Catch-up support for returning students in Kenya
A few weeks out of school should not become a lasting gap.
Many students in Kenya are sent home when school fees are unpaid. When they come back, the class has moved on. ReJoin helps their teachers find what each student missed, run short catch-up lessons and track progress, all from the teacher's phone.
An example, not a real student. Three weeks away is about 14 maths lessons the class did without them.
The problem
Students come back to a class that has moved on without them.
Teachers have to keep going with the syllabus. Returning students are left to catch up alone, and many need someone to explain a topic before they can practise it. The gaps show up in their next exam.
students in one class of 53 are sent home over fees at some point, by their teacher's estimate.
is how long they are away on average before they return, by the same teacher's estimate.
of lesson time went to individual or small-group support in a study of 398 teachers across 200 Kenyan primary schools.
The first two figures come from our interview with a secondary school teacher in Kisii County. They are one teacher's estimate for one class, not a national figure. His school has no organised catch-up support.
How it works
Six steps, from the day a student returns.
ReJoin runs on the teacher's own phone. Students need no devices. They use exercise books, the board, or printed packs where a school can print.
- 1
Confirm what was taught
The teacher confirms what the class actually covered while students were away. One confirmation serves every student who missed the same lessons.
- 2
Check what each student knows
Short written or spoken questions show what each student understands, including earlier skills the missed topics depend on.
- 3
Decide what to teach first
ReJoin suggests an order, starting with the skills a student needs to follow the lessons happening now.
- 4
Get ready-made materials
The teacher gets a guide with short explanations, worked examples and answers. Students get a pack with supported practice, then questions to try alone.
- 5
Run a catch-up session
Students with similar gaps learn together in a regular slot agreed with the school, led by one of the school's own teachers or staff.
- 6
Check again later
The teacher records brief results on the phone. A later check asks different questions on the same skills, to show progress and what still needs work.
Built for real classrooms
Made for crowded classes and tight budgets.
One phone, no student devices
The school needs nothing new. The teacher's phone is enough, and printing is optional.
Led by the school's own staff
Catch-up sessions are run by the school's teachers in time the school has agreed. We do not bring in outside tutors.
Checked by educators
AI helps draft the guides and student packs from approved curriculum sources. A maths educator reviews them before any teacher uses them, and teachers can adjust them for their class.
Less planning, not more
Plans and packs can be reused for other students who missed the same lessons, so the work gets lighter each time.
First pilot
We start in one school in January 2027.
ReJoin is new. Our first pilot begins when schools reopen for Term 1, and we will share what we learn here, including what does not work.
- Where
- A day secondary school in Nyamira County, with the head teacher's support.
- Subject
- Mathematics first. More subjects will follow if teachers ask for them.
- Start
- January 2027, at the start of Term 1.
- Reviews
- A review meeting with the school every month.
- What we measure
- Learning progress, whether students still remember the skills later, attendance at sessions, teacher time and cost per student.
- Student privacy
- Names are replaced with codes in our records.
About us
A community organisation, registered in Kenya.
To help underserved young people in Kenya overcome barriers to learning and opportunity through community-led education and the practical use of technology.
ReJoin Initiative is a registered community-based organisation with its office in Kasarani, Nairobi. Our aim is to bring catch-up support, free of charge, to schools in marginalised areas.
We have 11 members and all of us are volunteers. Seven are university education students who have taught science and maths in crowded local schools during their breaks and internships.
Founder, product and dataDavid Mbugua
Grew up in a family of teachers and saw fee send-homes disrupt learning. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from African Leadership University and has 3.5 years' experience building data systems and research tools for a UK firm.
Partnerships and pilot leadDavid Mokenye
Holds a Political Science degree with an Economics minor from Duke University and worked with Shamiri, a youth mental health organisation in Kenyan schools. He leads our school and county partnerships.
Lead engineerLevis Mbote
Holds a Computer Science degree from JKUAT and brings software engineering experience from Superset. He builds the ReJoin tool.
Work with us
Help more students rejoin their class.
Schools
If your students lose weeks to fee send-homes, illness or other disruptions, talk to us about joining a future pilot.
Maths educators
We need experienced Kenyan maths teachers to review catch-up guides and student packs before they reach a classroom.
Funders and partners
We welcome support from foundations, county education offices, researchers and organisations already working in schools.