Universal Learning Solutions

07/10/2026

Amazing to see our work to help transform literacy levels in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, take off so positively. 🤩

Our sincere thanks to KZNDOE for inviting our South Africa Country Director, Dr Daisy Reddy, to present at the Literacy and Numeracy Stakeholder Roundtable yesterday.

Our sincere thanks also to District Director Ms. Busi Mahlambi from Umlazi District who spoke so well about the Jolly Phonics project that we have been partnering with the Department of Education on in the province.

Universal Learning Solutions now looks forward to scaling the project to all districts in KZN and supporting the commitment of KZNDOE to deliver evidence based interventions to ensure every learner can read and write.

18/09/2026

Proud to see the progress being made in the Jolly Phonics Project - South Africa project and, most especially, the development of our Jolly Phonics training team there. Congratulations to each of the 33 new teachers, Departmental Heads and Subject Advisors from across the Western Cape Education Department who have now joined the team. 🤩

The impact and scope of our work in South Africa continues to grow steadily by the day and we remain grateful to our government partners, trainers and all the Jolly teachers across the country who continue to strive for better literacy for all. 🙏🇿🇦

17/09/2026

You are warmly invited to join us in Kano, Nigeria, on Saturday 19th September for the first Annual Literacy Challenge for Almajiri Children.

Through our partnership with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education and ACRI, we’re working to bring quality literacy education to children who are often among the most disadvantaged in Northern Nigeria.

The challenge will give children the chance to demonstrate their reading skills, build confidence and, most importantly, celebrate their progress.

We’re proud to be part of this initiative and look forward to a great day in Kano.

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14/09/2026

We’re delighted to be supporting this important Literacy Challenge event in Kano, Nigeria, on Saturday 19th September.

This important event brings together almajiri children and their teachers that we have been working with to showcase the improvements in reading that have taken place during our pilot project with National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education and ALMAJIRIProject.com .Advocating for the Abandonment of Almajirinci in Nig

The results in just 9 weeks of our project have been nothing short of transformational and we look forward to the children demonstrating what can be achieved with Jolly Phonics.

08/09/2026

Every child deserves the power to read, write and learn. 📚🌍

Today, on International Literacy Day, Universal Learning Solutions celebrates the transformative power of literacy and the vital role it plays in creating brighter futures for children across Nigeria.

For us, literacy is about more than learning to read. It is about giving children the foundations, confidence and skills they need to participate fully in their education and unlock their potential.

We are grateful to the Federal Ministry of Education and our partners at the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for their continued commitment to strengthening foundational literacy and improving learning outcomes for children across Nigeria.

Through our work with education stakeholders across the country and the implementation of Jolly Phonics, we are supporting teachers to provide children with strong foundations in reading and writing—helping to build a generation of confident readers, lifelong learners and future leaders.

Because literacy is more than learning to read. It is the key to unlocking a child's potential.

Today, we celebrate the teachers, education leaders, government partners and communities working every day to make that opportunity a reality.

Together, we can build stronger foundations, empower children and transform futures.

Happy International Literacy Day! 💙💛

25/08/2026

We’re delighted to share the findings from the Accelerated Literacy Pilot for Almajiri Children (ALPAC), delivered through a partnership between Kano State Government, Almajiri Child Rights Initiative and Universal Learning Solutions.

In just 8–9 weeks, children in six Almajiri centres made rapid literacy gains:

📈 +52 percentage points in English sounds
📖 +41 points in word reading
🗣️ +13 points in reading fluency
💬 +40 points in comprehension

Importantly, 100% of teachers saw potential to scale the programme, with similar positive impacts seen in Hausa literacy.

A huge thank you to His Excellency the Governor and the Kano State Government for their commitment to reaching children outside the formal education system, and to our partners at ACRI for their fantastic work with Almajiri communities.

We look forward to building on these results and scaling the programme to reach many more out-of-school children across Kano and beyond

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Reformeducationkano Kano Subeb corporate communication Kano State Government Ministry of Education, Kano.

17/08/2026

This weekend, our amazing team of South African trainers delivered the first in a series of large-scale Jolly Phonics training sessions for teachers across Gauteng.

A huge thank you to the Gauteng Department of Education and Jolly Learning for their continued partnership and support in making this project a success.

Together, we’re helping transform literacy across South Africa and giving more teachers the practical skills and confidence they need to help every learner become a successful reader. 📚🇿🇦

26/07/2026

Yusuf Bags British award for transforming Kano's education sector https://share.google/GeUmDOSBsUpoRiYn

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Governor Abba Yusuf has received the prestigious International Literacy and Learning Leadership Award in recognition of his bold leadership

25/07/2026

Last night was a truly special evening for everyone at Universal Learning Solutions.

We were incredibly honoured to present the International Literacy and Learning Leadership Award to His Excellency Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State Government , with the award graciously accepted on his behalf by His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano, during a memorable ceremony at the historic Stationers' Hall in London.

For us, this award celebrates a partnership that is already transforming literacy across Kano State.

Working alongside the Kano State Government, Universal Learning Solutions has now trained more than 12,000 teachers in the teaching of reading through Jolly Phonics. The impact is being demonstrated through our Phonics Screening Check, which continues to show consistent improvements in children's literacy and reading attainment across the state.

Kano's achievements are also gaining international recognition. The recent African Union Commission and UNICEF report, Mapping Exemplars of Good Practice in Foundational Literacy in Africa highlights Kano State as a model of good practice for its implementation of Jolly Phonics and its commitment to improving foundational literacy through evidence-based teaching.

During his inspiring acceptance speech, the Emir of Kano praised Governor Yusuf's bold vision for education, including the landmark decision to allocate 30% of Kano State's budget to education. He also spoke passionately about the potential of Jolly Phonics to help bridge Qur'anic and formal education, ensuring that Almajiri children can build on their existing literacy skills while developing the English reading skills that will unlock future opportunities.

We are deeply grateful for the trust that the Government of Kano State has placed in Universal Learning Solutions. We look forward to continuing this remarkable partnership—training more teachers, supporting more schools and ensuring that even more children across Kano State gain the life-changing gift of literacy.

Congratulations once again to His Excellency Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, and our sincere thanks to His Royal Highness the Emir of Kano for accepting this prestigious award on the Governor's behalf.

Together, we are proving that with visionary leadership, evidence-based teaching and strong partnerships, every child can learn to read.