The Kisii Education Conference
Of the more exciting developments, the pioneering 1st Kisii County Education Conference on the theme of “enhancing quality education for development in line with Kenya Vision 2030” is the first of its kind held in Kenya. An imposing marquee was spread across the grounds of Kisii University, attended for three days by a range of people from government officials to educationalists to professionals with the aim of contributing to county-wide planning of education projects and initiatives. One of the common themes to be raised, both by those invited to speak and otherwise, was the issue of sponsorship of schools. Something not unique to Kisii, but increasingly prevalent in the county, is the pressure of schools to be established, sponsored and managed by one family clan or religious denomination. This development risks schools choosing principles, governors and staff based on family ties over competence. As a summer team, and a charity more widely, we are interested to see how the new county government deals with this grass-roots issue.
Project Workers returned to Kisii after a fun-filled holiday week refreshed and ready to go. They brought tales of their adventures in the Rift Valley, of cycling around National Parks and of exploring exciting new places, which made the Summer Team increasingly jealous!
To round off the week, the Mid-Summer Meeting allowed Project Workers the chance to refocus after their week away and reflect on their time in East Africa so far. The day was spent discussing the different aspects of EPAfrica’s model as well as coming up with innovative new ideas that feedback into the end of summer debrief. As the heart of the charity, Project Workers’ on-the-ground perspectives are of vital importance in shaping the future direction of EPAfrica’s work.
