NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

IDP Foundation (IDPF), in collaboration with Dignitas and Premier Credit Limited, has today formally announced the launch of the Ongoza program in Kenya.

With an initial commitment of three years, the program is focused on improving quality and learning outcomes in non-formal schools through a combination of financial support, school leadership training, and improving teachers’ ability to deliver Kenya’s Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). While financial support is being extended to schools across 14 counties in all, the intensive school leadership and teacher training is focused on an initial cohort of 69 schools selected from the Kasarani, Kiserian, Rongai, Ngong, Embakasi, and Kayole areas.

Through Ongoza (which means ‘Lead’ in Kiswahili), Dignitas will provide continuous professional development support to teachers and instructional leaders on classroom culture, learner engagement, and instructional leadership. Additionally, the Foundation’s initial investment of USD $1.6m has been met with an even larger contribution of USD $2m in private financing from Premier Credit. School owners participating in the program will have access to Premier Credit’s low-interest school improvement loan, designed specifically to support the needs of these schools, as well as receive training on effective management of school finances and record keeping. This will see over 3,000 loans given out to support over 1,000 school owners, and with this, over 115,000 children from low-income communities in Kenya will continue to have access to education. “This partnership with IDP Foundation and Dignitas will help us as a financial institution to serve our people with tailor-made financial services that aim to improve the lives of not only this generation but generations to come” says Barnes Orlando – Operations Manager (SME), Premier Credit.

Photo courtesy of GPE/Kelley Lynch.