ABOUT US

ABOUT US

Learning poverty affects almost 250 million children around the word, stifling their life chances. It is estimated that up to 80% of children in low-income countries remain unable to read and understand a simple text by the age of ten. We empower and upskill teachers so that more children will learn better.

OUR pURPOSE

Learning poverty affects almost 250 million children around the world, stifling their life chances. It is estimated that up to 80% of children in low-income countries remain unable to read and understand a simple text by the age of ten. Find out how we empower and upskill teachers so that more children will learn better.

OUR Values

EQUALITY
SUSTAINABILITY
INCLUSIVITY
PEDAGOGY AS THE DRIVER
TECHNOLOGY AS AN ENABLER
PARTNERSHIPS TO BUILD CAPACITY

OUR HISTORY

Formerly known as the Commonwealth Institute, we are a well-established, leading charity that champions education across the Commonwealth. Today, our digital platforms reach teachers in underserved, often rural communities around the world; providing them with much needed, bite-size professional development courses. Click below to read more about our story.

First formed by royal charter in 1887, the Imperial Institute promoted closer links between the countries of the British Empire. It aimed to develop commercial and industrial resources and advance the commercial and industrial education of its people. It hoped to unite the citizens of the Empire.

In 1958, the Imperial Institute became the Commonwealth Institute, fostering greater awareness and understanding of the Commonwealth and its countries through exhibitions, educational and cultural activities.

The Commonwealth Education Trust was established as the successor trust to the Commonwealth Institute, with the exclusive purpose of advancing education in the Commonwealth.  

Over our first ten years, we invested in long-term educational projects that encouraged innovation in education, and sharing of experience and best practice across the Commonwealth.  We funded The Centre for Commonwealth Education, a ten-year collaboration with the University of Cambridge that built sustainable capacity and developed good practices in school leadership, pedagogical expertise, and initial and continuing teacher education. 

Our innovation continued as an early Coursera partner, where we published our MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), which provided much needed teaching materials to tackle global teacher shortages.

In alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, we launched our Teach2030 programme for teachers in underserved communities. 

Our innovative EdTech platform and courses combine meaningful technology with local support structures, helping teachers to develop their day-to-day foundational skills and digital competencies. This ultimately improves the learning outcomes of the children they teach.

OUR PEOPLE

We are proud to be part of the Commonwealth network of 54 member countries. We receive guidance on issues related to the Commonwealth through our three rotating Commonwealth Council Advisory Trustees. Alongside our highly experienced educational technology team, we are governed by our Trustee Board who are leaders in education, business, and philanthropy. We could not do our work without the significant financial and advisory support of our Founders Circle and extensive educational network.

OUR FINANCES

As a UK-based charitable organisation with global reach, we are transparent and accountable to our donors and programme partners. Our most recent annual reports and independently audited financial statements are available here:

Board of Trustees

Jeff is the Head of Sustainability and a Partner at Slaughter and May, specialised in sustainability and corporate transactions. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Heartlands Academy in Haringey. He was, until 2020, co-chair of UK Stakeholders for Sustainable Development.
Jeff Twentyman
Chairman
Mark has worked as an adviser to private equity groups and investors for over 30 years. Mark founded merchant banking group Maizels Westerberg in 1992. He was Managing Director of Doughty Hanson, Chair of LM Glasfiber and started the African venture capital firm 8 Miles with Bob Geldof. Mark co-founded the think tanks The Centre for Social Justice and B Labs (UK). In March 2015, he was appointed to the board of the BBC. Mark was a member of the Prime Ministers G8 Social Impact Investment Task Force in 2014–2015. Mark currently serves as the Chairman & CEO of Time Partners, where he oversees all aspects of the business, leveraging his deep relationships with fund managers, thought leaders and private market experts across the world.
Mark Florman
Trustee
Andrew is a retired banker, who is now involved in several roles in education and support for disadvantaged children. He is also a trustee of Outward Bound, the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, and (until 2020) the Melanesian Mission. He is a governor of two academy schools in Hackney which are part of the Mossbourne Federation, and is chairman of its finance committee.
Andrew Cartwright
Trustee
Matthew is co-founder and MD of Whitebeam Strategy, a boutique corporate advisory firm specialising in the education, technology and financial services sectors. He advises clients on strategy, technology (especially data and analytics), mergers and acquisitions. He began his career as a strategy and technology analyst and has also worked as a teacher of English.
Matthew Dixon
Trustee

The Commonwealth Council Advisory Trustees

Under the Trust Deed the countries of the Commonwealth are members of the Commonwealth Education Trust’s Commonwealth Council.
We have three Advisory Trustees who rotate and advise the Trustee Board on matters relating to the Commonwealth. 
HE Mr Joseph Cole
His Excellency the High Commissioner to London for Malta
Philip Parham
The United Kingdom Commonwealth Envoy
 HE Yamina Karitanyi
Her Excellency the High Commissioner to London for Rwanda
 

Advisory Board

The Commonwealth Education Trust Advisory Committee is composed of a group of professional individuals, whose purpose is to endorse the Trust’s mission and offer their experience and expertise to the Board of Trustees. The Committee members are professionals who share our passion for quality education in the most underserved areas of the world along with an understanding and willingness to help us with our mission to reduce learning poverty through the investment of teachers.

Nabeel assists and represents the Commonwealth Secretary-General and provides leadership in the areas of strategy, governance, partnerships, portfolio, evaluation, technology, innovation and digitalisation. He previously worked with the ILO/UN, World Bank, UNDP, USAID and the Government of Pakistan. A specialist in strategy and systemic transformation of institutions and organisations, he owns a PhD from Cambridge Judge Business School and serves on the Governing Board of Royal Overseas League, the Advisory Boards of International School for Government, King’s College London, and the London Institute for Banking and Finance.
Nabeel Goheer
Assistant Secretary General - Commonwealth Secretariat
Vongai Nyahunzvi is a leadership and organisational development consultant and the Head of Region for Africa at Teach For All, a global network set to "expand educational opportunity around the world by increasing and accelerating the impact of social enterprises”. As a consultant, Vongai supported the development of senior leaders from both the public and private sectors globally across 4 continents and over 32 countries. She also regularly facilitates United Nations Country Teams retreats (UNCTs) on visioning, strategic planning, and leadership development.
Head of Africa - Teach For All
Vongai Nyahunzvi
Kingsley Pungong, is a US based entrepreneur and executive who serves as CEO of Rainbow Sports Global and Rainbow World Group. Rainbow Sports is an Africa focused global football platform with interest in multiple geographies and across the football value chain. The group has strategic interest in football team ownership, sports content, marketing, football finance and football data & analytics. Kingsley previously directed Wasserman Media Group’s Africa strategy and has advised Governments, leagues, sportswear manufacturers, and professional football clubs in the UK, Europe, North America, and Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Honours and is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania (USA).
Kingsley Pungong
Founder & CEO - Rainbow Sports Global
Nabeel assists and represents the Commonwealth Secretary-General and provides leadership in the areas of strategy, governance, partnerships, portfolio, evaluation, technology, innovation and digitalisation; he also serves as Secretary to the Commonwealth Governing Boards. He previously worked with the ILO/UN, World Bank, UNDP, USAID and the Government of Pakistan. A specialist in strategy and systemic transformation of institutions and organisations, he owns a PhD from Cambridge Judge Business School and serves on the Governing Board of Royal Overseas League, and the Advisory Boards of International School for Government, King’s College London, and the London Institute for Banking and Finance. Nabeel is a Distinguished Fellow with the Hull University Business School and delivers leadership training at United Nations System Staff College.
Nabeel Goheer
Assistant Secretary General - Commonwealth Secretariat
Vongai Nyahunzvi is a leadership and organisational development consultant and the Head of Region for Africa at Teach For All, a global network set to "expand educational opportunity around the world by increasing and accelerating the impact of social enterprises”. As a consultant, Vongai supported the development of senior leaders from both the public and private sectors globally across 4 continents and over 32 countries. She also regularly facilitates United Nations Country Teams retreats (UNCTs) on visioning, strategic planning, and leadership development. As an author, she has written books and articles on leadership development and she is the founder of the Global Leadership Awards, launched in the UK in 2016. She prides herself in being a mother of three.
Vongai Nyahunzvi
Head of Africa - Teach For All
Kingsley Pungong, is a US based entrepreneur and executive who serves as CEO of Rainbow Sports Global and Rainbow World Group. Rainbow Sports is an Africa focused global football platform with interest in multiple geographies and across the football value chain. The group has strategic interest in football team ownership, sports content, marketing, football finance and football data & analytics. Kingsley previously directed Wasserman Media Group’s Africa strategy and has advised Governments, leagues, sportswear manufacturers, and professional football clubs in the UK, Europe, North America, and Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Honours and is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania (USA).
Kingsley Pungong
Founder & CEO - Rainbow Sports Global
Dr Shenila Rawal is an experienced applied economist specialising in education, labour markets and issues of gender and poverty. Her research has involved applying quantitative evaluation methods to analyse large-scale data sets and designing and implementing the collection of primary data as well as RCTs in education. She has extensive experience in leading and conducting evaluations and research projects for a range of donor organisations including multilateral organisations, government aid agencies, foundations, civil society groups, private education providers and other organisations including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the World Bank.
Dr Shenila Rawal
Managing Partner - Oxford Partnership for Education Research and Analysis
Sarah is a recognized leader in the strategic development and ongoing quality improvement of the Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications (PDQs), the core training currently offered in major universities, schools and training centres around the world. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of East Anglia, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Cambridge and is completing a Master’s in Educational Leadership at the Institute of Education in London.
Sarah Turner
Head of Professional Development Programmes - Cambridge Assessment International Education
Dr Shenila Rawal is an experienced applied economist specialising in education, labour markets and issues of gender and poverty. Her research has involved applying quantitative evaluation methods to analyse large-scale data sets and designing and implementing the collection of primary data as well as RCTs in education. She has extensive experience in leading and conducting evaluations and research projects for a range of donor organisations including multilateral organisations, government aid agencies, foundations, civil society groups, private education providers and other organisations including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the World Bank. Shenila has authored several papers and has lectured on a variety of topics at master’s level in the field of Economics of Education.
Dr Shenila Rawal
Managing Partner - Oxford Partnership for Education Research and Analysis
Sarah is a recognized leader in the strategic development and ongoing quality improvement of the Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications (PDQs), the core training currently offered in major universities, schools and training centres around the world. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of East Anglia, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Cambridge and is completing a Master’s in Educational Leadership at the Institute of Education in London.
Sarah Turner
Head of Professional Development Programmes - Cambridge Assessment International Education

Our Team

Betty has had a varied career working for several nonprofit organisations in events, project management, fundraising and business development. Originally from Cameroon, she enjoys engaging philanthropists, private investors and entrepreneurs with a common interest in improving the lives of others.
Betty Abeng
CEO
Gill joined the Trust after a twenty-year career with a multi-national FTSE 100 company. She is an experienced company secretary and a trustee and treasurer of Scallywags Parent Partnership Nursery.
Gillian Young
Trust Secretary
Alex is an education, teaching, assessment and learning specialist. She was integral in developing the Teach 2030 community and communicating effectively with our learners. She now focuses on building partnerships and education content.
Alexandra Starr
Lead Education and Partnership Consultant
Adam is a proactive and talented marketeer who leads our marketing efforts which includes strategy development, email marketing, CRM and paid social activity to help bring onboard new partners and new teachers.
Adam Barton
Marketing Lead
Louise is a passionate, experienced teacher with developed understanding of curriculum across the disciplines of English and Media Studies. As our Education and Community Engagement Consultant, she ensures we are reaching out to and upskilling our teaching community as effectively as possible.
Louise victoria
Education and Community Engagement Consultant
Priya is a former secondary school educator and leader in education. Priya is passionate about supporting the lives of children and teachers and believes that this is the root of real change globally. Priya’s expertise lies in delivering professional development programmes, online content production for teachers, schools, and children.
Priya Kara
Education Sustainability Consultant
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