BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIES DELIVERING QUALITY AT A LOW COST IN , NIGERIA, AND

Christina Kwauk and Jenny Perlman Robinson BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIES Sincere gratitude and appreciation to Priyanka Varma, research assistant, who has been instrumental in the production of the Bridge International Academies case study. DELIVERING QUALITY

We are also thankful to a wide-range of colleagues who generously shared their knowledge and EDUCATION AT A LOW feedback on the Bridge International Academies case study, including: Geordie Brackin, Lucy Bradlow, COST IN KENYA, NIGERIA, Andrew Carruthers, Gibson Gisore, Jay Kimmelman, Marie Leznicki, Shannon May, Sujatha Muthayya, Sylvia Njoroge, Lillian Wamuyu, Andrew White, and the teachers, students and parents at Bridge AND UGANDA International Academies in Gicagi and Kwa Njenga, .

Lastly, we would like to extend a special thank you to the following: our copy-editor, Merrell Tuck- Primdahl, our designer, blossoming.it, and our colleagues, Kathryn Norris and Jennifer Tyre.

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s) and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

Support for this publication and research effort was generously provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and The MasterCard Foundation. The authors also wish to acknowledge the broader programmatic support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the LEGO Foundation, and the Government of Norway.

Brookings recognizes that the value it provides is in its absolute commitment to quality, independence, and impact. Activities supported by its donors reflect this commitment, and the analysis and recommendations are not determined or influenced by any donation. Christina Kwauk and Jenny Perlman Robinson 4 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda Development and delivery of low-cost private schoolsand public-private partnerships FOCUS OFINTERVENTION: Public schoolsinLiberia (beginning2016–2017 academicyear) Low-cost private schoolsinKenya, Nigeria, Uganda, andIndia (June 2016); LOCATION: Early childhood,primary EDUCATION LEVEL: Academies ataglance Bridge International Liberia Nigeria Uganda Kenya India

while thegovernment continues topay theschoolrunningcosts. Liberia, external donors are providing financing for the start-up costs 50pilotschools, of Nigeria witha$6milliongrant from theUKDepartment for International Development. In million) from theU.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), andinadditionfor Uganda, unavailable. Currently financedwithequity($85million) anddebtcapital($10 500,000 students tocover allsystem-wide investments). Budgets for Nigeria and approximately $6.60 (overall system inKenya must reach approximately 250,000- for 2014, 2015, and2016, respectively. Annualized cost per child month inKenya: Kenya budget(private schools): estimated annual budgetwas $28, $40, and$65million COST: the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, or KCPE) Early andoverall GradeMath orEGMA) Assessment, basiceducationoutcomes(inKenya, Literacy and numeracy (measured by Early Grade Reading and or EGRA, Assessment, OFLEARNINGMEASURED: TYPE to developing content tohiringandtraining teachers. technology-enabled. Themodelcontrols theentire supply-chain—from buildingacademies utilize ahighlystandardized “academy inabox” modelthatisscale-focused, data-driven, and money andmanagedby acentral teaminheadquarters.Bridge’s low-cost private schools schedule. Academies are “cash free” andallschoolfees andstaff salariesare paidviamobile exams, uniforms, schoolsupplies, andmealsare factored in), whichcanbepaidonaflexible on average, $6.60 permonth for tuition(although, thecost maybehigheroncefees for substitutes whenteachers areAccording absent. toBridge, students inBridgeschoolspay, time. Tablets alsomonitorteacherattendance,toheadquarterssend triggeringanalert teams.Thisallowssupport Bridgetoiterate lessonsandprovide inreal- additionalsupport the schoolleaders’ andqualitatively viawirelessusingroving smartphone hotspot, academic how far teachers progress through thedailylessonby dailysyncing of teachers’ tabletswith materials andinstructionstodeliver lessons.Classes are measured quantitatively by tracking onto which ituploadsdailyteachers’ guides,designedby acentral academicteam,withthe It trains itsteachers inpupil-centered learningandprovides eachteacherwithatablet through acomprehensive system teachersupport andrigorous monitoringandevaluation. delivered through private orpublicschools—ensures astandard minimum level of quality to runfree public schools (currently, schools). apilotwith50 TheBridge model—whether withthenationalgovernmentwill partner underthePartnership Schoolsfor LiberiaProgram The low cost schoolswillsoonbeupandrunninginIndia aswell asLiberia.In Liberia,Bridge staffs, and operates more low-cost than 450 private schools in marginalized communities. ) andprimaryschooleducation.In Kenya, Nigeria, andUganda, Bridgebuilds, scale totrain under-served andsupport communities todeliver apre-primary (nursery and to as‘Bridge’ for hasdeveloped short), aneducationmodelthatleverages technologyand Bridge International Academies (2008-present),afor-profit educationcompany (referred INTERVENTION OVERVIEW: 5 6 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda percent of Bridgeacademiesachieved a70 percent orbetterpassrate. a 100percent passrate ontheKenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam; 76 peers inneighboringschools.In 2015, according toBridge, 19Bridgeacademiesachieved discrimination andword problems (approximately 26 more days of learning),compared to of learning),andanadditional0.09 standard deviationsubtasks like onEGMA quantity on EGRA subtasks like reading andlistening comprehension (approximately 64more days students inKenya gained,onaverage over oneyear, anadditional0.31 standard deviation Learning outcomes—According evaluation, toaBridge-commissioned impact Bridge IMPACT: employees,500 and5,000 contractors. Uganda, pilot schools in Liberia since 2009. and50 Indirect reach—6,000 teachers, Direct reach—In total,100,000 students inover academiesinKenya, 450 Nigeria, and SIZE:

national primaryschoolexit exam. made ittoGrade8inKenya failed the example, 49 percent of students who to themost marginalized. In 2014, for made from openingeducationalaccess to underminethetremendous progress population—a challengethatthreatens to provide qualityeducation to its of continues theMDGs, toface struggle countries thatabolishedfees atthedawn Today, Kenya, like many of theother (World BankandUNICEF 2009). exponential riseinstudents beingserved abolition multiplied intheface of the providing qualitylearningbefore fee education system. Challengesin overwhelming teachers andthelarger up inclassrooms across thecountry, (almost an18percent increase) showed more than1millionnewstudents weeks of announcing thenewpolicy, surge inprimaryenrollment; within abolition inJanuary 2003 ledtoa popular inthe1980s. For Kenya, fee structural adjustment programs made school fees, oruser fees—a legacyof countries inAfricabegantoabolish Development many MDGs, Goals, by of 2015 aspart theMillennium achieve universal primaryeducation with renewed international efforts to At thebeginningof thenewmillennium, Background and/or teachers whodonotshow up of toashortage trained teachersin part poor academicperformance persists, due completion of Grade2(Uwezo 2013). Such and numeracy skillsexpected upon 10 Grade7students) lacked theliteracy students (approximately 2outof every assessment surveys, many of these According tothe2013 Uwezo learning 1

the percentage of primaryschoolstudents data suggest thatinlow-income countries, to beahigherqualityschool. to sendtheirchildren towhatthey believe relatively high proportion of their income demonstrate their willingness to pay a the developing world, have begunto in Kenya, asinothercountries throughout of attending private schools, many families correlating withtheother. Despite thecost as well with one not necessarily as cost, can varyschools dramaticallyquality in ability todeliver education,even these decade tomeetthegapingovernment’s private schools have emerged inthepast schools (Ngware, etal.2013). living inpoverty whoattendKenya’s public entirely children from large households compounded by thefact thatitisalmost hasbeen quality learningopportunities the publiceducationsystem todeliver The development effect of the failure of teacher (Ngware, etal.2013). some schoolsexceed 100students per with more than 45 students per teacher; in Kenya’s urban slums have classrooms More than80percent of publicschools lack of textbooks andlarge classsizes. poor performance inKenya includea 2013). Other contributors tostudents’ 19 minutes of class a day (World Bank receiving anaverage of only2hours and 47 percent of thetime, leavingchildren teachers were absent from theclassroom curriculum they teach.Also, publicschool percent onexams basedonthevery school teachers, scored atleast 80 compared to about one-half of private 35 percent) of public school teachers, in Kenya onlyone-third (approximately for class.Arecent survey suggests that 3 World Bank 2 While While 7 8 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda unique whole-school approach totackling system, Bridgehasover timedeveloped a outcomes thatare thenfed backinto the technology andhuman capacitytomonitor By investing ina“learninglab” thatuses learning outcomesfor children atalow cost? answer onequestion: how canwe deliver (referred as ‘Bridge’) to in the shorthand to International Academies inKenya in2008 May and Jay Kimmelman created Bridge Within thisspace, co-founders Shannon (Ngware, etal.2013). 37 percent attendgovernment schools low-cost private schools;theremaining formal private schoolsand27 percent in non-government schools—36 percent in children inNairobi’s urbanslumsattend estimates thatmore than60percent of Population andHealth Research Center than 450 academiesacrossthan 450 Kenya, model toothercountries, running more expanded itslow-cost private school in Kenya alone. By 2016, Bridgehad 8 academiesin2010 to359 in2014 Nairobi in2009. It grew rapidly from its first private school in Mukuru slum in Bridge International Academies opened and access Leveraging scale to improve quality than inmiddle-andhigh-incomecountries. enrolled inprivatehigher schoolsisactually private schools. are alsochoosing tosend theirchildren to education since2003, many poorfamilies illustrates even that, withfree primary primary schoolsover thepast decade the steady declineinenrollment inpublic would be thefirst tobe excluded, in Kenya And while logicsuggests thatpoorfamilies 5 For instance, theAfrican 4

successful atscalinguptodate. schools—what Bridgehasbeenmost study isonBridge’s low-cost private Recognizing this,thefocus of thiscase low-income communities intheworld. largest educationcompany focused on run publicschoolsmake Bridgethe its low-cost private schoolsandBridge- in apilotprojectLiberia.Collectively, using itinfree, publicprimaryschools able totake itsmodelandmove to India, in2016 thecompany hasbeen Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and soon also a chainof low-cost private schoolsin and delivering its education model as While Bridgestartedby developing privately owned, low-cost, qualityschool. needed by communities toopenandruna processes, materials,curriculum,andtools “academy inabox” includesthetraining, As Bridge’s aresult, highlystandardized design toteachertraining tolessondelivery. from schoolconstructiontocurriculum schools, itcontrols the entire supply chain education delivery; inthecaseof itsprivate has reengineered theentire lifecycle of delivery, Bridge andmonitoring.In effect, lesson such asteacher training andsupport, some of thebiggest issues ineducation, reach rural areas. the remaining 37 percent inhard-to- percent inperi-urbancommunities, and of itsacademiesinurbanslums, 30 high populationdensity, with33percent the academiesare locatedinareas of than 100,000 students. Two-thirds of Nigeria, andUganda, reaching more Finance Corp(theconcessionary include venture capitalists, the International sought aprofit for itsinvestors, which schools, Bridge has unapologetically Unlike somenon-profit, low-cost private the poorest of thepoor. student permonth) iscost-prohibitive for that itstuitionfee (roughly $6.60 per with Bridge—criticsof Bridgehave noted Liberia was initiallyinterested inpartnering budgets—a reason why theGovernment of of delivery below or within government While Bridgemayhave gottenthecost Bold, etal.2013a). $181 peryear (UNESCO2014; seealso (for aninemonth schoolyear), orabout be onaverage $20.11 perchildmonth 2015 were conservatively estimated to levels of Kenyan publicschools,whichfor month, well below the perchildfunding approximately $6.60 perstudent per Bridge, itslow-cost private schoolscost large number of academies.According to investmentsamortizing inqualityover a to leverage volume todrive down costs, to break even), Bridgehasbeenable number Bridgeneedstoenroll inorder to 500,000 students (theapproximate model onwhetheritreaches 250,000 and by basing the success of its business as a market best that functions at scale, By approaching thedelivery of schooling monthly income. or roughly 17 to21percent of thefamily’s is closer to$16-$20 per month perchild, also have topay—and theaverage cost students attendingpublicschoolswould supplies, andmeals—“hidden” fees that Factor infees for exams, uniforms, school percent of the family’s monthly income. academy would account for roughly seven per day), sendingthree children toaBridge living atthepoverty line($1.90 perperson 7

6 For afamily of five of qualityasitexpands. of scaleandgreater control over allaspects the company toachieve greater economies model grounded inlocalcontext enables private schools,Bridge’s highlystructured managers. With regard toitschainof standardized dailyoperations by academy instruction by teachers percountry to of Bridgeacademies,from standardized Standardization extends across allaspects lower thecost of operating anacademy. Manager), andleverages technologyto at eachacademy toone(theAcademy reduces thenumber of administrative staff takes advantage of economiesof scale, schools—also calledan“academy in abox”— The Bridgemodelfor low-cost private mechanism for changeineducation. more directlinesof accountability asa in thepotential tocreate amodelwith fromsupport global investors who believed by Bridgetoparents, anideathatdrew structure hashelpedcreate accountability academies toclose. In theend,fee losing revenue, andperhaps forcing the their children, leading to the company were notperforming, they would withdraw other, if parents thought Bridge academies make theacademiessustainable; onthe pay thefee, tellothers tocome, andhelp were doingwell, they would continue to hand, ifparents thought theacademies whole (Buchannan 2014). On theone term sustainability of thecompany asa families itserves—and toensure long- feedback of itscore stakeholders—the consistently refine itsmodelbasedonthe a for-profit organization toenableit According toBridge, itwas setupas andMarkGates Zuckerberg, andothers. such as Omidyar, individualssuch asBill International Development, foundations agencies such as theUK Department for lending armof theWorld Bank),bilateral 9 10 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda development, and opportunities fordevelopment, andopportunities ongoing in-service training, professional provides teachers who are hired with Academy Managers can hire. Bridge of teachers certified from whichBridge a certificate,andare entered into apool who complete and passthe course receive International Training Institute (BITI).Those hour intensive training course attheBridge Successful Bridge applicants attend a 235- to attendateachertraining college. not have necessarilyhadtheopportunity teacher training college, butwhomight necessary toapplyagovernment local talent withtheminimum qualifications communities itserves, Bridgelooksfor teachers, intheunderserved particularly of the shortage trained andcertified education for allchildren. To address that itispossible todeliver ahigh-quality One of Bridge’s stated goalsistoshow 2010). academies successfully (Rangan andLee Managers are equipped to run their and training servicestoensure Academy which inturnprovides criticalsupport accountable by Bridgeheadquarters, Managers reporttoandare held are in class and learning. Academy parents andteachers, ensuring children Managers are thus freed towork with to callwithquestions orissues. and a24-7 customer care linefor parents expenses, staffing, suppliesand repairs, IT, needs of theschool,includingpayroll and team thenmanagesalltheadministrative central team.Thecentral support support track payments, andcommunicate witha that heorsheusestorecord attendance, Manager isequippedwithasmartphone community beingserved. Each Academy Academy Manager wholives inthe schools, eachacademy isrunby an While Bridge owns allof its private 8 Academy (Banerjee, etal.2007). turn improves learning, especiallyfor girls between teachers andstudents, whichin strategy helps toclose thecultural gap schools inIndia demonstrating that this in. Indeed, there isresearch from other whom children with and confide identify circumstances, aswell asbeadultswith able toempathize withthechildren’s positive adultrole modelstotheirpupils, from thelocal community, itsteachers are Furthermore, by Bridgeargues hiring that, and in-service training over thelong-term. are plansinplacetoimprove recruiting Bank 1997). Thekey, however, isthatthere Khandkher 1996; Rugh World 2000; Kim, Alderman,andOrazem 1998; accountable for results (see for example andmonitoring,aresupport held andintensiveshort training, ongoing student achievement scores ifthey receive government teachers certified interms of teaching credentials canoutperform school graduates withoutgovernment circumstances,under certain secondary Studies inSouthAsia have shown that, teachers (see for example Nilsson 2003). nearby atall,ortohave aschoolwithno in many casesistonothave aschool sincethealternative holds somemerit, Bridge’s teacherrecruitment strategy developing country contexts suggest research onteacherdevelopment inother that Bridgehiresteachers, uncertified While inprincipleitmayseemproblematic class(Ranganparticular andLee 2010). with teachers to discuss any issues in a class level assessment data,andwork updated training, review student and make regular classroom visits,provide professional development coacheswho fromsupport Academy Managers and BITI. Bridgeteachers alsoreceive daily additional training from andcertification teachers are the central lateorabsent, and holdingteachers accountable. If dataonefficiencyandquality collecting streamlining schooladministration while pupil test scores) andteacherattendance, time ittakes to teachalessonandrecord to bothmonitoracademicprogress (i.e., tablet allows Bridge’s central team support The twicedailysyncing of theteacher based onthelatest best practices. of operation butthemethodof delivery is on thenationalcurriculumof thecountry and theUnited States.Content isbased from Nigeria, Kenya, India, Kenya, Liberia matterexpertssubject whoBridgehires resource materialsare developed by learning. Alltheteacherandlearner child development toolstoreinforce instructional games,symbols, andother Bridge alsodevelops itsown books, Tothat content. complement its lessons, as instructionsfor how tobest deliver all the content for each lesson as well These guides set out wireless hotspot. Academy Manager’s via smartphone “lesson scripts,” are uploaded using the a tabletonto whichteachers’ guides,or each Bridgeteacherisequippedwith To assist withthistypeof teaching, develops confidenceinchildren. to promote inquiryintheclassroom and both teachers andparents attest helps which,according toBridge,punishment, its zero tolerance policyoncorporal learning isacore differentiator. As is Bridge’s focus onpupil-centered norm, even inexpensive private schools, In countries where rote teachingisthe classroom checkingfor understanding. of the lesson moving around the of theclassroom tospendthemajority teachers tomove away from thefront Central totheBITImethod istotrain public schoolsorprivate schools—the bottom to the average—whether this is As theargument goes,by liftingthe that amore expert teacherwould have. experiences, and classroom know-how trained andthus lackthecapacities, in areas where teachers are insufficiently approach popular hasbeenparticularly and Engelmann 1966; Ede 2006). This the No ChildLeft (Bereiter BehindAct well asin2002 withthepassageof in theUnited Statesinthe1960s as supply of qualifiedteachers, including instruction in other contexts facing short scriptedhas alsobeenusedtosupport weaker teachers—an argument that in qualityby providing “scaffolding” for academies, reducing thehighvariation quality of instruction across allits lesson scriptshelptoensure aminimum instruction, theunderlyingideaisthat Bridge andotherproponents of scripted According toneed additionalsupport. freed uptofocus onstudents whomight developing theirdailylessonplansis time that teachers would have spent Robinson, April22,2015). Moreover, the interview by JennyGicagi, Perlman at BridgeInternational Academy in throughout their teaching (Teacher and reassured-by theguidancereceived Bridge academiesfeel more confident-in new andinexperienced teachers in component totheBridgemodelby helping lesson scriptshave beenanimportant According toaBridge teacher, the of themost attention—and criticism. the teachers’ guideshave received some in thecommunities inwhichthey serve, Bridge academiesapoint of difference While thetabletsthemselves offer sent tothe academy. and asubstitute and teacheriscontacted teamisautomaticallynotified support 11 12 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda the content, such scaffoldingthe content, may stifle experience, confidence, and familiarity with Bridge teachers improve andgrow, gaining teachable moments. As more andmore to take advantage of serendipitous instruction to meet student needs or reasons, includingtheneedtoimprovise go off scriptdue to a number of different from more high-performing teachers who teachers maybecomehard todistinguish increase accountability—under-performing headquarters—a mechanismintended to to Academy Managers andBridge’s However, by relying ontabletfeedback same time(Ede Buchannan 2006; 2014). atthe thesame activities and conducting theoretically speakingthesamewords Bridge academies,inagiven country, are times);at certain thus, teachers across all tablets (and topauseandelicitresponses to read theirlessonsdirectlyfrom their Forscript. instance, teachers are trained (and discourage teachers from) goingoff by thetablets—would maketo itdifficult task andpaceof progress madepossible scripts—and theclose monitoringof timeon a fair share of criticism;amongthemthat Bridge’s useof lessonscriptshave received 2006). in Liberia(World Friend Bank 2005; during Ebola-related school closures the 1970s andmost recently in2014 Asia, andAfricadatingasfar back as countries throughout Latin America, for International Development in bysupported the United States Agency interactive radio instruction programs and out-of-school children, including targeting hard toreach communities component toeducationprograms lessons have alsobeenanintegral Andrabi, etal.2007). Indeed, scripted be improved overall (see for example quality of educationinacountry could depend onthefees levied from parents Teachers-Associations, which themselves are paidatthediscretion of theParent- sometimes notatall,since theirsalaries para-teachers canbepaidirregularly or Bridge’s comesasawelcome respite, as schools, anefficient payment system like supplement inpublic teachershortages country’s para-teachers, whoare hired to countries around theworld. Andfor the (Bold, etal.2013b)—or inmany developing be paid with up to a three-month delay system—where government teachers can in thecaseof Kenya’s publiceducation more of theexception thanthenorm Indeed, regular payment of teachers is on-time outweigh theslight paydecrease. the benefits of beingpaid regularly and According totheteachers themselves, Jenny Perlman Robinson, April22,2015). graduates (Shannon May, interview by a goodsalaryfor secondaryschool although, according toBridge, still approximately $145to$175 permonth, than thetypicalgovernment salaryof salary of $114to$125 permonth—less often pays itsteachers anaverage Where itoperates private schools,Bridge delivering aminimum standard of quality. are ready tomove above andbeyond academies—and theirteachers—that its standardized approach tosupport considered how tobuild inflexibility into then, iswhetherBridge’s leadership has Perhaps themore question important lessons ontheother(Commeyras 2007). on theoneendandteacher-developed a continuum of externally plannedlessons instruction (and therole of theteacher) as teaching, rather thanseeingclassroom approach promotes arobotic practiceof quick topoint tohow Bridge’s standardized scripted instructionmore generally, are rather empower. Criticsof Bridge, andof had beenattendingalternative schools regulations tobefinalized, children who whilewaitingensured for that, the new positive solution.TheCabinet Secretary Kenya’s Ministry of Education tofinda alternative schoolsworked closely with policy environment, Bridgeandother Despite this potentially unfavorable would have nootheroptionbuttoclose. Without thisguarantee, Bridgeacademies and transition tosecondaryschool. would beunabletositfor nationalexams to become concerned that their children exit examinations. This led Bridge families to sitfor themandatorynationalprimary registered schoolscouldenroll students in amove toensure thatonlyministry- schools’ registration astesting centers issued guidelinesthatrevoked alternative (Herbling 2015). Additionally, theMinistry for non-state schoolswere released expansion until thenewregulations schools, of whichBridgeisone, tofreeze Education asked thatnon-formal Eventually, in2015, theMinistry of or “complementary” educationsector. government’s intent for the“alternative” there was significant ambiguityaboutthe schools tookplaceover seven years, government regulations for non-state Kenya, becausetheprocess of drafting government for non-state schools.In new regulations beingdrafted by the cost private schoolsinKenya amidst environments. Bridgeexpanded itslow- been negotiatingfluctuating regulatory One of thekey challengesof scalinghas they have received such benefits. for many of itsteachers isthefirst time benefits inlinewithnationallaws, which Bridge, italsoprovides healthandpension Robinson, April22,2015). According to (Shannon May, interview by Jenny Perlman leaders deemedtheenvironment ripefor rather emerged afterthecompany’s ofwas notpart its original plan,but Bridge’s expansion into Nigeria in2015 new academies. worked with 63 communities to establish age level. By June 2016, Bridgehad acquisition tobeablesucceed attheir conditions that they need rapid language who findthemselves in such poor schooling children whohave been outof school or countries asneededtoaccommodate Uganda isnow available for useinother material. Thisprogram developed for needed toengagewithgrade-level acquire the language comprehension school daytoenablechildren torapidly English program for 2hours of every cross-age, homogenouslearning-level of English. To doso, Bridgedeveloped a to account for thelower proficiency levels materials andstructure of theschoolday needing toadaptitsteachingandlearning was quicklymetwiththechallengeof the country, Bridge’s standardized model some of thelowest performing schoolsin However, becauseEastern Uganda has be shared duringtheinitialexpansion. (i.e., personnel andcurriculum) could with whichBridgeassetsandmaterials proximity toKenya andgiven theease into Eastern Uganda in2015 duetoits Bridge expanded itsprivate schools Perlman Robinson, February 23, 2016). communication, ShannonMay andJenny in Kenya as“alternative” schools(personal process of registering its405academies regulations, allowing Bridge to begin the 2016, thegovernment released its new national exams in2015. And,inMarch class of 2,900 graduates satfor their public schools.As Bridge’s aresult, first could sitfor theexam atotherregistered 13 14 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda for theirphysical exercise. in yogathese academies will participate suit localneeds.For example, children in again changingelements of itsmodel to academies willopeninsummer 2016, The first four nursery andprimary is possible even onalimitedbudget. a qualityeducationattheminimum level supply, andaimingtodemonstrate that private schools,increasing diversity of and transform theminto modellow-cost and expand closed schools decrepit, of Andhra Pradesh inIndia to rebuild Understanding withtheGovernment Bridge entered into aMemorandum of in partnership withgovernments. In 2015 lessons aboutadaptationandworking As Bridgehasgrown, ithaslearnt September 2016. expected toopenfor30 enrollments in State inearly2016, withanother20- additional schoolsopenedacross Lagos their first week of theacademic year. Four had fullenrollment andwaiting lists in primary academiesinLagos. Bothschools 2015, Bridgeopenedtwo nursery and Bridge’s academiesthere. In September of Education traveled toKenya tovisit the Director of General Lagos’s Ministry responded tothisopportunity; afterwhich private market for education. Bridge to improve learningoutcomesinLagos’s Terms of Reference seekingproposals in thestate—DFID released apublic private schoolsasaneducationsolution a willingnesstoacknowledge low-cost of Education—which haddemonstrated partnership withtheLagos StateMinistry (Gibson, etal.2011). Working in attending low-cost private schools 70 percent of students inLagos were commissioned study hadfound that for International Development (DFID)- its model. Specifically, a UK Department partnership inLiberiahas pushedBridge and scale. Specifically, thepublic-private could allow Bridgetoexpand inbothscope The publicprivate partnershipmodel pilot. donors willfundtheset-up costs of the and fundschoolupkeep whileexternal administrative salariesatthesamelevel will continue topayfor teacherand and learningmaterials.Thegovernment equipped withBridgeteachertablets be taken through Bridgetraining and government schoolteachers, whowill Under thismodel,Bridgewillwork with not bepayingBridgeany tuitionfees. that is,students attheseschoolswill Liberianpublicprimaryschools;in 50 academic year, Bridgewillpilotitsmodel the country. Beginning inthe2016-17 deliver quality education throughout for Liberiaprogram, whichaimsto underitsPartnershippartner Schools sought outBridgeasaprivate sector and Uganda, theLiberiangovernment Bridge academiesatscaleacross Kenya ofwitnessing thesuccessful impact several months of engagement and host of aninspection itsschools.After asked by theGovernment of Liberiato Specifically, inlate2015, Bridge was influencing thepubliceducationsector. this modelhasbeguntoshow signsof the countries where it operates. Indeed, drive reform long-termpublicsector in a strong demonstration effect thatcould children intheshort-term whilecreating radically alterthelearningoutcomesfor headquarters) could potentially academies (supported by acentral of educationprovision, itsnetwork of creates competitionwithinthespace ifBridgeprivate schoolmodelisthat, forarticulated Bridge’s low-cost The underlyingtheoryof change the “Bridgeeffect”2013; (Bridge2016). constitute theevidence basebehind monitoring and evaluation company), Management Consulting (an independent Bridge andadministered by Decisions evaluation, both commissioned by study andonerandomized impact resultspresent, from aquasi-experimental evaluation isplannedandinprocess. At learning, rigorous monitoringand When itcomestoevidence onstudent class) (World Bank2013). who are present inschoolbutabsent from absenteeism rate for teachers inKenya mentioned earlier, there isa47percent (approximately 16percent—although, as compared withteachers inpublicschools lower (lessthan2percent) at Bridgeacademiesisalsosignificantly Bank 2013). The teacher absenteeism rate minutes of instruction perday(World in Kenya of, onaverage, 2hours and19 World Bank’s estimate for publicschools half dayonSaturdays), compared tothe weekday; students are alsoinschoolfor a school dayfrom 7:30am to5:00pm each of instructionperday(out of a9.5 hour on average, 8 hours and25minutes For example, Bridgestudents receive, on the effectiveness of individual schools. track of theimmediateimpact itsmodel Bridge hasbeenabletomonitorand Managers’ (via smartphones SMStexting), through itsteachertabletsandAcademy enormous amount of data inreal time andminesan Because Bridgecollects Impact andevidence of success as analternative tolow qualitypublic ran anetwork of low-cost private schools beyond itsinitialfor-profit modelwhere it 9 when the globe literacy and numeracy by groups across source assessment tools usedtomeasure Using theEGRA andEGMA—two open peers neighboringpublicschools. in38 deviation onmath,compared totheir skills, andanadditional0.09 standard 0.31 standard deviation oncore reading Bridge academiesgainedanadditional nationally representative sampleof 49 Bridge students in a randomly selected, instance, over thecourse of oneyear, neighboring government schools.For students compared topeers attending positive learningoutcomes amongits public provision of education. to provide innovative solutionstothe schools, to working achieved an average score points of 300 22 percent inthecountry; 25academies 776 Bridge students placed in thetop or better pass rate. In terms of raw scores, Bridge academies achieved a 70 percent achieved a100percent passrate; 76 along with18otherBridgeacademies, however, itsfirst academy in Mukuru slum, government schools.According toBridge, with otherlow-cost private schoolsand how Bridgeacademiescompareascertain schools basedonresults, itisdifficultto Ministry of Education stopped ranking examinations, theKCPE. Since theKenyan took theirnationalprimaryschoolexit primary schoolgraduates inKenya In 2015, Bridge’s first class of 2,900 learning for math(Bridge2016). and approximately 26 additionaldays of additional days of learningfor reading This translates into approximately 64 10 —Bridge hasdemonstrated with the government 11

15 16 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda counties in Kenya. Bridge is alsoinvesting covering over 170 academiesacross 17 8,000 randomly sampled students since 2013 tofollow andassessover invested more than$100,000 annually and evaluation. For example, Bridgehas also expanded its efforts in monitoring As Bridgehasgrown, thecompany has to anationalmeanscore of 242 points. the Bridgemeanscore was 264 compared or better(out of apossible 500). Overall 12

impact on its students’impact learning outcomes. provide independent analyses of Bridge’s monitoring andevaluation, whichwill program inNigeria require third party Schools for Liberiaprogram andtheDFID community. Finally, boththePartnership to analternative schoolinthesame attending aBridgeacademy compared study aimstocompare of theimpact by Michael Kremer and colleagues. The to commence in 2016 and to be conducted in arandomized controlled trialexpected

activities, androlledactivities, outacross allacademiesthe Bridge addsalunchprogram, aswell asschool Shannon May, are namedSchwab Foundation Custom software smartphone ispilotedtohelp academy managers intheirdailymanagement Bridge will pilot 50 schools in Liberia under the schoolsinLiberiaunderthe Bridge willpilot50 Bridgewillopenitsfirst academiesin India. Bridgefounders, Jay Kimmelman and Partnership Schoolsfor Liberiaprogram. Social Entrepreneurs of theYear. Timeline of key events uniform salesinKenya. following year. 2014 2016 2011 Award. Innovation Award, andtheOPICDevelopment Impact in education,theEconomist SocialandEconomic Bridge isawarded aWISEAward for innovation (September). Bridge expands toUganda (January) andNigeria 2015 and the collection of administrativeand thecollection data. use inclasstoimprove lessondelivery, assessment, A tabletapplicationisdeveloped for teachers to 2013 investor. Omidyar Network becomesBridge’s first major First BridgeAcademies openinKenya. 2009 17 18 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda first academy asthoughitwas its100 Therefore, Bridgedecided tobuildits to retrofit amodelafterthefact. Shannon May, itisfar toodifficult According toBridgeco-founder Designing for scale from thestart good. should beconsidered afree, public of makingaprofit off of whatmany think or criticizingtheunderlyingphilosophy the commercial viabilityof theirmodel critics atevery point—either questioning agree. Instead, they were faced with was logical andthatotherswould and modelfor low-cost private schooling be. They thought theirinitialanalysis how contentious their approach would Bridge’s co-founders didnotappreciate Key drivers behindscaling impact that itwas “imperative tocontinue this ever even admitted.Thecompany found development before itsfirst student was large sums of capitalinto research and Assuperfluous. such, Bridgeinvested difficult todeterminewhichelements are them or, pragmatically, itbecomes psychologically, peoplecometoexpect pieces toremove—either because, been very difficulttodeterminewhich luxury, goldplatedmodel,itwould have In particular, whatstrategies enabled company toscaleinsuch amanner? and theirapproach have enabledthe ofaspects Bridge’s private schoolmodel a globaleducationcompany, what academy every days in2014. 2.5 As expanded rapidly, openinganew Despite thiscriticism,Bridgehas than they expected. academy. 13 Thepath has beenmuch harder 14 If Bridge had begunwiththe th

1,000 1,000,000 of educationasthe100,000 academy asked co-founder Jay For example, amanageratthefirst the company atscale. would function its intervention would looklike and how thoughtful anddeliberate aboutwhat of Liberiain2016, Bridgehasbeen recent partnershipwiththegovernment idea was first conceived toits in2008 every step of theway, from whenthe achieved sothatthe1 and operational effectiveness are highest levels of academicperformance rigorous development process until the aligned withitsmission. schools; andinvesting inopportunities increase accountability, andimprove to digitize itsback-office logistics, being delivered; leveraging technology compromise thequalityof education about drivingdown costs thatwillnot for scalefrom theonset;beingruthless and expansion. Theseincludedesigning contributed toBridge’s rapid success academies—other strategies have also minimum level of qualityacross allof its academies quickly, andtomaintain a company tokeep costs low, toopennew to standardization hasallowed the While Bridge’s single-mindedadherence poverty? merely becausethey were livingin were receiving apoorqualityeducation cost qualityeducation for children who it toeffectively provide accesstolow- th pupilsreceive thesamelevel th .” 15 Thishasmeant that st , 100 th andthe th , and is made to one aspect ofis madetooneaspect themodel,it chain, whenany revision orimprovement that Bridgecontrols itsentire supply process, anduniform designers. Given customer service center, procurement developers, software designers, business, furniture makers, curriculum real estate agents, construction conglomerate; ithasitsown in-house Today, Bridgecanbeseen as a possible. efficiently andhenceatthelowest cost feature inhow Bridgeoperates so total control hasbeenanimportant execute every step in-house. Retaining lowest itwas cost, more cost-effective to have the quality it was looking for at the in order tocame to the conclusion that, and constructioncompanies—it quickly business—including real estate agents ofpartners tooutsource aspects its chain. While initiallyBridge looked for down costs atevery point of itssupply the poor, Bridgehad to fixate on driving if itisnotaffordable for thepoorest of is feasible for poorcommunities, even a qualityproductatpricepoint that To serve the“bottomof thepyramid” with Being ruthless aboutdrivingdown costs had hundreds of academiesacross the its operational processes for whenit which is how Bridge had envisioned central system through SMStexting, manager enter thedatainto Bridge’s point faster—Jay insisted thatthe take theform withhim—andatthat it would have been easy for Jay to as Jay was headedthatway. While needed tosubmit tothecentral office, a hard copy form thatthemanager Kimmelman ifhewould take withhim high qualityproducts, beiteducation, position Bridgeasacompany providing their families ascustomers also helpedto its pricepoints low. Viewing students and under Bridge’s roof—helped Bridgetokeep every of aspect the supply chain was Achieving scaleearlyon—where functional before makingany changestoitsmodel. of qualitative andquantitative data Bridge analyzes very carefully a range costs for thecompany itself. As aresult, model translates into directly increased changes. Likewise, any variation toits willingness, orcapacitytomake these on anoutsideprovider’s timeline, teacher tablets. It is not dependent and learningmaterialstransferred to single academy through theteaching make immediatechangestoevery leads tobetteroutcomes,Bridgecan teachingmethodchange inaparticular of itsacademies.If datashow thata changes toallnewconstructionin developed, Bridgecanquicklymake ergonomically-correct student deskis academies. As anexample, ifamore across andexpanding allof its450 can quicklyandeffectively roll itout like situationwithagovernment. a publicoffering orentering acharter- exit planinto itsstrategy, eitherthrough Significantly, Bridgealsobuildsinan academies. quality components over hundreds of this means continuing to amortize its its growing network of private schools, mission central toBridge’s success. For scale, andspeedfrom dayonehasbeen country. Thisdoggedfocus onscope, 19 20 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda its academy managers tomanagethe not onlycanBridge free uptime for to teachers and tuition from parents, technology toautomate payments andleveragingfunctions mobilebanking and Lee 2010). By centralizing these teachers, andpayingvendors (Rangan tuition payments, payingcollecting of theirtimeservingasa“cash register,” administrators percent spent upto50 operational research thatmany school “cash free.” Bridgehadlearnedfrom its its decisiontomake allof itsacademies has beenunwilling tobendonhasbeen For instance, oneelement thatBridge for newandinexperienced teachers. also classroom instruction,especially day toschooladministration, but efficient andtransparent notonlythe its useof technologytomake more scale upof Bridge’s modelhasbeen A key component to the successful Leveraging technology to improve schools not limitlessfundsavailable. comes withcompromises, thatthere are that any improvement they want tomake Similarly, Bridgestaff explain toparents phone bank or through other methods. families—are consulted through aparent numberuntil a certain of customers— Additionally, any newcost isnotconsidered for thecustomers thatBridgeserves. align alldecisionsaround whatitmeans in termsof accessibility. Thisisaneffort to translated into whatthis expense willmean expense to the existing model, it must be Before anyone canconsideranadditional it translates costs into student months. implement anaccounting system inwhich line with this perspective, Bridge beganto used todrive down costs even further. In food, oruniforms. Volume, then,couldbe of teachersandmonitor. tocollect This would traditionally betheresponsibility ofaspects teachingand learningthat facilitates central monitoring of many andanalysis, whichdata collection For example, tabletsallow centralized away valuable timeaway from teaching. including attendancetracking, thattook from arange of administrative tasks, technology tohelpunburden teachers Most importantly, Bridgehasused where theirmoney isgoing. account addstofamilies’ knowledge of payments directlytoeachacademy’s Lee 2010). Additionally, automating company asawhole(Rangan and and hascreated cost savingsfor the reduced for theopportunity corruption, more oversight of its finances, has academies; it also has allowed Bridge andperformance ofdaily functions their school quality. to streamline schoolsandimprove driven down by leveraging technology recurrent costs, somethingthatis government budgets—lies inthemodel’s feasibility of themodel—atleast for is more likely that the financial to getthemodeloff theground, it need totapinto external donorsupport given theGovernment of Liberia’s across sub-Saharan Africa.However, capita spendingonprimaryeducation is comparable totheaverage per the intervention atapricepoint that Thatis,thecompany hasdesignedright. company hasbeguntogetitscost model indication that theLiberia is further partnership withtheGovernment of According toBridge, itsmost recent

at Bridgeacademies, according to In sharpcontrast, teacherabsenteeism (World Bank2013). hourswith lessthan2.5 of instructionaday to 47percent of thetime, leavingstudents other tasks,presumably administrative—up with teachers absent from class—and doing spent onlearningisoften extremely limited teachers whodoshow uptoschool,time percent of thetime(World Bank2013). For teachers are absent from schoolaround 16 mentioned earlier, inKenya, publicschool teachers cannotbedismissedeasily. As decisions islackingandpoorperforming schools where information tomake informed an element thatisoften absent inpublic and datatostrengthen accountability— Bridge hasalsoleveraged technology Increasing accountability to drive performance pool of teachers orlackthereof. By quality regardless of theavailable to ensuring aminimum standard of daily lessonscriptshave beenessential components, teachertabletsandthe teachers. As oneof themodel’s core supply of qualifiedandexperienced increasing accesstoschool:theshort solve the immediatechallenge of rapidly Tablets have also enabled Bridge to instantaneously. its more academiesnearly than 450 effectively roll outany changesacross it canvery quickly, efficiently, and Bridge controls the entire supply chain, And, asmentioned above, because continuously strengthen its programs. to challengesmore rapidly andthus to allowing and respond Bridge to identify andprocessing,time datacollection has theaddedbenefitof providing real- classrooms atalltimes.And,because aware of what ishappeningwithinits longer asopaque;Bridge ismuch more what happensina classroom—is no technology, the“blackbox” of learning— throughIn Bridge’s effect, useof dismissal mayalsobeaconsequence. underperforming teachers, although canbesentand support toassist Additional trainingtime oneachtask. teacher isspendingtoolittleormuch also usedtoinform headquartersifa pacing tracking onteachertabletsis sends asubstitute teacher. Lesson aware viatheteacher’s tabletand headquarters isimmediatelymade not show uporshows uplate, Bridge (Bridge 2013). And,ifateacherdoes internal data,islessthantwo percent ways toimprove theirteaching. and toleverage technologyinother gradually grow outof thisscaffolding flexible enoughtoallow teachers to now iswhetherBridge’s modelwillbe Robinson, April22,2015). Thequestion Nairobi, interview by Jenny Perlman Bridge International Academy inGicagi, (Teacherneeded additionalsupport at allowed her tofocus on students who for teachinggave herconfidence and that thelessonscriptsandinstructions Bridge teacherinNairobi expressed plans themselves. To illustrate, one than oncreating content andlesson time ontheirstudents’ progress rather and enablesteachers tofocus more they themselves maynotbeexperts in, instructions for teaching content that provides newteachers withstep-by-step and learningmaterials,thismodel centrally developing alltheteaching 21 22 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda how orspecific lessonpacing,format, internal “A vs. B” testing todetermine books for thenext year. Bridgealsoruns areas withoutmastery, andpublishnew time todeliver newlessons tocover theteachers’can modify guidesinreal specific lessons,units,orterms,Bridge By assessingchildren’s learningof Bridge itselfisa“learningorganism.” given grade level, isduetothefact that gains over timefor agiven childina gains for children, andtoincrease these argues thatitsabilitytodeliver learning “learning lab” onamassive scale. Bridge Bridgehascreated amanagement, monitoring andevaluation, andschool and learnermaterialdevelopment, Bridge does.By integrating delivery totheextent that how datacanbeusedtoinform claim tobedatadriven, few demonstrate While many educationorganizations has gathered onteachingandlearning. about theBridgemodelisdatait Indeed, whatisperhaps most interesting Using data to improve themodel effect has beenachangeinmindsets According to Bridge, a positive spillover hour anonymous customer care hotline. academy managerforums, anda24- guides, qualitative assessments, monthly basis tolearnhow toimprove lesson are filmedandreviewed onanongoing visits, roving videos where classrooms tablets tounannouncedin-person class Bridge’s monitoringextends beyond its responsible for drivingoutcomes. whatisand methods,itcanidentify it hasstandardized itsprocedures significant effect onglobaleducation. models, Bridgebelieves itcouldhave a this learning about learning in different improved theirself-confidence. By using and socialresponsibility skillsand the olderchildren learnedleadership scores for thegrade 1students, while learning ledtoa10percent riseinmath 35 minutes every day. Theindividualized students tutorgrade 1students inmathfor mentoring program where grade 5 Bridge tested amathematicspeer- across themodel.For example, in2015, small group of schools before replicating learning, they are abletotest itwithina or resource thatthey believe willaid When theteamidentifies anewmethod other structures thataffect learning. resources, aswell asitstimetableand continually refine itsteacher and learner schools,Bridgehasbeenableto450 By havinganinternal learninglabof over comprehension. examples mayleadtomore orless to inform improvements toitsmodel. back toBridgeheadquartersandused both quantitative and qualitative, isfed 2,000 callsaday. Allof thisinformation, optics, thishotlinereceives more than More thanproviding Bridgewithmere or anonymously reportany problems. community could call in for information parents, teachers, andothers withinthe a 24-hour customer care hotline where opened itsdoors in2009, itestablished and communication. WhenBridgefirst expectations for better information around accountability and greater of agovernment-sanctioned program, alone. Bridgenow works inLagos aspart more than1millionchildren inLagos, market for education,amarket serving improve learningoutcomesintheprivate responded toaDfIDrequest for bidsto to openschoolsinNigeria. However, it in 2015, ithadnotoriginallyplanned its first phase of international expansion As mentioned earlier, whenBridgebegan Identifying opportunities alignedwiththemission inthecompanysupport was thus an and toscaleitsintervention. Building ability toinnovate, toreplicate itsmodel, investors thatthecompany hadthe Bridge’s leadership couldpersuade on aproven model,butrather whether it was notwhetherBridgehadsettled were willingtotake such risks.Thismeant company hadtowinover investors who to startatscale(Buchannan 2014). The students from the outset; Bridge wanted of thousandsof schoolsservingmillionsof that itsleadership wanted tobuildachain scale. But whatmadeBridgeuniquewas that itsmodelworked before goingto that is,investors wanted Bridgetoprove at least before investing inthecompany— company toalready have builtoneschool many prospective investors wanted the to ShannonMay, co-founder of Bridge, Bridge andtoscaleitsvision.According Zuckerberg—to theideabehind support PierreBill Gates, Omidyar, andMark company’s initialinvestors—including was securing flexible fundingfrom the was crucial, but even more critical Initial financialinvestment inBridge Securing supportfor thevision government, financedjointly by external operate publicschoolsonbehalfof the service providers are contracted to Liberia program, where education created thePartnership Schoolsfor In 2015, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf State Ministry of Education. relationship between DfIDandtheLagos which itself was a result of a multiyear the company atthegloballevel. little by way of makingthingseasierfor increase localuserdemand,ithasdone While thisapproach hashelpedto learn where there were nototherwise. quality andcreatingto opportunities in raising astandard minimum level of critical of itsapproach, abouttheirwork with civil society actors, especially those cultivating relationships ordialoguing government, rather thanspendingtime parents, community members, andlocal focused more onengagingclosely with loudest critics.Bridgeappears tohave includes someof Bridge’s harshest and global civilsocietyactors,which contrast withitsapproach toengaging multilateral donors appears to stand in capitalists andotherimportant forging key relationships withventure Interestingly, Bridge’s approach to April 22,2015). interview by Jenny Perlman Robinson, jockeys, not the horse” (Bridge investor, investor in Bridge shared, “we bet on the essential asset for partnerships. As one 23 24 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda to adhere togovernment demands,and need todeviate from itsoriginalmodel yet tobe seen towhatextent Bridgewill operator inthecountry. However, ithas schoolsandbecomeapublicschool50 schools inKenya, Bridgeagreed topilot government, includingavisittoBridge months of engagement withtheLiberian charge tochildren’s families. Afterseveral donors andby thegovernment, at no fee beenrequired tobepaidby parents. have beenunabletoaccessschoolhada the poorest children—those whowould ofabout theimpact Bridge’s modelon in Liberiamayuncover someinsights at nocost tostudents’ families, thepilot Schools for Liberia program offers school Additionally, given thatthePartnership innovation of theschoolsitisoperating. if inturn this willaffect thequality or 25 26 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda Lessons learned • • • • • • made allof itsacademies“cash free” by automatingpayments (including Bridge leverages technology toimprove itsoperational efficiencies.It has across itsnetwork of moreacademiesnearlyinstantaneously. than450 own roof. This also has enabled Bridge to roll out any changes in its intervention quality andkeep costs down by bringingevery of aspect thesupply chainunderits systems, curriculum development). Bridge has found that it can both maintain construction, teachertraining, materialprocurement, management of payment effective toexecute every step of lifecycle theeducation in-house (i.e., academy Bridge achieved scaleearlyonafterlearningthat itismore functional cost- development tocreate systems thatproduce learningoutcomes. This approach hasalsoenabledthecompany toinvest heavilyinresearch and over a large number of academies; that is, to customers—which hasallowed thecompany toamortizeinvestment inquality Bridge treats educationasamarket—with itsstudents andtheirfamilies asits risks. meant thecompany hadtowinover investors whowere willingtotake such Unlike whatmost investors are comfortable with,Bridge’s visiontostartatscale underlying visiontoprovide for opportunities children livinginpoverty tolearn. Also criticalearlyonwas thesupportof thecompany’s initialinvestors inBridge’s received isthesamenomatterhow large thecompany grows. and development from theoutsettoensure thatthequalityof educationstudents its first academy asthoughit were its100 look like andhow thecompanyscale. wouldfunctionat Thecompany builtandran From thebeginning,Bridge has beenthoughtful aboutwhatitsintervention would academies. quickly, andtomaintain aminimum standard level of qualityacross allof its Asia. ThemodelenablesBridgetokeep costs low, toopennewacademies thousands of children livinginpoverty inSub-Saharan AfricaandsoonSouth approach toproviding accesstolow-cost private schoolingfor hundreds of Bridge’s standardized modelprovides ahighlystructured, technology-driven th academy, investing heavilyinresearch use

volume to drive down costs.

• • • helped toensure andtomaintain aminimum qualityof teaching. as well ascontinuing training by professional development coachesalsohas in-person classvisitsby academy managers andacademy operations officers, tracking of attendanceandtasktimelinessthrough teachertablets.Unannounced training andresources, system asolidsupport performance-based bonuses, and associations. surveys, charging atuitionfee, andothermeasures involving parent-teacher accountability mechanisms,includinga24-hour customer hotline, ongoing Bridge hasimproved accountability to parentsthrough several different “scaffolding” provided by thescripts asthey become more experienced. it canbuildinflexibility into itsmodeltoallow itsteachers tobeginshedthe students whoneededmore attention. Thechallengefor Bridgewillbewhether from arange of administrative tasks,allowing themmore timetofocus on minimum standard of qualityeducation.Teacher tabletsalsounburden teachers via tabletstohelpitscadre of newandoften inexperienced teachers todeliver a It uses“lesson scripts” designedby educationexperts anddelivered toteachers their teaching. coaches onhow best toutilize data andresults from student assessments in receive continuous training from andsupport professional development time thatcanbeusedtocontinuously drive improvements. In addition,teachers Bridge’s useof technologyenablesittocollect vastamountsof datainreal foropportunity corruption. managers), whichnotonlyhasincreased efficiencies, butalsohasreduced tuition payments from families andsalarypayments toteachers and academy Teacher accountability has increased through comprehensive 27 28 Bridge International Academies: Delivering quality education at a low cost in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda References 20, no. 2:106-114. 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Comparison “The of BridgePupilsto Peers at Nearby Center Development. for Global Works: Experimental Evidence onExternal Validity inKenyan Working Education. Paper 321.Washington, DC: Bold, Tessa, Mwangi Mwabu, Kimenyi, Germano AliceNg’ang’a., andJustin Sandefur. 2013b. Scaling Up What Institution. Schooling inaLow-Income Country. Initiative AfricaGrowth Working Paper 5. Washington, DC:TheBrookings Bold, Tessa, Mwangi Mwabu, Kimenyi, Germano andJustin Sandefur. 2013a. The High Return to Private Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Bereiter, CarlandSiegfried Engelmann. 1966. Teaching Disadvantaged ChildreninPreschool . Englewood from Two Randomized Experiments inIndia.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 122, no. 3:1235-64. Banerjee, AbhijitV., ShawnCole, Esther Duflo, and 2007.Leigh Linden. “Remedying Education: Evidence LEAPS_Report_FINAL.pdf. in PunjabSchools.Accessed onJune 29, 2016 from http://www.leapsproject.org/assets/publications/ and Educational Achievements inPunjab Schools (LEAPS). 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Nilsson, Paula. 2003. “Education For All:Teacher Demand andSupply inAfrica.”Education International Population andHealth Research Center. 2013. Ngware, Moses, Benta Abuya, Kassahun Admassu, Maurice Mutisya, Peter Musyoka, andMoses Oketch. Education Reforms 10. Washington, DC:World Bank. Schooling? The Community Support Program inRural Balochistan. Working Paper onImpact Evaluation of Kim, Jooseop, Harold Alderman, andPeter Orazem. 1998. inGirls’ CanCulturalBarriersBeOvercome Discussion Paper 319. Washington, DC:World Bank. Khandkher, Shahidur. 1996. Education Achievements andSchool Efficiencyin RuralBangladesh. World Bank schools/-/539546/2883462/-/8lt0tq/-/index.html. 7, 2016 from http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Kenya-stops-expansion-of-Bill-Gates-backed-chain-of- Herbling, David. 2015. “Ministry Stops Expansionof Low-Cost Schools,”Business Africa . Accessed April Daily Poverty Lab Action (J-PAL) andInnovations for Poverty (IPA). 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communication between Lucy Bradlow andChristina Kwauk, June 17, 2016). of itssubstitute teacherpoolthatistappedinto toaccount for any teacherabsences (personal According toBridge, theteacherabsenteeism ratelower—0.8 isactually percent—because www.bridgeinternationalacademies.com/approach/model/, accessedMay 6, 2016. www.bridgeinternationalacademies.com/approach/model/, accessedMay 6, 2016. posts/2016/06/29-foreign-aid-private-schooling-education-das, accessedJune 29, 2016. lu75h8xyq, accessedJune 21,2016; http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/future-development/ See for example https://medium.com/learning-re-imagined/education-in-africa-1f495dc6d0af#. http://www.bridgeinternationalacademies.com/, accessedMay 2, 2016. comparison. and the listto participate of schools was exhausted—it is difficult todetermine the validity of this byselected DMC intheevent that randomly government selected schoolswere unwilling orunable Because government schoolswere notentirely randomlyunknown number selected—an was five otherlanguages(https://www.eddataglobal.org/math/, accessed 2016).July 1, six languages;ithasbeenadoptedby otherimplementing partnersinseven othercountries andin eddataglobal.org/reading/, accessedJuly 1,2016). hasbeenappliedinfour EGMA countries andin othercountriespartners inmoreand than30 60otherlanguages(https://www. EGRA hasbeenappliedin11countries andin19languages,aswell as adoptedby otherimplementing and construction; Instruction (curriculum andteachertraining); andResearch andmarketing. academythat directlysupports managers); Finance, operations, andadministration; Land acquisition Headquarters includes five Schooloperations departments: (which includes thecentral team support to-WB-statement-on-Bridge-13.05.2015.pdf, accessedAugust 24, 2015. http://globalinitiative-escr.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/May-2015-Joint-letter-reaction-letter- letter-reaction-letter-to-WB-statement-on-Bridge-13.05.2015.pdf, accessedAugust 24, 2015. See for example, http://globalinitiative-escr.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/May-2015-Joint- classrooms-in-nairobi-schools, accessedApril22,2016. accessed April22,2016; http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000156351/irony-of-empty- https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2015/10/06/fees-and-inequality-in-the-kenyan-school-system/, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.PRIV.ZS, accessedApril19, 2016. and 8.1 percent of theirmonthly incomeoneducation,(Tooley, Dixon,2008) andStanfield Some researchers estimate thathouseholdslivinginpoverty are willingtospendbetween 4.7 percent accessed April19, 2016). aday—the$1.25 official UN poverty line (http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/country/KEN, According totheWorld asof 2005, Bank, 45.9 percent of thepopulationinKenya live onlessthan 2016. http://www.kenya-today.com/news/2014-kcpe-results-candidates-top-students, accessedApril25, 31 1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20036 202 797 6000 www.brookings.edu/universal-education

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