Key Insight UNLOCKING FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT AND INVESTMENT POTENTIAL FOR LOW-FEE PRIVATE SCHOOLS THROUGH THE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (SLA) August 2025
The School Leadership Academy (SLA), implemented by Opportunity EduFinance, equips school leaders in affordable non-state schools with the management, financial, and operational skills needed to sustainably manage and grow their schools. Through targeted training in budgeting, operations, financial record-keeping, and credit readiness, school leaders build capacity to make informed financial decisions, improve school operations, and access financial services. School leaders are also sensitized on the financial products and services available in the market, particularly those developed with Opportunity EduFinance technical assistance. As part of this effort, financial institutions are invited to the SLA workshops to create opportunities for direct engagement between borrowers and lenders. This report presents insights captured from post-workshop and follow-up surveys with SLA workshop attendees, including 45% women. In total, the team carried out 7,406 school profile surveys administered before the workshop, 5,357 post-workshop surveys, and 2,805 follow-up surveys conducted three months after the workshop. All of the school leader respondents were from low-fee private schools, with 85% charging less than $100 per term, and 41% charging fees between $10-$30 per term.
Schools Accessing Loans
Key Finding #1 SLA participation increased access to financial services from 30% to 42%.
30%
42%
Before Intervention
After Intervention
Participation in the SLA led to an increase in access to financial services and loans from 30% to 42%. This data underscores how targeted capacity-building initiatives can address barriers to financial access and inclusion for underserved education providers, specifically by improving school leaders' financial management skills, strengthening record-keeping and registration practices, improving cash flow, and building credit readiness.
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