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Community-Based Madrasa Pre-Schools (East Africa)

Muslim communities in East Africa have historically been marginalized, both economically and in terms of access to social services. Education services, including at the pre-school age, have historically been provided predominantly by Christian organizations and/or have been fee paying. The traditional educational infrastructure available to local communities consists of community-funded religious madrasa schools, where young children learn the Quran by rote. As a result of a lack of early stimulation of cognitive and interactive skills, children from these communities have experienced problems in accessing and succeeding in primary education. Girls are particularly affected and there are few, if any professional development opportunities.

In July 2005, First Lady Laura Bush visited one of AKF’s preschools in Zanzibar.  She said, "The American people are pleased to work with organizations that understand local needs and respond to those needs. By partnering with local organizations, our contributions can have a direct impact on people's lives.”

In response to concerns expressed by poor communities in Kenya 's coastal region that their pre-schools were not up to par, AKF established the Madrasa Resource Centre (MRC). The roots of the program began in Mombasa in the mid-1980s. Parents were concerned about delayed admission of their children to primary schools as well as their poor performance in school.

By 1989 AKF established the MRC to provide training and support to the growing number of madrasa pre-schools. By 1993, 151 Muslim women had been trained as teachers in integrated methods, working in 14 madrasas and associated pre-schools. Eventually, the madrasa preschool program spread to Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar. Today, in Uganda about 45% of children in the Madrasa Program are non-Muslims.

The objectives of the Madrasa Program are to:

1. Increase access to and retention in primary school for children of marginalized communities by improving their school readiness through Early Childhood Education services at the community level; and
2. Develop a replicable approach for quality community-based early childhood education and development, which is at the same time effective, relevant to the local context, and financially sustainable.

AKF builds the organizational capacity of communities to open, manage and finance pre-schools through awareness-raising about the importance of Early Childhood Education, the facilitation of the establishment of School Management Committees, the development of appropriate curriculum and the training of community members in all aspects of organizational and financial management. MRC trainers provide professional development training and mentoring to young women, selected by their community, to become pre-school teachers. Ongoing support is provided to the School Management Committees and teachers as the community moves through the various phases of the program until it graduates, as a community. These schools 100% community-owned. 

In East Africa, over the last five years, the Madrasa Resource Centre enabled over 180 poor communities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to establish and manage their own schools. Over 9,000 young people benefited and over 900 young women were trained as teachers. 

See how individuals and communities of East Africa have worked together, partnering with the MRCs to ensure that their children have access to the most locally relevant and globally competitive education possible.