Safaricom, through the M-PESA Foundation, has launched a Sh30 billion education programme dubbed Citizens of the Future, aimed at improving learning outcomes and strengthening education and training systems across Kenya over the next five years.
The initiative, launched in partnership with the Ministry of Education and county governments, will focus on upgrading school infrastructure, enhancing teacher training in ICT, and providing scholarships to over 10,000 students in senior secondary and tertiary institutions.
“We have developed education interventions that seek to bridge the gap through innovation and material support,” said Peter Ndegwa, Chief Executive Officer, Safaricom.
“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 with an initial investment of about KES 30 billion over the next five years.”
The programme will feature the establishment of model institutions representing “Schools of the Future” — sustainably built facilities that integrate technology, promote inclusivity, and embody modern approaches to learning.
Kenya’s education sector remains one of the largest beneficiaries of public spending, with an allocation of Sh628.6 billion in the 2023/24 financial year — 20.7% of national revenue and 4.7% of GDP. While this exceeds UNESCO’s minimum threshold of 4% of GDP, it still falls below the recommended 15–20% of total public expenditure.
Despite these investments, the sector continues to grapple with challenges such as underfunding, inadequate learning materials, and outdated infrastructure — issues that limit the country’s ability to align education with the demands of a digital economy.
Nicholas Nganga, Chairman of the M-PESA Foundation, noted that private sector partnerships remain crucial to bridging these gaps.
“We have seen firsthand what quality education can do for communities,” he said. “In a world increasingly driven by technology, the classroom is evolving into something more dynamic. We are not just supplementing education — we are transforming it.”
Michael Joseph, Trustee of the M-PESA Foundation, added that the programme aligns with Safaricom’s 25th anniversary and its long-standing purpose to transform lives.
“Our goal under Citizens of the Future is to establish model institutions in every region — schools that foster academic excellence and nurture future-ready learners through digital integration,” he said.
Kenyans have been invited to nominate deserving schools through citizenofthefuture.org, after which selected institutions will be shortlisted based on set criteria.
Over the past 25 years, Safaricom and its foundations have invested more than Sh29 billion in various education programmes, impacting over four million learners nationwide.
With Citizens of the Future, the telco hopes to create a more inclusive, technology-driven education system that prepares Kenyan students for the opportunities and challenges of the modern world.
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