What is INSPIRED?
INSPIRED (Institutional Strengthening of Policy Implementation to Reduce Educational Disparities in Kenya) is a UK government-funded programme aiming to improve foundational learning for 200,000 children in Kenya, including 100,000 of the most marginalised in the counties of Wajir and Mandera.
The programme is shaping the future of education in Kenya by ensuring laws, policies, and systems place early childhood learning at the heart of education reform.
By the end of the programme’s first year, average competency scores for ECE teachers improved from an average of 2 (‘developing’) to 3 (‘proficient’).
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What does the programme aim to achieve?
The INSPIRED programme works towards two main objectives:
- establishing a stronger foundational learning policy environment at the national level
- increased access to quality ECE services in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), with a reduction in gender disparities.
It does this by:
- supporting foundational learning reforms using locally driven technical assistance
- building the capacity of Government of Kenya officials, teachers, school leaders, and county ECE officials to deliver better foundational learning
- generating robust evidence on effective strategies for delivering ECE.
EDT’s role on INSPIRED
EDT leads a consortium of 13 partners to deliver the INSPIRED programme, providing overall programme leadership, technical assistance, governance, and coordination between national and county education stakeholders. We also developed and agreed the INSPIRED teacher professional development model, which is based on Communities of Practice, coaching, and ongoing support for ECE teachers.
We draw on our expertise in education system reform to connect the work of the 13 consortium partners into one coherent model. These partners include:
- policy partners: the Ministry of Education (MoE), Council of Governors (CoG), Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), National Council for Nomadic Education (NACONEK), and the County Governments of Wajir and Mandera
- technical partners: Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), supporting integration of play-based learning and Islamic content, Sightsavers, supporting inclusion for learners with special educational needs and disabilities, and Think Equal, integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) into the programme
- delivery partners: Wajir Peace & Development Agency (WPDA) in Wajir, and Voice of Peace in Africa (VOPA) in Mandera
- research partner: Research Hub Africa (RHA), the external evaluator leading implementation and evaluation to generate evidence for better decisions.
INSPIRED continues to make significant progress towards stronger foundational learning for every child in Kenya.
Hear about participants experience of the Programme:
“I completely transformed my teaching approach from rote learning to a vibrant, play-based classroom. My learners are more confident, and I feel proud to be a mentor for other teachers.”
Alice Kerubo, ECE teacher at ICF Integrated School
“The INSPIRED programme has refreshed the ECE teachers’ profession by inducting them on the emerging pedagogy of handling young learners. It has moved them towards child-centred and play-based lessons, and learners are enjoying it.”
Mr Abdirashid Adam, Headteacher at Barwaqo Girls Primary School
Programme outcomes
By the end of the programme’s first year, average competency scores for ECE teachers improved from an average of 2 (‘developing’) to 3 (‘proficient’).
Classroom observation and coaching sessions also showed better articulation of ECE principles and stronger application of inclusive, play-based methodologies.
Strengthening early childhood education at the system level
In 2025, we trained over 300 Kenyan government officials in coaching, classroom observation, and monitoring to better facilitate high-quality professional development and accountability in early childhood centres. We are also driving impact on a national scale by collaborating with the Kenyan government on its early childhood education policy reforms. This includes supporting legislation at a national level to strengthen teacher training, develop the curriculum, and improve assessment and governance.
Frequently asked questions
What challenges is INSPIRED addressing?
The Government of Kenya has made significant progress in enhancing access to quality and equitable education for all, including in improving access, retention, and transition rates. However, approximately 1.13 million school-age children in Kenya are still out of school (Oxfam, 2025). There are also significant regional disparities in access and inclusion. In Mandera, a 2023 county education taskforce report found that only around 10% of the projected early childhood education (ECE)-age population was enrolled in ECE, underlining the scale of the challenge in northern Kenya.
A high proportion of learners also fail to achieve minimum performance benchmarks. The 2023 Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (FLANA) report found that many Kenyan children are still failing to acquire foundational literacy and numeracy skills at the expected level, despite high levels of school participation.
INSPIRED is tackling these challenges by building:
- government capacity to deliver improved foundational learning reforms
- the capacity of teachers, school leaders, and county ECE departments to deliver ECE services effectively
- stronger evidence for education policy dialogue.
How does INSPIRED align with the Government of Kenya’s education strategy?
INSPIRED supports the Government of Kenya’s education reform priorities. Delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the programme helps advance recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, including strengthening foundational learning and developing national foundational learning guidelines.
Let's work together
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Faith Nkala, Director Sub-Saharan Africa
Faith is a results-driven leader in international education and development with more than 20 years of experience in designing and implementing effective development strategies across diverse African contexts. She has a strong track record of collaborating with governments, INGOs, and funding bodies.
Andiwo Obondoh, INSPIRED Team Leader
Andiwo has over 30 years of experience in curriculum delivery, programme leadership, technical assistance, advocacy, and foundational learning, for organisations including UNICEF, the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), and ActionAid. He has also served as a special advisor and civil society representative in five ministerial task forces on education sector reforms in Kenya.