This project is working within a context that calls for civil society to be more active and influential in determining education policy to meet the needs of the kenyan people especially the marginalised communities. It is presented at a time when there is greater awareness on the need to be gender responsive in all initatives undertaken at various levels to maximise on education outcomes.

The project is an extention of a previous project titled; Enhancing Civil Society Engagment in Education Policy planning processes which made some gains in terms of engagement with policy makers including the Ministry of Education and Parliamentarians and in the participation of the civil society, in policy discourse within the sector. The project is also being prepared against the backdrop of an ever growing need for learning to boost education outcomes.

Elimu Yetu has benefitted from a learning agenda spearheaded by the Education Out Loud Regional office in Uganda and has also organised forums for learnings at different levels of the country including at the national, sub-national and at the county levels which has helped boost the participation of the vulnerable and marginalised communities.

The original project began the process of institutional capacity building that benefited staff, civil society membership, through county education networks and the EYC governance structure. The project, has also laid a good foundation at the secretariat by supporting the development of essential manuals including those addressing matters of governance.

This projectl came after a rapid review of the education out loud component OC 1 conducted by the global partnership for education(GPE) secretariat and a recommendation given to the effect of continuing support to OC1 component over the next two years but also raised sustainability concerns Kenya is a beneficiary of the New GPE strategy 2021-2025 and is one of the pilot countries for the implementation of the new financing model through a partnership compact; a systems capacity and transformation grant.

Kenya has already began the process of the development and the Civil Society through the coalition participated in the process. The proposal is also being prepared in full awareness of other components of Education Out Loud namely OC2 and OC3 which target civil society at county and regional levels respectively and the need to complement such initatives.

Finally the reality of COVID-19 is with us hence calling for adaptive approaches during project implementation.

As its main objective, the project, hopes to build on the successes realised earlier to forge ahead in boosting civil society participation in gender responsive education planning processes. Specifically, the extended project shall aim;

• To enhance the participation of the civil society in education planning and policy dialogue 2
• To increase opportunities for collaborative learning and;
• To build an inclusive coalition with the capacity to engage in policy processes

The Human rights approach targeting the vulnerable and marginalised will form a major aspect of project approach. Also essential will be embracing gender responsiveness and adaptive management in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first phase of the project was implemented in 2020-2021 with support from Education Out Loud of 300.000 USD.