The Dignitas Project

We're at —the Foundational Learning Exchange—joining educators, policymakers, researchers, and partners from across Africa to exchange ideas and evidence on strengthening foundational learning.

Today, our very own, Ng'ang'a Kibandi, will contribute to a panel discussion on Coaching, School-Based Teacher Professional Development, and Communities of Learning, sharing insights on strengthening teacher support through approaches that are practical, collaborative, and rooted in African contexts.

As countries continue to strengthen their education systems, spaces like help turn shared evidence into practical action.

What does it take to improve teaching and learning?

Last week, Dignitas and Global School Leaders (GSL) welcomed Teach For All Fellows to Kenya for a two-day learning exchange on instructional leadership.

From classroom visits at Eagle Wings Academy and Froebel Community Centre and School to honest conversations with teachers and school leaders, the exchange highlighted what makes lasting improvement possible:

✔️ Supporting teachers through coaching, not inspection.
✔️ Building trust and a culture of continuous learning.
✔️ Leading change with patience, consistency, and purpose.

Every great learning environment starts with educators who are committed to growing, supporting one another, and putting learners first.

The impact of a school uniform extends beyond the classroom.
It supports attendance, encourages participation, eases the burden on families, and helps learners feel ready for the school day ahead.

Over the past few weeks, we have distributed uniforms to 3,203 learners across Nairobi and Kisumu—an investment in children, families, and communities, through our work with Tailored for Education.

We believe that removing everyday barriers is an important step towards ensuring every child can fully participate and thrive in school.

𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬

At Dignitas, we believe every child deserves an education that enables them to develop the skills and strength of character to thrive and succeed. To advance this mission, we're looking for two talented consultants to join us:

📌 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭
Help translate our research on Kenya's Competency-Based Education into practical, user-centered learning resources for teachers, school leaders, and parents using animations, videos, and multimedia content.

📌 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 & 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭
Conduct a rigorous learning exercise, generating evidence on life skills and values mainstreaming to directly inform programme adaptation.

Both roles are short-term engagements based in Kenya.

🔗 Full Terms of Reference (TOR) - https://shorturl.at/cYq1N
We'd love to hear from you — or tag someone who'd be a great fit!

How do you incorporate play in your lessons?
Play is often treated as something that happens after learning. But in reality, it is one of the most powerful ways children learn.

When learners engage through play, they participate more, understand concepts better, and build key social and emotional skills.

This , we celebrate play as a driver of creativity, resilience, and lifelong learning.

Let’s protect play. Let’s protect childhood.

💡 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐢𝐩: 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤.
A story, a song, a bottle top, a cardboard box, leaves from the school compound, or even packaging from everyday items can become powerful learning resources when used intentionally.

Yesterday, while training Cohort 2 of Teach For Kenya Fellows, facilitated by our Coach, Simon M., we explored play-based pedagogy and the development and use of locally available learning materials.

One key reflection from the session was this: effective teaching begins with awareness—of our learners, their environment, and the learning opportunities that already exist around us.

Before buying or creating new materials, take a moment to look around your classroom and community. You may be surprised by the learning potential hidden in everyday objects.

As a teacher, what is the most creative locally available material you have used in your classroom?