Education is the key e.V. 
Educational perspectives for children from small communities in Kenya

Our association "Education is the Key" e.V. would like to support the "Bahari ya Kati primary school" in the small suburb of Ngomeni called Garithe together with you! Our plans are to rebuild and reconstruct the school which hosts about 150 school children. The small, poor fishing village Ngomeni has about 1000 inhabitants and is located on the northeast coast of Kenya, isolated and far away from the next village and the next school.

Back in 2018/2019, the County Government of Kilifi built a single school building with two classrooms. which served as a preschool (PP1 and PP2) for the children from the village. Unfortunately, the plans for the construction of an elementary school failed. The villagers, driven by the need for a school for their children, raised money and began to construct a school building in the simplest way possible.

That's how the "Bahari ya Kati primary school" was constructed

The "Bahari ya Kati primary school" in July 2021


In 2017, the educational system in Kenya was redesigned.
The new 2-6-2-3-3 system called "Competency Based Curriculum" (CBS) is structured in the following way:
- 2 years of preschool education
- 6 years of primary education
- 2 years of lower secondary education
- 3 years of upper secondary education
- 3 years in higher education (min.)
For the first 8 years, including 2 years of preschool education and 6 years of primary education, school attendance has been free of charge since 2002. Nevertheless, the fact that one third of the population lives in poverty also determines the daily lives of children. Many families can't afford school uniforms, examination fees, school meals and school material, such as books, notebooks and sturdy shoes.

2 classrooms with teachers and children of the 1st and 2nd grade at the "Bahari ya Kati primary school"



Even if the children manage to go to school, the "Bahari ya kati primary school" is still in a very bad condition today, as you can see in the following pictures.





The school is not only poorly equipped, but also still not finalized in construction. Floors, walls, school desks, entire classrooms, toilets and so much more is still missing! 




The simplest and cheapest materials were used for the construction, including branches, sticks, clay and a metal sheet for the roof, as you can see in the picture on the right.






If class is held indoors, the temperature in the classroom during the day often rises considerably due to the metal roof. This makes teaching and learning extremely difficult for all the students,
while also sitting close together.



The children often have to learn outside under highest temperatures, 
as well as sit on the floor, because entire classrooms are missing!


In the picture below, you can see the fireplace in the schoolyard of the "Bahari ya Kati Primary School".
Three large stones are used to cook the meals for the children.






Unfortunately, the school does not possess any toilets.
All children and teachers are forced to use this small pit near the school






 


Left: the preschool building built by the Kenyan government including the two preschool classes PP1/ PP2
On the right: the ruinous structure of the "Bahari ya Kati Primary School" built by the villagers.

As you have noticed, the school urgently needs:
Toilets, 6 classrooms, a principal's office, a teachers' room
and a school kitchen with a school cafè with free WI-FI!

In August 2024, we completed the construction of the 6 toilets!
The next step is the construction of a school kitchen with “free WIFI”, which will also serve as a school café and local shop. Thus, the school won't exclusively depend on governmental and charitable aid and will be able to partially finance itself in the future!


Let's all start this donation marathon together! 
Donate to the following bank account: