British taxpayers’ funds were directed to private schools in Africa amid domestic controversies over new education taxes, according to disclosed investment details. The government-owned development finance institution British International Investment (BII) allocated £18 million in December 2024 to Enko Education, a for-profit network of fee-paying schools across several African countries.

The investment supported Enko’s expansion strategy across the continent, with schools operating in countries including Ivory Coast and Mozambique and providing tuition that can reach up to £6,000 per year. Enko's curriculum focuses on the International Baccalaureate and incorporates academic subjects alongside extracurricular activities such as debating, robotics, coding, and entrepreneurship. The schools promote pathways to prestigious universities like Cambridge and Yale.

BII, fully owned by the Foreign Office, reported that it has not made active investments in private schools since 2022. However, it stated it could not halt the flow of funds to Enko because the capital had been allocated before the organization's policy shifted away from such investments.

The timing of the investment coincided with the introduction of a value-added tax (VAT) on private school fees by the Labour government in the UK. Critics argue this tax has contributed to the closure of over 100 private schools domestically and increased financial pressures on British families seeking private education.

Opposition figures have voiced strong concerns about the use of British development aid in this manner. Laura Trott, shadow education secretary, described the situation as “utterly absurd,” highlighting the contradiction between government support for international private schools and the domestic taxation burden on education. “This is what you get from a Government with no leadership and a terrible record on education,” she said.

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice condemned the Foreign Office for funding “wealthy African private schools” while UK private schools face financial strain due to tax policies. He asserted that the tax measures led to widespread school closures, job losses, and disruption of children’s education in Britain, emphasizing the principle that “charity begins at home.”

The government has not issued a detailed response to these criticisms. Meanwhile, the situation underscores tensions between international development expenditure priorities and domestic policy challenges in the education sector.