KNUT SHOULD FOCUS ON SUPPORTING TEACHERS INSTEAD OF ATTACKING EDUCATION WORLD FORUM

The Education World Forum provides an opportunity for Ministers and policy experts to discuss how best to deliver education globally, focusing on innovative solutions and new ideas.

Bridge is disappointed that instead of supporting global discussions about education, Kenya National Union of Teachers is instead choosing to attack the World Education Forum.

It is vital that the global education community invests in new and sustainable education models which ensure that no child is left behind and that teachers are provided with the best possible support.

Bridge’s record in Kenya speaks for itself, delivering excellent education results through a curriculum aligned with Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development regulations.

These results were once again evident in the 2016 KCPE results, undermining the critics of low-cost education in Africa. Bridge schools produced five candidates with a pass mark greater than 400, thereby ranking as one of the all-round top-performing schools in Kenya. 1,000 Bridge pupils scored over 300 marks to steer the schools in an unprecedented performance, a hallmark of examination management that the Kenya Government billed as historically ‘free of anomalies’, right from administration to the grading and the release of the results.

It is precisely because of proven academic and holistic development outcomes produced by Bridge that governments, both in Africa and elsewhere, have invited Bridge to form partnerships with them in delivering publicly financed education. As envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals, the public and private sector are leveraging their respective strengths to support teachers in their duties and children in their day-to-day learning.

Despite the continuous refusal of KNUT and other teaching unions to support Bridge, our schools have enormous support from parents, most of whom are in low income families. There are 80,000 children currently benefiting from the rigorous education provided by Bridge in Kenya. The parents of those 80,000 children are operating their right to choose the best school for their child and many are choosing Bridge International Academies.

In the light of all this and efforts been made this week on the global stage to talk about how to deliver better education, it is a shame that KNUT feels unable to focus on the aim and aspirations of the forum.

Key Operational Facts in Kenya:

• Bridge operates in 44 of the 47 counties in Kenya.
• In these areas, 35% of pre-primary and 5% of primary school children are currently out of school.
• 38% of Bridge families live in urban slums, 13% in peri-urban communities, and 49% in hard-to- reach rural areas
• 93 of the 405 Kenya Bridge academies situated in arid and semi-arid (ASAL) locations including Kwale, Taita Taveta, Garissa, Marsabit, West Pokot, Baringo, Tana River, and Samburu among others.
• Bridge teachers work with their pupils for 8 hours a day

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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.