Three counties are set to benefit from a Kshs.64million education programme funded by Safaricom Foundation in partnership with ZiziAfrique Foundation.
The Accelerated Learning Programme will run for a period of one year in Turkana, Bungoma and Tana River Counties and will focus on improving competencies in reading and mathematics.
“These three counties are among those with lowest levels of numeracy and literacy.We target to reach at least 3,600 learners in 60 schools spread across the three counties,” said Steve Okeyo, Trustee, Safaricom Foundation.
The programme is part of Safaricom Foundation’s commitment to improving competencies in literacy and numeracy among children aged 6 to 16. Safaricom Foundation will invest Kshs.44million towards the project while ZiziAfrique Foundation will put in Kshs.20million.
“Primary education in the Arid and Semi- Arid Lands remains appallingly low with a child in a county from these regions three times more likely to be out of school compared to their counterparts across the country,” Okeyo said.
A 2016 study by Uwezo East Africa revealed that children in primary school are failing to master basic literacy and numeracy skills. On average, 1 out of 10 children in Kenyan primary schools are completing class 8 without having acquired the basic competencies expected of a child completing class 2.
“In the spirit of the Competence Based Curriculum, the Accelerated Learning Program is designed to mediate the lack of literacy and numeracy competencies. Identified learners will be reached at their levels and supported to improve to higher competency levels,” said Harun Yusuf, CEO, National Council For Nomadic Education Kenya.
Early this year, Safaricom Foundation launched a new strategic direction that outlined how it is going to undertake its operations until 2021. The foundation will focus on Education, Health and Economic Empowerment.
Earlier in the week, the foundation visited Kakuma refugee camp to officially handover classrooms and learning equipment to three different schools which they have supported.