Over 2,000 Educators Trained as Aga Khan University Concludes Regional Education Initiative
Director of Basic Education Ministry of Education Ann Gachoya (C), Aga Khan University Dean, Institute of Educational Development EA Prof Jane Rarieya & Canadian High Commission Deputy Head Cooperation Pamela Gordon during the Foundation For Learning conference that brought together over 2,000 educators equipped in delivering inclusive competency-based teaching skills.
The Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development, East Africa (IED, EA) has brought to an end its transformative Foundations for Learning (F4L) programme, a five-year initiative that has trained more than 2,500 educators across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, equipping them with the skills to deliver inclusive, competency-based, and future-ready education.
The programme’s closing conference, themed “Empowering Educators and Leaders: Innovation and Insights for Sustained Transformative Change”, brought together policymakers, teacher trainers, and education leaders to reflect on lessons learned and chart a path for scaling impact.
F4L targeted core competencies such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving pillars of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) while promoting learner-centred approaches.
Participants included 717 pre-primary student teachers, 1,638 primary student teachers, 40 pre-primary college tutors, 131 primary college tutors, and 108 education leaders and officials who completed the flagship Diploma in Educational Leadership and Management (DELM) programme.
“As a Ministry, we are scaling up Early Childhood Development teachers and promoting stronger community and parental engagement. All this requires collaboration across sectors to achieve nationwide impact. The Aga Khan University’s dedication continues to inspire transformation,” said Ann Gachoya, Director of Basic Education at the Ministry of Education.
The initiative arrives at a critical juncture in Kenya’s education reform, as the CBC calls for a shift from rote learning to practical, skills-based instruction.
Beyond teacher preparedness, the programme fostered leadership capacity among school heads and education officials, empowering them to drive innovation and inclusivity in their institutions.
Prof. Jane Rarieya, Dean of IED, EA, hailed the initiative as a “catalyst for innovation in teacher education” across East Africa. “Educators are the single most powerful determinants of student outcomes. Our goal is to scale what we have learnt, strengthen ecosystems, and ensure every teacher is prepared for the 21st-century education system,” she said.
The final conference urged Kenya’s Ministry of Education and regional partners to integrate F4L’s best practices into national teacher training and leadership policies. With its completion, the programme leaves behind a network of empowered educators and leaders ready to sustain transformative change in classrooms across East Africa
