AcademiqueCO Center

The number of students dropping out of school in Kakamega county is alarming. 

Academique Community center( Academique.Co) seeks to patner with youth, parents, caregivers and school staff to create safe, welcoming environment for students facing trauma or adversity both at home and in school in order to provide equitable and quality education. This will be achieved through provision of effective in-school and after-school programs to all school-age children and youth to help keep them on track.

AcademiqueCo's vision is to provide children and youth in Kakamega County with a foundation for strong moral values and responsibility, lifelong healthly and well-being through community leadership opportunities, youth development and mentorship, school-based services, supports outside of school time, tailored education and occasionally basic resources for needy families.

Education offers stability in many peple's lives and they are better equipped to face life challenges. Dropping out of school is a decision that over 1 million Kenyan students make each year. Though it is a personal decision, it has a far-reaching impact not only on the student, but on other students and the Kenyan education system. Several factors such as inadequate school resources, gender based violence, lack of parental reiforcements, and lack of student engagement in school environments encourage an uncondusive environment for learning.

Official data shows that about 32% of pupils who enrolled for school and expected to sit for their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE)- after eight academic years - failed to sit for the examination.Unesco data reveals that the sub-saharan Africa has the highest out-of-school rate for all age groups adolescents(37%), with more than a half of all youth are out of school(58%). This means high crime and unemployment rates among the youth, more poverty and slow economic growth for the region. 

Academique.Co will provide avenues which support full learning experiences to achieve safe,equitable and quality education. Dropping out is not an option better future is thefore important for the generations to come

Academique community center will be a support system for schools based in the area. It will 

• Patner with schools to provide counselling and mental health programs for students, parents, teachers and the community. resolving conflicts  and preventing violence in schools through favorable violence prevention policies, educating teachers and students regularly on dealing with each other through events and video based teachings
• Patner with schools to integrate a practical based curicullum by providing resources needed for art, homescience, woodwork music and other practical subjects and provide digital tutors within the center for students who lag behind at school.
• Providing a community library with donated books, computers and other materials as well as mentorship programs for children and youth. 
• Organizing seminars and camps for children during school holidays. Inviting professionals to sensitize children against bullying, gender-based violence and importance of hardwork.

• child care center with several ammenities to keep children busy and relaxed during and after school.  
• Organizing a monthly community interaction campaign for students as well as ocassional charity contributions  for the needy children during school opening  days. 
• Sourcing funds through fundraising, Meeting and patnering with relevant authorities and stakeholders to find sponsors for different schools in need of resources
• Liasing with the local authority to make sure that children are safe in school and at home through voluntary home visits.

Academique Community Center seeks to work with children 2-18 years who are eligible to go to school as well as parents and the school community. Working with children from an early age will help to develop a positive attitude towards education.

A school is part of a community and therefore it is important to streamline the learning environment to reflect true equity and quality education that children need to learn. Providing technical support to the schools and teachers will create a warm and comfortable environment for teachers to fully work with their students. Students will also be able to appreciate the effort and therefore provide good results. Ensuring mental health among students is the core foundation of a good education system 

Community centers bring together diversity and various talents to grow involved patners. making education. Making this centers education based for children gives them a platform to explore their abilities, interact in a free environment that has been tailored to achieve the full potential. Economically disadvantaged can equally compete with others in the same level. Catering for basic school resources for the needy students enables them to focus. In addition, mentorship and counselling services offered to students, teachers, caregivers and parents help them understand the importance of supporting the learner by creating a favorable environment to encourage quality education 

Academique.Co is still a concept that needs to be implemented to test its feasibility. I strongly believe that if the project gets the right investor to drive this concept, its success will be huge. After a survey, a pilot program can be initiated in five public and private schools.

Contribution to the goal of providing equitable and sustainable quality education to Africans can be achieved and the outcomes here replicated globally. 

Academique.Co has a simple concept and framework that can be adapted by any person interested in developing community education and integrating it into the school system smoothly. Furthermore, implementing this project will enable us to see the gaps in education systems and make recommendations accordingly. 

building a community center that is education based is a significant improvement support for competency based curriculum that has been recently launched in Kenya. 

since it is learner based, there is more ways to focus on identifying new talent, improving the existing talent and providing alternate skills to help students be self sufficient and independent after school. I believe that thiis community center will be a perfect opportunity to achieve this goals. 

the success of this program will pave way for more research and innovative channels that can be  added to improve the learner experience.

We are a team of 10 individuals who are fully commited to the realization of this project

We have very unique and diverse team members who have diverse skills 

Tekviah Munandi Khakaasa- skilled in research and data analysis, having completed her first degree in applied statistics. She is also an accomplished contect writer who is experienced in marketing products and has great interpersonal skills. She is committed to the development of communities through several unofficial projects in the comunity. For instance, she organizes donations for the needy within the community, providing basic items such as soap, sugar, sanitary towels in schools. 

Dr Lucy Walingo Chikamai- Dean of school, Mathematical sciences, Kibabii University. She is an accomplished teacher that has served the education systems for more than 25 years. Having experienced different classroom settings with the diferent systems