Kenyan Primary Schools to Benefit from Digital Learning

By Atieno Mboya

Photo courtesy; The News Reel Library

Approximately 22 000 primary schools are connected to power supply countrywide, as a measure to enhance digital learning at a primary level. This is a move to replace the government’s laptop project, according to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).

The Digital Literacy Programme (DLP), as opposed to the laptop project, is a programme aimed at instilling entrepreneurship and ICT skills to pupils at a young age, to facilitate independence and self-help at their early stages of life.

According to Mr. Aggrey Oduor, a curriculum developer at KICD, the current 8-4-4 system of education does not satisfy the market needs, and brews children ready for white collar jobs, rather than self-employment.

“The current system is misplaced. We need an education system that is market driven, that produces what the society needs, rather than having a system just because it has been there,” said Mr. Aggrey, during a recent  visit at the KICD offices.

“Our main aim is to expose pupils at an early age. If we have ICT and complement it with good internet and entrepreneurship, Kenya will be a totally different country in the next 20 years,” he added.

Photo Courtesy; The News Reel library

According to Mr. Aggrey, DLP will enable pupils to have their subjects online, just by accessing a link through any smart-tech device, and also enhance real-time interactivity just as in a normal class.

“DLP is easily accessible. In fact, as opposed to the laptop project where content was only in the school laptops, in DLP, content can be accessed anywhere, provided the pupils have a smart device. Whether at home or from their parents’ smartphones, they’ll be able to interact with content online,” he added.

Safaricom Kenya is set to be the Internet Service Provider for primary schools, to allow them to access content uninterruptedly, with good internet connectivity.

Other multiplier effects of DLP include lighting business centers and improving water supply in surrounding villages, through power used for pumping water.

The Students’ Governing Council; The truth meter.

By Atieno Mboya

Photo Courtesy: The News Reel library

How well do you trust the Students' Governing Council?

On a scale of 1-10, how well do you trust the Moi University Students’ Organization (MUSO)? How well do you trust them to objectively present your views as a comrade to the school administration?

A staggering 87.5 per cent of students in session in Moi University main campus, do not bear faith in the Students’ Governing Council to objectively, effectively and responsibly air their grievances to the school administration.

62.5 per cent of students on the other hand classify MUSO’s performance over the last three months as below average, with 38 per cent expecting the situation in school to be worse than it is now, were the current SGC to go for a second term, according to a recent preliminary study done on students from main campus.

75 per cent of students also expressed they would have a re-adjustment of the MUSO team if given a chance, with 50 per cent of these claiming to vote in leaders based on their achievements and successes so far.

Chart showing students' opinions on MUSO's performance

According to the study, students expressed the discontentment with the current council, claiming corruption and embezzlement of funds being a key issue.

Accountability was cited as a major issue, with some students claiming the members of the governing council being too careful to dodge exposes of their ghost projects in the school.

The preliminary study that focused on students from Hostel K, L, M and D houses, also revealed the dilapidated states of the hostels, with some rooms missing doors while others beds. Other rooms had free bed spaces, despite the over 200 students who still missed rooms, and had paid for the hostel and accommodation fee.