Improving access to inclusive education through sustainable infrastructure
SKAT is deeply commitment to combining technical excellence with local collaboration to create lasting impact in education infrastructure.
Since June 2017, SKAT has been supporting the Pestalozzi Children’s Foundation (PCF) in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Mozambique in their efforts to improve access to equitable, inclusive, and quality primary education – particularly in rural and underserved areas.
A key component of this collaboration lies in improving school infrastructure. SKAT provides technical expertise to help create safe and motivating learning environments for students and teachers. This includes planning, construction, rehabilitation, and upgrading of school facilities, as well as essential WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) infrastructure. The mandate also includes the development and contribution to key technical documents, such as maintenance manuals and the PCF School Construction Overview, to ensure quality standards and long-term sustainability across projects.
As part of this mandate, Daniel Schwitter, SKAT’s Senior Architecture and Settlement specialist, together with the experts from PCF conducts field-based assessments to ensure that interventions respond to real needs on the ground. Within this framework, field visits to Ethiopia to assess primary schools in the Argoba Special District in the Afar region, as well as in the South Omo region, were carried out. The objective was to assess the overall condition of school infrastructure, identify priority needs, and discuss and refine design solutions with local stakeholders.
During interim visits, special attention was given to monitoring construction progress, verifying the quality of materials as per the Bills of Quantities (BoQs), and identifying any shortcomings to ensure timely corrective action. These assessments formed the basis for jointly defining appropriate and context-specific measures together with local stakeholders.
In 2023, a further field mission was conducted in Mozambique to assess nine schools affected by cyclones, with a particular focus on their structural condition and access to WASH facilities. The assessments revealed that roof structures were especially impacted by the cyclone damage, highlighting the urgent need for targeted rehabilitation measures.
In addition to its work in East and Southern Africa, SKAT is currently supporting PCF with the reconstruction of schools in Myanmar that were severely damaged during the 2025 earthquake. As part of this initiative, Daniel Schwitter, in collaboration with the PCF team, engaged directly with the local community and stakeholders on-site to align on priorities and lay the foundation for a resilient and community-driven rebuilding process.
Together, these projects highlight SKAT’s commitment to combining technical excellence with local collaboration to create lasting impact in education infrastructure.