Over 600 schools to benefit as Safaricom unveils massive education initiative

Safaricom, through its philanthropic arm, the M-PESA Foundation, has launched a new education programme aimed at transforming Kenya’s learning landscape over the next five years.

Dubbed ‘Citizens of the Future’, the initiative consolidates all of Safaricom’s education interventions, bringing together flagship initiatives such as the M-PESA Foundation Academy, digital learning partnerships, and infrastructure improvement projects into one cohesive platform.

The programme aims to upgrade over 600 learning institutions, offer 10,000 scholarships, and provide digital skilling for teachers across the country by 2030.

The investment, estimated at Sh30 billion, targets the entire education ecosystem—from early learning centres to tertiary and vocational training institutions in all 47 counties.

During the launch, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa emphasised the need for inclusive, technology-driven learning spaces.

“We have developed education interventions that seek to bridge the gap through innovation and material support,” Ndegwa said.

“Under the Citizens of the Future Programme, we are consolidating our initiatives to ease access to education from early learning to technical and vocational training.”

He also highlighted the urgency of improving learning environments:

“No child should have to struggle just to learn. The programme is about creating equal opportunities for every learner, regardless of where they come from.”

Ndegwa noted that the new umbrella scheme represents a shift from scattered interventions to a unified national strategy.

Principal Secretary (PS) for the State Department for Basic Education, Julius Bitok, praised Safaricom for its ongoing collaboration with the government in expanding access to quality education. He spoke at the launch ceremony on Thursday in Nairobi.

“Collectively, the initiatives undertaken by these two foundations have positively impacted over three million learners, and that is about 25 per cent of the learners we have in our country,” Bitok said.

He added that the programme’s timing aligns perfectly with ongoing educational reforms:

“Today’s agenda is a natural progression of the conversation on reimagining education to factor in inclusivity and resilience. This program aims to remake our educational environment into modern, inclusive, digitally rich places that are ready for the students and the teachers for the demands of the present and the future.”

Other Topics To Read

• Safaricom
• M-PESA Foundation
• Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa.
• Citizens of the Future
• M-PESA Foundation Academy
• digital learning
• Over 600 schools to benefit as Safaricom unveils massive education initiative
• Education

The PS also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving learning environments:

“We are now investing Sh710 billion annually in the education sector, employing more teachers, expanding classrooms and deploying digital devices nationwide,” Bitok said.

Notably, the programme also seeks to address inclusivity gaps, particularly for learners with disabilities. Insights shared during the launch by the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) highlighted the importance of integrating assistive technologies, such as mobility aids and speech-to-text systems, through such partnerships.

As part of the launch, Kenyans are invited to nominate deserving schools for the programme via https://www.citizenofthefuture.org.

The month-long nomination period runs until November 30, 2025, after which selected institutions will benefit from infrastructural upgrades, scholarships, and teacher training initiatives.