Over 60,000 teachers trained in readiness for digital learning in primary schools

Pupils try their hands at laptops. Over 60,000 teachers have so far been trained in the government’s ambitious plan to roll out digital learning in primary schools. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The Ministry has already disbursed Sh1.27 million to all primary schools as a start-up kitty for the refurbishment of storage rooms for the devices.
  • At the same time, 19,000 schools have been connected to electricity by the Rural Electrification Authority.
  • The digital learning programme will promote industrial growth through local assembling and manufacturing of ICT accessories

Over 60,000 teachers have so far been trained in the government’s ambitious plan to roll out digital learning in primary schools.

At the same time, 19,000 schools have been connected to electricity by the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) and 605 others connected to solar power, said John Temba, the head of ICT in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

“As of May, 2015, 62,500 teachers have been trained in ICT integration in schools,” said Mr Temba.

He was speaking at a headteachers’ conference that ended at Sheikh Zayed Children’s Centre in Mombasa on Friday.

He noted that digital content had also been developed and was ready for uploading to digital devices.

Mr Temba said the Ministry had already disbursed Sh1.27 million to all primary schools as a start-up fund to refurbish storage rooms for the devices.

He said the digital learning programme will promote industrial growth through local assembling and manufacturing of ICT accessories besides increasing access to education and motivating learners in school.

“Digital learning will improve the quality of education for Kenya’s global competitiveness and create job skills crucial for the local and international markets,” added Mr Temba.

He added that the communities around schools will also benefit from electricity connections as well as jobs owing to software and hardware maintenance requirements.

Over 7,000 teachers attended the week-long conference, whose theme was "Digital Integration in Education".