The education sector in Kenya is about to receive a boost with the launch of a new initiative that will assist teachers and learners access material through ICT.
Dubbed “Badiliko” (“change” in Swahili) digital hubs, the programme aims to change the way over 100,000 students across Kenya access learning. The programme will also aid over 20,000 teachers. Training of teachers has begun across the country on how to use the digital hubs.
Across Africa, a total of 127 digital hubs will be launched bringing the technology to over half a million teachers and learners.
Concurrently with the Kenyan launch, the British Council has digital hubs in Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Ghana and Nigeria.
Airtel has also joined in the project by providing internet connectivity to the hubs for the next three years.
“This latest partnership initiative with Bharti Airtel demonstrates our commitment to improving access to high-quality teaching and learning in Africa,” Tony Reilly, Country Director of British Council said.
“Our digital ambassadors are now implementing ICT and innovation teaching practice in classrooms across the continent,” Reilly added.
British Council over the last three years, has been involved in a programme called, Connecting Classrooms where over 300 schools have benefited from the programme. Some of the resource for this programme are available online.
Such initiatives add the momentum on the current governments plan to digitize school learning in Kenya. But with these developments, it seems that there is duplication of effort with lack of one streamline programme that would incorporate the private sector and the government.
The Kenyan government in 4 months time will be rolling out the laptop use in primary school. There has been little on a way forward in terms of the digital material that will be used in all of these elearning efforts. Could this be another unresolved huddle waiting for the school laptop projects?