Bridge International Academies seeks to clarify that there are no plans for closure or permanent halt to expansion of its operations in Kenya or Uganda. Since 2009 in Kenya and 2015 in Uganda, Bridge and its teachers have been working as partners to the Ministries of Education in empowering under-served communities to deliver a life- changing education to approximately 100,000 boys and girls.

“For the last eight years Bridge has worked in close partnership with the Ministry of Education in Kenya to see that every child, regardless of the location of their birth or income of their parents, has access to a high-quality education,” says Mr Andrew Okwara, Managing Director of Bridge International Academies, East Africa. “We commend Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i for the bold actions he has taken since taking office to radically improve the current education system.”

The Ministry of Education recently released new regulations applying to Alternative Basic Education and Training (APBET) institutions such as Bridge. “We are very excited about the release of the regulations and are working toward registering all our 405 academies across Kenya as soon as possible”, says Mr Okwara. “Bridge works in close coordination with local, regional and the national government in Kenya and has seen remarkable success in improving learning outcomes for children and strengthening whole communities.”

In 2015 Bridge had its first standard 8 class sit for the Kenyan Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) with results demonstrating that Bridge pupils had a 40% higher chance of passing the KCPE than the national average. Jane Wanjiru Kinuthia, mother of Natasha Wambui a former standard 8 pupil who was recently awarded a full scholarship to complete secondary school in the United States, commends Bridge for the opportunities it has given her children. “Before I found Bridge it was very hard to find a school for my children that I could afford and where the teachers put my child first. When I sent my children to Bridge, I was amazed by the care and dedication shown by each teacher to each child individually.

The Bridge team are advocates for my children and my community.”

“In the eighteen months of operation in Uganda, Bridge has brought our technology and innovation to 63 communities and over 10,000 children across Uganda,” says Mr Andrew White, Expansion Director of Bridge International Academies, Uganda. “We have empowered communities to change their children’s futures and as a result we have received overwhelming support from parents, teachers and community leaders.”

Joseph Badebye a teacher from Bridge International Academy in Magamaga, Uganda agrees, saying: “I went to teachers training college but was not literate in using technology or confident in classroom management. Bridge has given me the skills I need to be a really effective teacher and I am so proud of the changes I have seen in my pupils over the last year.”

“Bridge wants to work with its teachers to change the status quo in education”, says Mr White. “We want children from all backgrounds to have access to an education that challenges them, excites them, and gives them the confidence to dream and the ability to achieve those dreams. Potential lives inside every child, it is up to us to harness it.”

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About Bridge

Bridge believes every child has the right to high quality education and works in partnership with governments, communities, parents and teachers to deliver education to over 100,000 children in underserved communities across Africa and Asia.

Bridge leverages in-depth teacher training and support, advanced lesson plans and wireless technology to provide pupils with a meaningful and life-changing education.

Globally, there is an education crisis. Around 263 million children and young people are not in school and the number of primary school aged children not in school is increasing. Bridge is committed to helping tackle this through a data driven, evidence based approach that delivers strong schools and a great education for all.