Safaricom has unveiled a new push that seeks to significantly enhance access and the quality of education in Kenya. The initiative dubbed 'Citizens of the Future' program targets to upgrade 600 learning institutions and provide 10,000 scholarships and digital skilling for teachers.

Citizens of the Future program will be implemented under Safaricom PLC's M-PESA Foundation.

“We have developed education interventions that seek to bridge the gap through innovation and material support. Under the Citizens of the Future Program, we are consolidating our initiatives to ease access to education from early learning to technical and vocational training in an initial investment of about KES30 billion in the next five years,” said Peter Ndegwa, Chief Executive Officer, Safaricom.

Under Citizens of the Future, the M-PESA Foundation seeks to develop model institutions with modern infrastructure that is built sustainably, integrated with technology and with a focus on inclusivity for learners with special needs.

In the financial year 2023/24 the education sector received an allocation of KES628.6 billion, accounting for 20.7 per cent of national revenue and 4.7 per cent of the country’s GDP, positioning Kenya well above the UNESCO minimum threshold of 4 per cent, but below the recommended share of 15-20 per cent of total public expenditure.

Even with decades of investment and reforms, Kenya’s education system still faces challenges, from inadequate capitation to a lack of teaching materials, hampering the improvement of learning spaces and corresponding infrastructure that support requisite skilling to match human-capital requirements of the digital age.

To enhance this, the government looks to the private sector for synergies in resourcing, technical support and capacity strengthening, to help prepare learners for a competitive market.

“We are witness to what quality education can do for communities and therefore owe our learners and teachers an enhanced experience. In a world that is increasingly driven by digital advancements, the traditional classroom setting is evolving into something far more dynamic. We are going beyond supplementing education to transforming it,” said Nicholas Nganga, Chairman, M-PESA Foundation.

The adoption of technology in education will not only enrich the educational landscape, but also enable learners and teachers navigate a world that demands adaptability, aligning to the shifting needs of the new socio-economic order.
 
“This does indeed come at a defining moment, as we are celebrating 25 years of Safaricom, a journey anchored on our enduring purpose to transform lives. Our objective under Citizens of the Future is to enable every region have a model institution that not only trains for academic excellence, but to mould future-ready learners through digital integration,” said Michael Joseph, Trustee, M-PESA Foundation.

Kenyans will have a month to nominate a learning institution of their choice through https://www.citizenofthefuture.org/ with deserving schools shortlisted from the set criteria to award beneficiaries.

As Safaricom marks 25 years of operation, it illuminates the critical need for a more inclusive education system in an increasingly competitive world, adding on to investment of over KES29 billion by the foundations, impacting more than four million learners in Kenya.

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