Practical Education Network
PEN's vision is an Africa sustainably transformed by generations of problem-solvers
The next Katherine Johnson could be one of West Africa's 70 million school-age children, but her STEM teacher lacks the materials and training to unleash her potential.
Practical Education Network takes a human capital-building approach, training STEM teachers to leverage low-cost, locally-available materials to engage their students in hands-on learning.
*Impact per Dollar*
PEN’s impact goes further and deeper per dollar than that of other education initiatives. Our train-the-trainer model enables each direct beneficiary trainer to reach more than 1,000 students each.
At a cost of ~$25/student per year, the learning gains achieved through our hands-on STEM approach (student performance on the national exams increased by 97% and student attitudes towards science increased by 141% through a 1-yr control study) exceed those reported by more capital-intensive and higher-touch training interventions.
*Ecosystem-Wide Impact*
Uniquely, PEN has a vibrant grassroots presence in addition to strong relationships with national-level stakeholders. (In 2019-2020, Ghana Ministry of Education’s curriculum arm (NaCCA) invited PEN to join the Science Panel and infuse our hands-on content into the new national curriculum. PEN was the only NGO invited in this capacity, across all subjects.). This enables us to make real progress on the ground as well as influence the systemic reforms necessary for lasting change.