#  Sara Ruto 

Program Lead in Africa for Foundational Learning, Echidna Giving

 

 

 



   ![Sara Ruto](/sites/g/files/omnuum4496/files/styles/hwp_4_5__480x600/public/2025-08/Sara-subject.png?itok=XeCDzLLv) 

 



 





 

Fall 2025 course: **A811C4: Educational Development and Political Power: Political Influence on Educational Growth.** MW 4:30-6:45, 11/3/2025 to 11/14/2025. 1 credit course

Find out more and register at [my.harvard.edu](https://my.harvard.edu)

Dr. Sara Ruto has a diverse background in education, research, civil society leadership, government service, and working in philanthropy, where she currently serves as the Program Lead in Africa for Foundational Learning. She began her career as a language and literature teacher in Kenya, later serving as a lecturer and researcher at Kenyatta University, focusing on school reform and girls’ education.

She founded Uwezo Kenya, a citizen-led initiative assessing children’s literacy and numeracy. She later expanded her role to manage the initiative in East Africa. Under her leadership, large-scale citizen-led assessments for children were conducted across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, covering huge sample sizes that allowed estimates at the district level to be drawn. This allowed citizens to pose the question, ‘Are Our Children Learning’ at sub-national levels. Thereafter, Sara founded the People’s Action for Learning Network, which now spans 17 countries, promoting foundational learning through collaborative, context-driven assessments.

In government, Sara served as Chief Administrative Secretary in Kenya’s Ministry of Education, deepening her understanding of the nuances of policymaking, its implementation, and the interface of politics. In between, Sara tries to write and publish. She also carves out time to support governance and currently chairs the board of Kisii University, a public university in Kenya, and is a member of the boards of Zizi Afrique Foundation and UNESCO’s IIEP. Her achievements have earned national and international recognition: she was awarded the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) in 2019 and named a finalist for the African Education Medal in 2023.