In a move to reshape Kenya’s education landscape for a digital future, Safaricom, through its philanthropic arm, the M-PESA Foundation, has launched a sweeping five-year initiative aimed at modernizing learning across the country. The program, aptly titled “Citizens of the Future,” will upgrade infrastructure in more than 600 basic and tertiary institutions, provide over 10,000 scholarships, and deliver digital skilling for teachers, all part of an ambitious KSh30 billion plan to align education with the demands of the 21st-century economy.
“We have developed education interventions that seek to bridge the gap through innovation and material support,” said Peter Ndegwa, Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom. “Under the Citizens of the Future Program, we are consolidating our initiatives to ease access to education from early learning to technical and vocational training in an initial investment of about KES30 billion in the next five years.”
At its core, the initiative will establish model “Schools of the Future” — institutions designed to demonstrate what the next generation of learning environments could look like. These schools will feature digitally integrated classrooms, sustainable construction, and a strong focus on inclusivity, particularly for learners with special needs.
A Private Sector Push to Reinvent Public Education
Kenya’s education system remains one of the best-funded in sub-Saharan Africa. In the 2023/24 financial year, the sector received KSh628.6 billion, accounting for 20.7 percent of national revenue and 4.7 percent of the country’s GDP, placing it above UNESCO’s minimum threshold of 4 percent. Yet, the sector still falls short of the 15–20 percent share of total public expenditure recommended by UNESCO, underscoring a persistent financing gap.
Despite years of reform and investment, classrooms across the country still struggle with overcrowding, insufficient materials, and limited digital access. The private sector, long seen as a vital partner in bridging those gaps, is now being asked to take on a larger role — not just in funding, but in reimagining how learning happens.
“We are witness to what quality education can do for communities and therefore owe our learners and teachers an enhanced experience,” said Nicholas Nganga, Chairman of the M-PESA Foundation. “In a world that is increasingly driven by digital advancements, the traditional classroom setting is evolving into something far more dynamic. We are going beyond supplementing education to transforming it.”
The Foundation’s model reflects a growing recognition that digital transformation in education is as much about people as it is about technology. Teachers will receive targeted ICT training, ensuring they can integrate digital tools into lesson plans and foster a generation of learners who are not just literate, but digitally fluent.
Digital Futures, Local Roots
The Citizens of the Future program also emphasizes regional equity, ensuring every county in Kenya will host at least one “model institution.” These schools are intended to serve as learning laboratories—proving that sustainable, tech-enabled education is possible in both urban and rural settings.
“This does indeed come at a defining moment, as we are celebrating 25 years of Safaricom, a journey anchored on our enduring purpose to transform lives,” said Michael Joseph, Trustee of the M-PESA Foundation. “Our objective under Citizens of the Future is to enable every region have a model institution that not only trains for academic excellence, but to mould future-ready learners through digital integration.”
To ensure inclusivity, Kenyans are being invited to nominate schools through the program’s website, www.citizenofthefuture.org, over the next month. Shortlisted schools will then undergo a selection process based on established criteria before beneficiaries are announced.
Twenty-Five Years of Transformation
Safaricom’s 25th anniversary marks more than a corporate milestone. It’s a reflection of how Kenya’s most profitable company has evolved from a telecoms provider into one of Africa’s most influential development actors. Through M-PESA Foundation and Safaricom Foundation, the company has already invested over KSh29 billion in social projects, impacting more than 4 million learners nationwide.
The new initiative signals a shift from charity to systemic change — from handing out scholarships to building digital ecosystems. For Kenya, where education remains a pathway out of poverty for millions, this program could help redefine what access, quality, and opportunity mean in the digital era.
As classrooms go online and chalkboards give way to tablets, one question lingers: Can Kenya’s model for public-private collaboration in education offer a blueprint for the rest of Africa — or even the world?