The HERI Africa Research Chair in Mathematics Education participated in the Numeracy for Life Co-Creation Workshop held on 3rd–4th June 2026 in Lukenya Getaway, Machakos County, joining CEMASTEA and Mizizi Elimu Afrika in designing a collaborative initiative to improve foundational numeracy outcomes in Kenya.
The workshop also engaged Echidna Giving as the prospective funding partner for the proposed program. Through evidence sharing and collaborative planning, participants examined the current state of foundational numeracy, identified persistent challenges affecting mathematics learning, and developed a shared vision for a national intervention. A key output of the workshop was the establishment of the Numeracy for Life Consortium, bringing together the HERI Africa Research Chair in Mathematics Education, CEMASTEA, and Mizizi Elimu Afrika to jointly develop a proposal for submission to Echidna Giving.
The consortium identified priority intervention areas, including strengthening teacher pedagogical content knowledge, improving curriculum interpretation and instructional delivery, revitalizing Communities of Practice, enhancing mathematics teaching and learning resources, strengthening teacher educator capacity, and embedding research and implementation learning throughout the program
Within the consortium, the HERI Africa Research Chair will lead research, implementation learning, evidence generation, and pre-service teacher education. The workshop strengthened collaboration among the consortium partners and established a governance framework that leverages the complementary strengths of each institution.
It also positioned the HERI Africa Research Chair to contribute to evidence generation, implementation research, postgraduate training, and stronger research–policy–practice linkages in support of national efforts to improve foundational numeracy. These outcomes reinforce HERI Africa’s commitment to harnessing education research to generate practical, evidence-informed solutions that improve learning outcomes and contribute to educational transformation in Kenya.
