria: Trends and opportunities
Given that life is about polarity, the road ahead of educational facilities is packed with opportunities and challenges. The rise of EdTech and digital learning presents a unique opportunity to revolutionize education, provided infrastructure keeps pace. Organizations should also leverage online platforms to reach more students, breaking geographical barriers to learning.
Partnerships between charities, businesses, and the government can amplify impact, ensuring resources are effectively coordinated. Innovative funding prototypes, including crowdfunding and social enterprises, are also emerging as practicable alternatives to traditional donor-dependent structures.
How individuals and organizations can support educational charities
 Education should be seen as our collective responsibility, and supporting educational charities does not always require deep pockets. Sometimes, it’s about showing up and making a difference. Individuals can contribute by donating, volunteering, and advocating for policy changes.
 Volunteers can serve as mentors or educators, helping students develop critical skills. At the same time, donors should support initiatives that align with their values and businesses can invest in educational programs as part of their corporate social responsibility.Â
Why the work of educational charities matters
 A child without education can be likened to a bird without wings—grounded, unable to soar. Educational charities in Nigeria give wings to thousands, rewriting stories of despair into stories of triumph. They step into the cracks left by an overstretched education system, proving that access to knowledge should not be a privilege but a right.
As Nigeria marches towards the future, the role of educational charities cannot be overemphasized. The journey is long, the challenges steep, but with collective effort, no child should be left behind.