Private education investor AdvTech has increased its presence in East Africa with the acquisition of Regis Runda Academy in Kenya.
The group has expanded its Makini Schools offering in Nairobi, by acquiring Regis Runda Academy for KSh1.23bn, or about R172m, it said in a statement on Thursday.
Situated in the fast-developing Runda area, northeast of Nairobi, the school, with a capacity of 2,000 students, it will be rebranded as Makini Schools Runda.
AdvTech has committed to investing in AI-powered digital learning tools and significant enhancements to sporting facilities at the Regis site.
In June, the group introduced a new executive role to oversee the company’s operations as it expands its international footprint.
The company, which operates Rosebank College, Varsity College and Trinityhouse schools, appointed John Sikiotis as group COO, a role that was established to support the company’s growth plans.
The group has invested significant capital to expand its international footprint in the past year, purchasing Flipper International School in Addis Ababa for $7.5m in November 2024, adding five schools and more than 3,000 students to its portfolio.
Earlier this year, the company also increased the capacity of its Gaborone International School in Botswana to 3,300 students and laid out plans to expand Nairobi’s Crawford International School in response to “continued strong demand”.
AdvTech now operates in SA, Kenya, Botswana and Ethiopia through its Crawford International brand, Gaborone International School and Makini Schools, as well as Flipper.
Commenting on the acquisition of Regis Runda Academy, AdvTech CEO Geoff Whyte said: “We are delighted to increase our Makini Schools footprint in Kenya and to bring the brand’s compelling proposition to parents and students in one of the fastest developing regions of Nairobi.”
With Jacob Webster
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