Achieving Sustainability Through CLA-Driven On-Demand Partnership

Leveraging Education Assistance Resources in Nigeria (LEARN) to Read is a five-year activity funded by USAID to support sustainable improvement in reading outcomes for first-and second-grade pupils in Nigeria. The goal of the activity is to strengthen and scale early grade reading (EGR) best practices using a Technical Assistance (TA) approach. The activity is based on the assumption and context that interventions implemented in the past 10 years (namely NEI and NEI Plus) have achieved significant improvements in EGR- especially in the Legacy (Sokoto and Bauchi) states- but also highlighted challenges that would need to be overcome by future interventions. 

The review of lessons learned and other documented evidence from these interventions by the LEARN to Read team identified that some of the recorded achievements of NEI and NEI Plus could not be sustained because the adopted implementation model did not prioritize mutual accountability with state partners who pledged their resources for the purpose of sustainability. To overcome this challenge, the team adopted a Collaboration Learning and Adapting (CLA)-driven On-Demand Partnership TA approach that is both partner-centric and program-focused. 

A systematic external collaboration CLA approach was designed to guide the choice of On-Demand Partners (ODP), nature of engagement, and TA support to be provided to them. This was phased into three major collaborative steps: 1) stakeholder engagement 2) strategic dialogue and 3) a mutual accountability framework premised on co-ownership of processes, responsibilities, and outcomes. As a result, seven (7) On-Demand Partners have demonstrated their commitment by solely dedicating resources and personnel for the sustainability of the milestones agreed upon with LEARN to Read. Leveraging relationships (networks) and an evidence-based decision-making process are key to the LEARN to Read organizational culture. The activity is promoting these two CLA-enabling conditions with stakeholders at the national, state, Local Government Area (LGA), and Community levels, which have formed the foundation of the relationship with On-Demand Partners.