Country Director of the British Council in Nigeria, Donna McGowan, has said that improving learning outcomes in Nigeria requires schools and educators to embrace evidence-based approaches that place research and innovation at the heart of teaching.

Speaking at the British Council Action Research Grants showcase in Abuja on Tuesday, McGowan noted that while expanding access to education remains important, equal attention must be paid to improving the quality of teaching and learning in classrooms.

She said education systems across the world are under pressure to equip young people with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing environment, stressing that school improvement should no longer be driven by assumptions but by research findings and practical classroom experiences.

According to her, the British Council’s Action Research Grants programme empowers teachers and school leaders to identify challenges within their classrooms, test practical solutions, evaluate their impact and share lessons with colleagues. She added that some of the most transformative education reforms often begin as small, locally driven innovations within schools.

McGowan explained that the Action Research Grants initiative, a global British Council programme, supports educators to investigate and address context-specific challenges affecting teaching and learning.

She said through the British Council Partner Schools network, which spans more than 2,600 schools across 40 countries, including over 400 schools in Nigeria, teachers and school leaders are connected to a global community committed to educational excellence.

The Country Director highlighted the success story of Enobong Imaha, an English teacher at Pegasus School in southern Nigeria, who emerged as one of 12 researchers selected globally during the programme’s inaugural research cycle in 2023.

The envoy said Imaha’s study on sustaining positive classroom culture through teacher development led to professional training initiatives, school reforms and greater student participation, resulting in improved behaviour management, wellbeing and learning outcomes.

McGowan noted that the Nigerian educator has since become a global mentor, supporting fellow researchers across different countries.

She also celebrated three Nigerian educators recognised under the 2025–2026 Action Research Grants programme for their contributions to addressing pressing educational challenges.

McGowan said Chinedu Vincent Okoro, a teacher at Olumawu School, Abuja, explored how mindfulness-based interventions such as breathing exercises and yoga sessions could help reduce academic stress and improve concentration among secondary school students.

She further disclosed that Ayotomi Fasuyi, Principal of Charles Dale Memorial International School in Port Harcourt, investigated the effectiveness of the Online Support for Schools platform and found that 97 per cent of participating teachers completed the digital learning modules, demonstrating the potential of technology-driven professional development.

In addition, she noted that Innocent Katule, a Mathematics educator and Assistant Coordinator of Continuing Professional Development at Deeper Life High School, Opete Campus, Delta State, examined how professional development interventions could help address Mathematics anxiety among students.

The study, she said, contributed to the creation of more supportive and engaging classroom environments, particularly for struggling learners.

McGowan reaffirmed the British Council’s commitment to supporting educational partnerships, teacher development, research and international collaboration in Nigeria. She commended participating schools and researchers for their leadership, creativity and dedication to improving outcomes for learners across the country.

“The future belongs to schools that are evidence-driven, learner-centred, inclusive and wellbeing-focused,” she said, calling for stronger collaboration among schools, governments, communities and development partners to advance quality education in Nigeria.

In their separate presentations, the grantees shared findings from their research projects, highlighting innovative strategies aimed at addressing key challenges in teaching and learning within their schools.

Chinedu Vincent Okoro of Olumawu School, Abuja, presented the outcomes of his study on the use of mindfulness-based interventions to reduce academic stress among secondary school students. He explained how activities such as breathing exercises and yoga sessions helped improve students’ concentration, emotional wellbeing and overall classroom engagement.

Ayotomi Fasuyi, Principal of Charles Dale Memorial International School, Port Harcourt, spoke on her research into the effectiveness of the Online Support for Schools (OSS) platform in enhancing teacher performance. She reported high levels of participation among teachers, noting that the findings demonstrated the potential of digital professional development programmes to strengthen teaching practices and improve learning outcomes.

Also presenting was Innocent Katule, a Mathematics educator and Assistant Coordinator of Continuing Professional Development at Deeper Life High School, Opete Campus, Delta State. He shared insights from his study on tackling Mathematics anxiety through targeted professional development interventions, revealing that the approach contributed to more supportive, engaging and learner-friendly classroom environments, particularly for students who struggled with the subject.