Nigerian-born educator Oluwatoyin Kode is transforming education for African immigrant children in the United States while introducing digital skills to youths in rural Nigeria. Through her organisation, STEM Prep Tutoring, founded in 2019 with her husband Adeolu Kode, she addresses learning setbacks many new African students face due to curriculum and cultural differences. “Students have recorded an average of 28 per cent improvement in Mathematics and English within three months, with seven out of 10 previously underperforming students now meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
In test preparation, students have also gained SAT score improvements of 180 to 360 points, with several earning placements at top-tier U.S. universities,” Kode told THISDAY.
In 2024, STEM Prep Tutoring expanded to Nigeria with the Eruwa Digital Skills Programme, training 25 secondary school students in Oyo State in coding, data handling, and responsible technology use. “Many participants had never interacted with a laptop beyond basic tasks before the programme. Local leaders commended the initiative as a rare opportunity to prepare rural youth for global competitiveness.
It’s not a gift, it’s a responsibility,” Kode said. The organisation plans to launch a global digital learning academy, expand its Nigerian outreach, provide scholarships for African immigrant students, and partner with schools to enhance STEM exposure. “We are raising a generation that must compete globally,” she emphasised.