The Okelo family, the owner and founder of the Makini group of schools, has agreed to sell the company to an international education partnership.

The prestigious Makini group of schools, founded in 1978 by the highly acclaimed Dr. Mary Okelo, along with her late husband Dr. Pius Okelo, is well-known for unparalleled academic excellence in the region, and has 8 schools on 4 campuses in Nairobi and Kisumu, catering to 3200 students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Dr. Okelo, whose leadership contribution in Africa has received major international recognition, was the first female bank manager at Barclays Bank East Africa, founder of the Barclays Bank Women’s Association, and Senior Advisor to the President of the African Development Bank. She holds 2 honorary Doctorates – one from United Graduate College and Seminary in the USA for her contribution to humanity, and the other from Africa Nazarene University, Nairobi, for distinguished service to the community.

This acquisition is subject to the fulfillment of conditions and has been made possible by the establishment of a new partnership between ADvTECH Ltd and Scholé Ltd.

ADvTECH, the leader in private education in Africa, is owner-operator of more than 117 educational sites in Southern Africa. Scholé has successfully operated schools in Zambia and Uganda since 2012 by applying the combined 40 years of international educational experience of its founding team. The new partnership will strive to acquire schools across the continent and build a network of institutions known for their academic excellence in the mid-fee segment.

Jaco Lotz, International Business Executive at ADvTECH, says that the new partnership allows ADvTECH to explore further opportunities in the region to allow collaboration between education partners.

“We are proud to be part of this new initiative to ensure that the Makini group of schools will continue to grow and develop for the benefit of future generations,” he says.

Scholé Founder and Chief Executive Adam Nichols says they are very excited about these recent developments as well as the opportunities for future collaboration and growth.

“We will ensure that Makini will continue delivering an excellent education to its students and maintain its leading position in Kenya.

“We will invest in the schools’ facilities and talented teaching team, and bring new technology into the classrooms to ensure all Makini students have the very best educational opportunities.

“We’re grateful to Dr. Okelo for her confidence in our ability to continue her outstanding legacy. Her ideas and vision are vital to our ambitions to expand the number of Makini schools and make a Makini education available to many more children.”

Meanwhile, in Uganda, the partners will continue to operate Kisubi High School, a co-ed mid-fee boarding school in Kampala, which provides a child-centered learning experience for its more than 900 students. Scholé has been managing the school since 2015.