Nairobi — Education International, a global federation of education unions representing over 32 million educators globally, has called on the World Bank Board to take responsibility for harm committed to students at the International Financing Corporation (IFC)-funded Bridge International Academies (Bridge) in Kenya.
The federation claimed that students at Bridge in Kenya who were sexually abused, maimed, and killed should be compensated by the World Bank Group.
It recommended that the World Bank Group create a remedy fund in order to compensate those affected.
"Students at the International Financing Corporation-funded Bridge International Academies (Bridge) in Kenya were sexually abused, maimed, and killed. Staff had their labour rights routinely violated. They now all deserve remedy and compensation," the federation stated.
According to the federation, Bridge staff's labor rights were also violated, and they should also be compensated.
The IFC paid $13.5 million for an ownership stake in Bridge International Academies starting in 2013, but exited the investment in 2022.
"Our expectation is very clear. The IFC contributed to harm done to teachers and students through its reckless investment in Bridge and therefore the World Bank Group should contribute to a remedy fund," it added.
Complaints forwarded to the IFC's Ombudsman (the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman) back in 2018 noted that many Bridge schools in Kenya were unregistered and thus were operating illegally throughout the duration of the IFC's investment.
The complaints stated that schools were unsanitary, dangerous for children, and inaccessible to students with disabilities.
Also, staff's working hours, minimum wage, and termination procedures were in breach of the law.
"The IFC knew about these problems at Bridge schools prior to divestment and failed to ensure that Bridge complied with its contractual obligations to operate in accordance with the IFC's environmental, social, and labour standards," noted the federation.
"The report card is in on Bridge's experiment in for profit education. Students were hurt, with at least two fatally injured. Staff were ripped off and schools were running illegally."
