By Ononye VC
A United Kingdom based education provider,Jolly Learning Ltd has commended Anambra State government under the leadership of Governor Chukwuma Soludo for its unwavering commitment to foundational literacy among pupils in public primary schools.
The commendation was made during the just concluded Jolly Phonics International Conference held in London from July 16-18.
While reviewing the performance of countries across Africa and Asia—particularly in areas such as teacher training, literacy outcomes among pupils, and the efforts of School Support Officers—Anambra State emerged as one of the standout example of best practices in Jolly Phonics implementation.
Conference organisers noted that Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his administration prioritized English literacy as a key pillar of educational advancement in the state. The consistent deployment of the Jolly Phonics programme, they also noted, is equipping learners in public primary schools in Anambra State with critical reading and writing skills essential for academic success.
Representing Anambra State at the conference was the Executive Chairman of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB),Dr Vera Nwadinobi who highlighted that the state began implementing Jolly Phonics in 2016. According to her, it has remained an integral component of the state’s UBEC/SUBEB Teacher Professional Development programmes, reaching classrooms across all Local Government Areas.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Gary Foxcroft, CEO of Universal Learning Solutions (UK)noted that Anambra’s success reflects the direct impact of strong government support. He compared the state’s performance to other successful implementations in countries such as South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Gambia, and Zimbabwe.
He particularly praised Anambra State’s performance in the Phonics Screening Checks conducted nationally in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. He expressed optimism that the just-concluded July 2025 screening will show further gains when compared with previous years.
“Anambra’s progress exemplifies what is possible when political Will aligns with educational best practices,” Mr. Foxcroft stated.
