Practical Education Network
Practical Education Network is a Ghana-based non-profit founded in 2014 that trains STEM teachers across West Africa in hands-on, low-cost pedagogy using locally available materials, serving 8,800+ teachers and 2M+ learners in Ghana, Liberia, and Rwanda.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAccra, Ghana
- Headcount11–50
- GTM type—
- OfferingServices
What Practical Education Network does
Practical Education Network (PEN) is a Ghana-based non-profit founded in 2014 by Dr. Heather Beem (MIT PhD in Mechanical Engineering) that delivers hands-on STEM teacher training across West Africa. The organization has trained 8,800+ teachers and reached 2M+ learners through a curriculum-aligned pedagogy that substitutes low-cost, locally available materials for expensive laboratory equipment. Core products include the PEN Teacher Roadmap (a 2-year flagship training program), Hands-On STEM Teacher Training workshops, an Asynchronous Training module delivered via Thinkific, the Exemplar Teacher Programme for advanced practitioners, the GSTEP student challenge prize competition, and NaCCA-approved Hands-On Teacher Resource Manuals (528 activities mapped to the Ghanaian school syllabus with 32 documented local alternative lab sources).
PEN's technology is fundamentally pedagogical rather than digital-native: a content library, training methodology, and human-cascading delivery model supported by a basic LMS, Zoom-based synchronous sessions, and digital content. The organization conducts randomized control trials and publishes peer-reviewed impact research (e.g., 97% greater exam score improvement versus control) to validate outcomes.
Revenue is generated entirely through charitable contributions: institutional grants (Mastercard Foundation, EU/Sweden/UNIDO, ExxonMobil, Someone Else's Child Foundation), corporate sponsorship, government partnership implementation contracts, and a recurring individual donor program (PEN Pals at $20-$165/month plus a $35 one-time teacher training contribution). PEN operates as implementing partner for government education ministries in Ghana and Liberia and serves STEM teachers, Master Trainers, JHS students, government education agencies, and franchise schools.
Practical Education Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Practical Education Network
- Legal name
- Practical Education Network
- Website
- https://practicaleducationnetwork.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Practical Education Network is a Ghana-based non-profit founded in 2014 that trains STEM teachers across West Africa in hands-on, low-cost pedagogy using locally available materials, serving 8,800+ teachers and 2M+ learners in Ghana, Liberia, and Rwanda.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Practical Education Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Teacher-Led Digital Lesson Packages & Instructional Resources (EDAFACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units) (EDAFACAA), Open Lab Manuals & Practical Guides (STEM/CTE) (EDAGAJAG), Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)
Keywords
Where Practical Education Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Accra
- HQ country
- Ghana
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Practical Education Network business model
Business model- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Primary funding from individual monthly donors (PEN Pals program starting at USD 20/month), foundation grants (Mastercard Foundation, Someone Else's Child Foundation, EU/Sweden), corporate sponsors (ExxonMobil), and government partnerships (UNIDO).
- PEN Pals Monthly Donor Program: Recurring monthly donations from individuals: USD 20/month provides one student with hands-on STEM education for a year; USD 50/month provides one class of 40 students; USD 165/month funds an annual teacher fellowship.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Student Sponsorship - USD 20/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Class Sponsorship - USD 50/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Teacher Fellowship - USD 165/month |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | One-time Teacher Training - $35 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Practical Education Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Practical Education Network is a nonprofit that trains basic, junior and senior high school STEM teachers across Africa in hands-on, inquiry-based pedagogy using low-cost, locally available materials. Its offerings include the 2-year PEN Teacher Roadmap flagship program, in-person Hands-On STEM Teacher Training workshops, asynchronous online training, the Exemplar Teacher Programme, the GSTEP student challenge competition, and free NaCCA-approved teacher resource manual distribution. The organization is funded through grants, donations, and government and foundation partnerships rather than tuition or licensing fees.
Product overview
Practical Education Network (PEN) is a non-profit organization that provides a comprehensive teacher training ecosystem focused on hands-on STEM education in Africa. The core offering is the PEN Teacher Roadmap, a 2-year flagship training programme, supplemented by Hands-On STEM Teacher Training workshops, Asynchronous Training via Thinkific, the Exemplar Teacher Programme for advanced training, GSTEP challenge competitions for students, and Free Manual Distribution initiatives. All programmes emphasize using low-cost, locally available materials to enable hands-on science regardless of resource constraints.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PEN Teacher Roadmap A 2-year flagship training programme for STEM teachers that builds their belief and confidence in using local materials, managing learners, applying inquiry-based learning, training peers, modifying and designing hands-on activities, and using project-based learning for real-life engineering problems. Target audience: STEM teachers in basic, junior high and senior high schools in Ghana and Liberia.
- Hands-On STEM Teacher Training Teacher training workshops where STEM trainers learn, design, and share hands-on activities that complement the national curriculum and are created from low-cost and locally available materials. Target audience: STEM teachers at basic, junior high and senior high school levels in Ghana, Liberia and Rwanda.
- Asynchronous Training Online self-paced hands-on science and mathematics course delivered through the Thinkific learning management system, allowing teachers to access training content remotely via videos, PowerPoint modules, and synchronous Zoom sessions. Target audience: STEM teachers unable to attend in-person workshops.
- Exemplar Teacher Programme Advanced training programme for outstanding teachers who have completed PEN's Hands-On Science Teacher program, featuring inquiry-based learning and support for school-based STEM Clubs. Target audience: 10 selected exemplar teachers from schools such as St. Peters Anglican, Weija Presbyterian, Chantan Experimental, Oblogo M/A, Weija M/A 3, Afiaman Presy, Amamorley Methodist, La Salem Presby, Ayawaso Quarry, and Association Community Model.
- GSTEP (Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Challenge Prize) A 3-year challenge programme that excites and supports Junior High School students (ages 11-16) and teachers in Ghana to develop practical STEM skills and products that benefit local communities through innovation challenge prizes, targeting 20,000 JHS students across Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti regions.
- Free Manual Distribution District-wide distribution project that provides free NaCCA-approved science manuals to underserved districts, accompanied by condensed introductory hands-on teaching training. Target audience: teachers and schools in underserved districts across Greater Accra, Volta, Central and other regions of Ghana.
Quantifiable outcome
- 97% greater increase in science exam scores over one academic year (compared to control group)
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Practical Education Network
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Practical Education Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Practical Education Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ghana Education Service (GES)coreGovernment agency under Ministry of Education implementing government policies ensuring quality formal education. Core government partner for PEN's teacher training programs in Ghana.
- Ministry of Education, LiberiacoreGovernment ministry providing quality education and preparing future leaders. PEN works with ministry on national teacher training programs including Leaders in Teaching and UNIDO projects.
- National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA)coreStatutory body improving learning experiences through world-class curriculum. Manuals are approved by NaCCA and cover various subjects in science curriculum.
- National Teaching CouncilcoreAgency of Ministry of Education mandated to promote teacher professionalism in Ghana. Partner in teacher training and professional development.
- Peace CorpsminorUS government agency training and deploying volunteers for international development. Partner in hands-on science education initiatives.
- United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)coreUN specialized agency promoting industrial development. Partner in capacity building for STEM teachers in Liberia to increase TVET enrollment.
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU)minorUN specialized agency for information and communication technologies. Partnership supporting digital aspects of STEM education.
- Ashesi UniversitycoreAfrican university educating ethical, entrepreneurial leaders. CEO Heather Beem teaches engineering at Ashesi. Partnership for online training module development.
- MIT SolvecoreMIT marketplace for social impact connecting startups with funding and resources. Multiple award winner through MIT challenge competitions.
- AIMS RwandaminorEnabling Africa's talented students to become innovators. Partnership supporting STEM education transformation across continent.
- MIT D-LabcoreMIT D-Lab programs under Education, Research, and Innovation Practice pillars. Founder Heather Beem co-founded D-Lab Education class. Scale-Ups Fellowship recipient.
- Ashesi Education CollaborativecoreAshesi-led initiative building network of institutions sharing insights and empowering education stakeholders in Africa. Partnership for online teacher training conversion.
- Ghana Association of Science Teachers (GAST)coreLeading professional society for Ghanaian STEM educators. Partnership for manual distribution and Master Trainer development.
- Trust Law - Thomson Reuters FoundationminorConnects high impact NGOs with legal assistance from major law firms. PEN receives pro-bono legal support.
- Shika-na-MikonominorHands-on science initiative by Peace Corps Volunteers in Tanzania. Knowledge sharing and collaboration on practical science teaching.
- Zonta Club of AccraminorOrganization empowering women and girls. Partnership supporting girls' education and STEM access.
- Reindorf ChambersminorProvider of high standard pro-bono legal expertise for PEN.
- Accounting for International DevelopmentminorSupport provider connecting non-profits with volunteer accountants building financial management capacity.
- Clasen Quality ChocolateminorWorld-class chocolate manufacturer providing corporate sponsorship support.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Practical Education Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Educate!: Non-profit providing practical skills and entrepreneurship training to youth in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana. Directly comparable to PEN as an African EdTech/skills non-profit targeting secondary-school-age learners with practice-based pedagogy, government partnerships, and a similar donor mix.
- Worldreader: Non-profit delivering digital reading and learning content to underserved communities in Africa, Latin America, and India. Comparable to PEN as a digital-content-driven EdTech non-profit operating across multiple African countries with mobile/online distribution and donor funding.
- Camfed (Campaign for Female Education): Africa-focused education non-profit supporting girls' secondary education and transitions to work in Ghana, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and other countries. Comparable in mission (improving learning outcomes in African secondary schooling) and in relying on Mastercard Foundation and similar institutional funders.
Emerging players
- STEMpower: Non-profit focused on hands-on STEM education in underserved communities, including Africa. Comparable to PEN in promoting practical STEM pedagogy, but with a broader geographic remit and a younger organizational profile.
- African Leadership University (ALU): Pan-African higher education institution with campuses in Mauritius and Rwanda offering practical, project-based learning. Comparable in mission (transforming African education through practice-based learning) and geographic footprint, but at the tertiary rather than K–12 level.
Others
- Ashesi University: Ghanaian liberal arts and engineering university and a Core PEN partner (Heather Beem teaches there; Ashesi Education Collaborative co-develops online training). Adjacent institution rather than competitor — provides academic legitimacy, talent pipeline, and pedagogical co-development.
- MIT D-Lab: MIT's development-focused research and education lab, co-founded by PEN's founder and a long-standing PEN partner via the Scale-Ups Fellowship. Adjacent enabling organization rather than a competitor — provides methodology, network, and credibility backing.
Regional players
- Moringa School: East Africa-based tech skills training provider delivering project-based curricula to youth in Kenya and beyond. Comparable to PEN in its project-based STEM pedagogy and target audience, though focused on software/tech rather than hands-on science.
Broad incumbents
- UNICEF Education (Ghana / West & Central Africa): UN agency running large-scale education programs in Ghana, Liberia, and across West Africa including STEM and teacher training. Comparable to PEN in target geography and beneficiary population, but as a global multilateral with much greater scale and budget.
- BRAC Education Programme: One of the largest non-profit education providers in the developing world with deep presence across sub-Saharan Africa. Competes with PEN for institutional donor funding and government teacher-training contracts, but operates at vastly greater scale and across a much broader curriculum.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Practical Education Network social profiles
Digital presencePractical Education Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Practical Education Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Practical Education Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Practical Education Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Practical Education Network
What does Practical Education Network do?
Practical Education Network is a nonprofit that trains basic, junior and senior high school STEM teachers across Africa in hands-on, inquiry-based pedagogy using low-cost, locally available materials. Its offerings include the 2-year PEN Teacher Roadmap flagship program, in-person Hands-On STEM Teacher Training workshops, asynchronous online training, the Exemplar Teacher Programme, the GSTEP student challenge competition, and free NaCCA-approved teacher resource manual distribution. The organization is funded through grants, donations, and government and foundation partnerships rather than tuition or licensing fees.
Is Practical Education Network a public or private company?
Practical Education Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Practical Education Network founded?
Practical Education Network was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Practical Education Network based?
Practical Education Network is headquartered in Accra, Ghana, in the Africa region.
How does Practical Education Network make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are PEN Pals Monthly Donor Program.
Who are Practical Education Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Educate!, Worldreader and Camfed (Campaign for Female Education). Emerging players are STEMpower and African Leadership University (ALU). Others are Ashesi University and MIT D-Lab. Moringa School is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are UNICEF Education (Ghana / West & Central Africa) and BRAC Education Programme.
Does Practical Education Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Practical Education Network.
What industry is Practical Education Network in?
Practical Education Network's product category is Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFACAL, Teacher-Led Digital Lesson Packages & Instructional Resources, with a secondary code of EDAFACAA, Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.