The acquisition of Regis Runda Academy by ADvTECH Group, the largest market-leading private education provider in Africa, has transacted Sh1.2 billion in Nairobi. The institution is rebranded as Makini School Runda in the move announced on August 8, 2025, which takes effect on August 20. The purchase is part of a broader trend; since 2020, the number of people enrolled in private schools, not part of the majority, in Kenya has increased by an average of 15 percent a year, as much because of discontent at state schools as because of financial resources. ADvTECH incorporates the use of AI learning devices in its future plans, which may increase student performance by 20%. Many have hailed this as a move forward, but others have disputed it as a neocolonial practice that consumes the resources meant for the public education system.
AI-Powered Learning Promises Major Gains in Student Outcomes
ADvTECH’s acquisition of Regis Runda Academy includes a major focus on integrating AI learning tools. Such tools as intelligent tutoring systems and adaptive platforms adapt the platform to their particular students on a real-time basis. Researchers in a 2022 study published in the Journal of Educational Technology report that personalized instruction via AI-enhanced learning environments can increase by between 11% and 20%. The revamped Makini School Runda could become East Africa’s first flagship AI-powered institution, a model others may follow.
The rollout may include machine learning platforms that assess student progress, provide targeted exercises, and flag areas of struggle for teacher intervention. Paired with upgraded sports facilities, Makini School Runda aims to deliver a holistic education model. While the AI strategy targets academic excellence, the sports investment promotes physical and social development, key for preparing students for a tech-driven, competitive world.
This digital shift also aligns with global education trends. Nations like Singapore and the UAE have already implemented AI-based curricula at scale. ADvTECH’s move positions Kenya on a similar path. However, successful execution will depend on teacher training, tech infrastructure, and careful implementation to avoid overreliance on automation at the expense of human connection in learning.
Public Skepticism Grows Over Privatization and Foreign Ownership
Although there is optimism about the attachments of AI and the improvement of the facilities, the takeover has concerned the educators and parents. Opponents declare that these actions only increase the disparity in a nation in which the education system has always been heavily underfunded. Kenya has continuously improperly invested in education, with only 17 percent of the national budget going into education since 2015, which is lower than the recommended 20 percent by UNESCO. This stagnation provides the cynicism surrounding the merits of such privately owned investments as ADvTECH, which only a select group can assume will be to the benefit of the system as a whole.
Some have dismissed the takeover as one among a trend of increasing educative neocolonialism, in which international actors define curricula, the school culture and student performance. Critics fear this will result in a two-layer system, with the brightest going to luxury, AI-enabled thought schools, leaving the rest provisioned in the crowded, poorly funded public schools.
Whereas ADvTECH states that the acquisition will improve the standards of education in the region, another incident shows the issue of striking a balance between foreign investment and national interests. Many claim that innovation in Kenya must benefit not only the lucky few who can pay but also the rest of the population to drive the education sector successfully.
A Bold Step Forward With Uneven Public Support
ADvTECH’s acquisition of Regis Runda Academy marks a significant development in East Africa’s private education sector. With promises of AI-driven learning and enhanced facilities, the rebranded Makini School Runda could become a benchmark for innovation. However, the move also exposes deeper tensions around foreign influence, education equity, and resource distribution. With the increased popularity of private schools, Kenya is forced to face the fact that public education is underdeveloped.
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