A transformative five-year initiative that has trained over 2000 educators, reshaped teacher education, school leadership, and inclusive learning in East Africa, culminated today at the final Foundations for Learning (F4L) conference, hosted by the Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development, East Africa (IED, EA).
The Foundations for Learning (F4L) initiative has directly trained over 2,500 educators across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, equipping them to deliver inclusive, competency-based, and future-ready education to thousands of learners.
The training workshops were intentionally designed to build core competencies such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, key pillars of Competency-Based Curricula (CBC). As a result, educators were not only prepared for CBC implementation but also empowered to lead meaningful, learner-centred change in their classrooms and institutions.
“As a Ministry, we are scaling up Early Childhood Development teachers, promoting stronger community and parental engagement, all of which require collaboration from all sectors to achieve nationwide impact. Aga Khan University Development Programs’ dedication continues to inspire transformation.” Said Director of Basic Education Ministry of Education Ann Gachoya.
This initiative comes at a critical time, as Kenya shifts towards Competency-Based Curricula (CBC) that demand new approaches to teaching and learning.
The initiative impacted 717 pre-primary student teachers, 1,638 primary student teachers, 40 pre-primary college tutors, and 131 primary college tutors. In addition, 108 education leaders and officials across the three countries completed the flagship Diploma in Educational Leadership and Management (DELM) programme, gaining the skills to lead more inclusive, innovative, and high-performing schools.
“The Foundations for Learning project has been a catalyst for innovation for teacher education in the region, recognising educators as the single most powerful determinants of students’ outcomes. Our goal is to scale what we have learnt, strengthen ecosystems, and ensure that every teacher is prepared for the 21st-century education system,” said Prof. Jane Rarieya, Dean of IED, EA.
With the final conference themed “Empowering Educators and Leaders: Innovation and Insights for Sustained Transformative Change,” IED, EA called on Kenya’s Ministry of Education to integrate key lessons from the programme into national teacher training and leadership development policies.