FIS-Fund Accelerator

FastTrack Innovation Scale Fund Accelerator (FIS-Fund Accelerator)

The FastTrack Innovation Scale Fund Accelerator (FIS-Fund Accelerator) presents an unparalleled opportunity to revolutionize foundational learning in Nigeria and Africa, particularly for low-income, out-of-school children and refugee migrants. Africa hosts over 14.2 million refugee learners lacking access to quality foundational learning. Traditional methods often fail to meet their diverse linguistic and educational needs. FastTrack’s dual-language approach, combining mother tongue instruction with official languages, ensures effective learning outcomes. By incrementally addressing literacy and numeracy proficiency, FastTrack empowers learners to transition into formal schooling.

FastTrack aims to bridge this gap by leveraging innovative approaches tailored to the needs of marginalized learners. Our vision is to empower over 2.5 million children from low-income backgrounds with high-quality, pedagogically sound FLN solutions for remote learning. FastTrack is specifically designed to accelerate foundational literacies among refugee learners. Its unique blend of teaching methodologies and emphasis on personalized instruction distinguishes it from traditional approaches. By leveraging technology, incentivized parental engagement, and psychosocial support, FastTrack facilitates a seamless transition to formal schooling, breaking the educational disadvantage cycle among refugee communities.

Through strategic partnerships and rigorous evaluations, we seek to establish the impact of these solutions on learning outcomes and drive systemic change in the FLN ecosystem. Join us in our mission to democratize technology-enabled education and unlock the full potential of every child. Apply to the FIS-Fund Accelerator today and be a catalyst for transformative change in FLN education.

FIS-Fund Accelerator: Strategy Document Proposal

Executive Summary:

The FIS-Fund Accelerator is poised to revolutionize foundational learning in Nigeria and Africa, particularly for low-income, out-of-school children and refugee migrants. With over 14.2 million refugee learners lacking access to quality foundational learning, traditional methods have fallen short in meeting their diverse linguistic and educational needs. FastTrack’s dual-language approach, personalized instruction, and innovative use of technology aim to bridge this gap and empower learners to transition successfully into formal schooling. The Accelerator seeks to leverage strategic partnerships, rigorous evaluations, and targeted interventions to drive systemic change in the foundational learning ecosystem, ultimately unlocking the full potential of every child.

Objectives:

  1. Accelerate the development and scale of innovative foundational learning solutions tailored to the needs of marginalized learners in Nigeria and Africa.
  2. Establish the impact of these solutions on learning outcomes, particularly for low-income, out-of-school children and refugee migrants.
  3. Foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among stakeholders to drive systemic change in the foundational learning ecosystem.
  4. Empower participating organizations with mentorship and capacity building and showcase opportunities to enhance their offerings and impact.

Approach:

  1. Contextualized Solutions: The Accelerator will prioritize contextually relevant solutions tailored to marginalised learners’ diverse linguistic and educational needs in Nigeria and Africa.
  2. Strategic Partnerships: FastTrack will forge partnerships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, academic institutions, and philanthropic foundations, to maximize impact and sustainability.
  3. Rigorous Evaluations: FLN solutions will undergo rigorous qualitative and quantitative evaluations to assess their impact on learning outcomes and inform future iterations.
  4. Capacity Building: Participating organizations will receive mentorship, capacity-building workshops, and showcase opportunities to strengthen their offerings and enhance their impact.
  5. Inclusive Approach: The Accelerator will ensure inclusivity by actively engaging with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including educators, parents, community leaders, and learners themselves.

Timeline:

  1. Cohort Selection: Identify and select participating organizations and anchor challenges in foundational learning (Month 1).
  2. Capacity Building Workshops: Conduct capacity building workshops on product development, evaluation methodologies, and scaling strategies (Months 2-3).
  3. Solution Development: Participating organizations develop and refine FLN solutions based on anchor challenges and mentor feedback (Months 3-4).
  4. Pilot Implementation: Pilot FLN solutions in target communities and conduct initial evaluations to assess impact (Month 4-10).
  5. Evaluation and Iteration: Evaluate pilot outcomes, iterate on solutions, and scale successful interventions to reach more learners (Month 10-12).
  6. Showcase Events: Organize showcase events to highlight the impact, share best practices, and attract additional support for scaling (Month 12).

Call for Application:

The FIS-Fund Accelerator represents a groundbreaking opportunity to transform foundational learning for marginalized learners in Nigeria and Africa. By fostering innovation, collaboration, and impact, the Accelerator will empower millions of children to unlock their full potential and break the cycle of educational disadvantage. Together, we can build a more inclusive and equitable future for all. 

Are you:

  1. A youth-led Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) with a focus on foundational literacy and numeracy education.
  2. An organisation physically based with active engagements in the North West, North East and North Central States in Nigeria; (FCT, Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Yobe and Zamfara).

Click here to apply for the FIS-Fund Accelerator today and be a catalyst for transformative change in foundational learning education.

Application Deadline: May 31st, 2024. 11:59 WAT.