Oshwal Education & Relief Board, serving more than 3,000 students in Kenya, faced a critical challenge when COVID-19 forced schools to close, requiring rapid solutions to continue providing quality education.
Swiftly adapting to a global crisis, Oshwal Education & Relief Board upgraded to Microsoft 365 A3 and implemented Microsoft Teams with the help of Cloud Productivity Solutions, enabling rapid deployment of remote learning across all campuses within a week.
With Microsoft 365 A3, Oshwal Education & Relief Board transformed its educational approach, achieving a 25% increase in student engagement, a 30% increase in efficiency, and saving 15% of costs previously associated with travel between campuses.
Oshwal Education & Relief Board, established in 1941 in Kenya, educates children aged between one and a half and 18. “Wanting to ensure that every child has access to education, every parent within the community decided to donate part of their income. That is how Oshwal Education & Relief Board came into being,” shares Bitashna Pisavadia, Information Communication Technology Manager at Oshwal Education & Relief Board. The school started in Nairobi and expanded to Mombasa, adding boarding facilities for students from other regions. When the first student cohort completed high school, the need for further education led to the creation of Oshwal College. Following the British National Curriculum, with examinations administered by Cambridge and Pearson examining bodies, today, Oshwal Education & Relief Board offers comprehensive education to over 3,000 students across all campuses.
Adapting to a global crisis
In March 2020, the sudden onset of a global pandemic posed unprecedented challenges. Oshwal Education & Relief Board faced a critical decision. “We had a Teams meeting at seven in the morning with all the heads of schools and the senior leadership team to discuss whether we could find a solution or close down the schools until COVID is over,” recalls Pisavadia. With only hours to devise a plan, the pressure was immense.
Immediately after the meeting, Pisavadia reached out to her contacts in the technology industry. Within hours, the team from Cloud Productivity Solutions met with her to brainstorm. “We listed ideas on a whiteboard,” she recalls. “Amid the urgency, we realized we already had Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams; we just needed to upgrade to Microsoft 365 A3 and A5 to be up and running.” The school briefly considered other technology providers but ultimately decided to go with Microsoft because of the team’s quick response. “We also needed a trusted brand, and I knew we couldn’t go wrong with Microsoft,” Pisavadia adds. “Microsoft also stood out because of features like Teams calls, built-in child protection settings, and the ability to block chats or control behavior in class.” The following day, all the teachers gathered in the academy’s theater. The Cloud Productivity Solutions team conducted a demo, and the IT staff began installing Teams for everyone. That evening, the academy procured laptops for every staff member. By Wednesday, Oshwal Education & Relief Board had created all the classes and Teams channels. On Friday, both Nairobi and Mombasa campuses were up and running on Microsoft 365 A3, the licenses for which Microsoft provided free of charge in the first three months.
Getting the system in place was one thing but getting all the users on board was another. To support teachers and students, the academy developed internal manuals and short instructional videos. “Whenever there was a question, like how to do online exams from home, we would create a manual for it,” explains Pisavadia. Oshwal also sent notes to parents on how to attend online assemblies and classes.
Despite initial pressure, the collaborative effort paid off. “There was a moment where I thought we couldn’t train more than 500 teachers so quickly. Even some of our technicians needed training. But with the support of the entire leadership team, the school board, the teachers and our partner, Cloud Productivity Solutions, we were ready to embrace our new solutions,” Pisavadia reflects.
Embracing technology in a classroom
Before the pandemic, technology was considered an add-on at Oshwal Education & Relief Board. “We were using Microsoft 365 for emails only,” recalls Pisavadia. SharePoint was barely utilized, and traditional teaching methods prevailed.
However, the sudden shift to remote learning ushered in a complete transformation. Teachers started conducting lessons in Teams, recording their sessions so that students could revisit them as needed. “Even physical education (PE) teachers managed to teach and organize exercises remotely, and we were thrilled that we were able to keep them employed,” recalls Pisavadia.
During the pandemic, the school even maintained a sense of community through virtual activities like online assemblies and shared breakfasts. “We tried to make sure that the kids didn’t feel too far away from school,” she adds.
School teachers also started using Teams to organize and distribute educational resources. Before, material was scattered across platforms, leading to delays and a lack of communication. “With Teams channels, different teachers on the same subject now share one set of slides across six different classes, ensuring consistency in instruction,” adds Pisavadia.
Next, the school started leveraging the Teams features for handing out assignments and tracking progress. Educators can now track which students have submitted their work and who are still trying to catch up. These insights help tailor educational strategies to better meet students’ needs. Teams calendar functionality also helps in organizing class schedules for both students and teachers, ensuring that everyone stays informed and coordinated.
These streamlined workflows have eased the burden on the teachers. “Before, we would manage everything in simple spreadsheets. With assignment, calendar, and reporting features in Microsoft 365 A3, tasks like tracking student progress and scheduling have become 30% more efficient.” This enhanced visibility and efficiency has also improved academic outcomes. “For example, homework and assignments are now getting done on time, which is crucial. ”Students embraced the new technology quickly. “Today, all of the 3,000 students have a Microsoft 365 account. We’ve seen a 25% increase in student engagement and satisfaction, as evidenced by improved attendance and positive feedback from both students and parents,” shares Pisavadia. Younger students adapted with parental support, while teenagers integrated Teams into their daily routines, even installing Teams on their phones and accessing school resources more conveniently. Parents observed the positive impact firsthand. “They would see their kids online, and the kids were saying that it’s working. Then there were exercises—parents could watch recordings of their kids playing football at home,” says Pisavadia.
Today, all of the 3,000 students have a Microsoft 365 account. We’ve seen a 25% increase in student engagement and satisfaction, as evidenced by improved attendance and positive feedback from both students and parents.
Bitashna Pisavadia: Information Communication Technology Manager
Oshwal Education & Relief Board
The technology also reduced the need for travel between campuses, saving the academy approximately 15% of the costs previously spent on physical resources. “We also barely use paper anymore, because everything is on Teams,” explains Pisavadia.
Even after movement restrictions have been completely lifted, the school continues to use hybrid learning for assignments, performance tracking, and coordination across institutions. Students still receive resources and hand in assignments via Teams. “The pandemic taught us that every cloud has a silver lining. Over the past three years, our staff showcased remarkable resilience and innovation, seamlessly navigating between physical and online learning,” shares Jyotsna Chotai, Academic Consultant at Oshwal Education & Relief Board. “Today, we emerge stronger, more adaptable, and ready to embrace the evolving landscape of technology with confidence and inspiration.”
Technology has become the lifeblood of the school. “It feels like they can’t function without Microsoft Teams—it’s become essential, like their bread and butter,” shares Pisavadia. “Teachers also say they could not come to school or do their work without a laptop or desktop. They’re all IT-literate and many of them even impress their new colleagues when they move to other schools.” The curriculum has also expanded to include more technology-focused subjects. “Every kid is taking computer science now, and this is largely because of the support from Microsoft,” notes Pisavadia.
Building on success
Looking ahead, Oshwal Education & Relief Board aims to further integrate technology into its operations. “We would like to implement Microsoft Teams Rooms,” says Pisavadia. “We have many boardrooms and sports facilities, and Microsoft Teams Rooms could help ensure that other schools or institutions could see the availability of these facilities.”
Reflecting on what made Oshwal’s journey successful, Pisavadia attributes it to a strong collaboration. “The support from Microsoft and Cloud Productivity Solutions was outstanding and swift,” she recalls. “I am very proud of what we achieved. Students are excelling in exams, and even making it into the newspapers. We’ve become world-class in IT. I’m thankful for our team and partners for helping us find solutions quickly. And as far as raising the technological bar, Microsoft is a brand you can’t go wrong with. I’m a Microsoft person, and this transformation made the transition smoother.”
Students are excelling in exams, and even making it into the newspapers. We’ve become world-class in IT.
Bitashna Pisavadia: Information Communication Technology Manager
Oshwal Education & Relief Board
