Concern as computers lie idle in public schools
A pupil types on a laptop in school. The government is concerned over the lack of use of computers donated to public primary schools. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- ICT Authority chief executive says 22,000 primary schools received computers.
- She said the Information and Education ministries have trained teachers on how to use the computers as teaching aids and that there is no justification why the fail to use them.
- She called on parents to demand teachers teach their children how to use the devices.
The government is concerned over the lack of use of computers donated to public primary schools.
ICT Authority chief executive officer, Dr Katherine Getao said 22,000 primary schools received computers which have not been put into use.
She called on parents to demand teachers teach their children how to use the devices.
“We are calling upon the parents to visit the schools and demand that their children are trained and taught using the computers. They should push the teachers, the government has heavily invested in computer labs to assist the learners to embrace the technology and move with the digital world,” said Ms Getao.
She said the Information and Education ministries have trained teachers on how to use the computers as teaching aids and that there is no justification why the fail to use them.
AJIRA
Ms Getao was speaking during the launch of Ajira Digital Programme in Nyandarua County.
The programme targets to employ 10,000 youths in the county in the next five years.
Some 128 beneficiaries were commissioned and issued with certificates after completion of the Ajira Digital Course.
The trainees are expected to offer mentorship to youth in the region.
During the event at the county headquarters in Ol Kalou, Governor Francis Kimemia said implementation of the programme is hindered by poor network connectivity and internet fluctuations as well as low electricity connection in Nyandarua.
Other challenges he cited include dropout of trainees due to long distances to the few training centres, lack of facilitation, low budget allocation for trainers’ pay, supervision and mentorship.
But the governor urged the youth to cultivate honesty and trust in order to attract more jobs.
“Online digital platform has created job opportunities for thousands of young people. You must protect the integrity of our country when doing the jobs so that the employers can give us more jobs, we need to build the trust,” said Mr Kimemia.
DIGITAL LEARNING
In 2016, the government rolled out the one laptop per child Digital Learning Programme which was meant, ostensibly, to entrench ICT in teaching and learning in primary schools.
A Ministry of Education report in December 2018 returned a shocking verdict on the multibillion-shilling project as it found that national implementation stands at a paltry five percent.
