Tusome: Case Study of Kenya’s Early Grade Reading Program and the Journey to Self-Reliance

USAID defines self-reliance as a country’s ability to plan, finance, and implement solutions to solve its own development challenges. In Kenya, USAID is working with the Government of Kenya to improve early grade reading for all Kenyan children through its very successful reading program, Tusome.

USAID/AFR/SD/ED partners with LASER PULSE to provide a detailed account, analysis, and context of Kenya’s 2011-2018 early grade reading program. This case study will inform and enhance USAID’s ability to design and implement similar successful programs in other countries. Tusome outlines the essential steps and factors that enabled the Kenyan Ministry of Education (MOE) to scale and sustain the early grade reading program, and identifies challenges and how the program addressed them. Researchers from University of Nairobi, Makerere University and Catholic Relief Services are leading this effort.