Presentation of the feasibility study for the creation of a first impact fund dedicated to education in Africa

Presented exclusively in July 2019 at the Sorbonne, the feasibility study on education in Africa was published by the Fondation pour Études et Recherches sur le Développement International (FERDI). The conduct of this study is a key step in the implementation of the first impact programme dedicated to education and vocational training in Africa, I&P Education to Employment.

More info on I&P Education to Employment

Read the study on the FERDI website

I&P used the main findings of the feasibility study to define the impact and investment strategy of the I&P Education to Employment programme, whil will aim to improve the employability of the African youth through quality education and training, adapted to the needs of the labour market.

The fund is now entering an active development phase, which will continue until the end of 2020, and has just recruited its new Investment Director, Constant Kouamé-Kra, who joined I&P in September.

Objectives and Main Lessons Learned from the Study

The feasibility study was conducted by the Fondation pour les Études et Recherches sur le Développement International (FERDI) between September 2018 and May 2019. The study had several objectives :

• Obtain a better understanding of the educational challenges in Africa

• Identify the good educational practices that can be developed and disseminated more widely by the private sector 

• Analyze the economic models of private operators in education

• Initiate a reflection on the role and the potential contributions of impact investors in the sector

The study presents in particular a mapping of private investors in education, an in-depth literature review highlighting high-impact practices, as well as a new typology of private actors operating in the education sector, with differentiated returns in terms of yield and impact. It also discusses strategies that impact investors can use to contribute to education and training issues in the African context, ranging from early childhood development programmes to higher education and professional integration.

 Download the complete study

 Discover the executive summary: In french | In english