The government is expanding internet connectivity across the country to support digital learning, with 332 public junior schools in Kisii County set to benefit from interactive smart boards and laptops.
Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke said the government was investing in digital infrastructure to bridge the digital divide and prepare learners for a technology-driven economy.
“Our goal is to ensure that learners acquire digital skills from an early age. By introducing technology into classrooms, we are giving them the tools to access knowledge, conduct research and compete in the global economy,” Isaboke said.
The government’s Digital Superhighway programme targets the installation of 100,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable and the establishment of 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots across the country.
Isaboke said nearly 50,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure had been installed through partnerships with private telecommunications operators and other agencies.
“Reliable internet connectivity is essential for digital learning. We must ensure that schools, including those in underserved areas, have access to the infrastructure needed to make technology-based education effective,” he said.
He spoke during the handover of digital learning devices at Kisii Comprehensive School in Kisii town under Phase II of the National Classroom Experience of the Digital Literacy Programme.
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the World Bank through the Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Project (KDEAP) and the Ministries of Education and Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.
Kisii Comprehensive School principal James Mitunda said the devices would make lessons more interactive and help learners understand difficult concepts.
“Digital learning gives our learners an opportunity to interact with educational content rather than relying entirely on traditional classroom methods. This can improve their understanding and retention,” Mitunda said.
He said the school’s junior section had 847 learners and appealed to the government to supply more devices to meet their needs.
“We appreciate the support, but the number of learners is large. We need additional devices to ensure that every learner gets an opportunity to benefit from digital learning,” he said.
Mitunda added that although the school had electricity and internet connectivity, it needed a standby generator to prevent power outages from disrupting lessons.
Learners also welcomed an interactive digital lesson conducted with schools in Nyamira, Siaya, Bungoma, Vihiga and Busia counties.
Jacob Desmond, a learner at the school, said the technology had improved their ability to research and explore subjects.
“The digital lessons make learning more interesting and help us find information more easily. I believe these skills will prepare us for the future. I hope to become a software engineer,” he said.
Whitney Florence, another learner, described the experience as enjoyable and called for more devices in public schools.
“We enjoy learning through the smart boards because the lessons are interactive. I appeal to the government to provide more devices so that many more learners can experience this kind of learning,” she said.
The government has so far equipped 10,382 schools with digital learning devices, representing nearly half of all public junior schools. It has also trained more than 64,000 teachers to support the programme.
