Prime Minister Raila Odinga today introduced a new player into Kenya’s private schools sector after signing an agreement with GEMS Education to begin operations in the country.
GEMS Education is an international education company that owns and operates high performing schools in Europe, Asia, US and the Middle East.
At a ceremony in United Arab Emirates city of Dubai, Mr Odinga welcomed GEMS Education to Kenya saying its entry will complement the government’s efforts to provide high-caliber, international standard education to millions of Kenyans.
the future belongs to the nations that give the best education to their children, Mr Odinga said Kenya is keen to join the league of nations that will claim their position in the world by investing in sound education.
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He said Kenya Vision 2030 has invested heavily in education both as a way to provide jobs now and to lay the foundation for long-term prosperity.
He said Vision 2030 ideals on education envisage a strong partnership between the government and the private sector in providing learning services and facilities.
Mr Odinga said there is a huge opportunity in Kenya for investment in education by the private sector players operating either individually or in partnership with the government.
GEMS is the largest private kindergarten to form four education operator in the world, with a network of international schools in different parts of the world.
Started in 1959, GEMS operates offices in London, New York, Singapore, Delhi, Riyadh and Dubai.
Mr Odinga said the Government is keen in a partnership that would help with putting up the infrastructure for learning and training institutions and which would also create exposure for Kenyan students and teachers through regular exchange programmes.
"As a government, we believe that one of the most critical interventions in our education system; the one intervention that has the highest impact on the performance of our children and our schools is investment in our teachers," Mr Odinga said, while calling for an exchange programme between Kenyan teachers and GEMS Schools.
He said all recent studies into the education sector have returned the verdict that by investing in teachers; countries can have an impact on the situation in schools.
"I want to call for a partnership between this institution and similar ones and our schools back at home that involve exchange programs for our teachers and students for a much desired exposure.
"You are welcome to set up base in Kenya. But I also appeal to you to create a program through which our teachers and students can spend some time in your institutions across the world for them to gain the necessary experience," he said.
He said the Government is particularly keen on a collaboration that will strengthen the teaching of and performance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths courses.
"For various reasons, performance in these subjects has been erratic; sometimes up, most times down. Last year, performance in Maths and Sciences was up in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, after a drop in 2009. An erratic or average performance in these areas in our schools is unacceptable to us because it poses a threat to our development targets. We are aware as a country that nations that invest in these areas today will reap huge dividends tomorrow," he said.
The signing ceremony at the GEMS World Academy was witnessed by UAE Minister for Education H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan.
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