The government has urged private primary schools in the country to embrace Digital Literacy Programme (DLP) for the sake of pupils who are learning in their respective schools.

Information, Communications and Technology Authority Officer, Paul Rono said private primary schools have no choice but to carry out the DLP project being implemented in public schools.

“The government has put in place mechanisms for easy roll-out of the DLP project in private schools,” said Mr. Rono who is a Director in ICT Authority.
The ICT Authority Director spoke at Kipkewa Primary School in Kuresoi North Constituency, Nakuru County, during the launch of the Digital Literacy Programme which was led by Industrialization Principal Secretary, Mr. Ali Ismail.

“As government we did not factor in the pupils in private schools but it is necessary for them to embrace it for equality and inclusivity,” Mr. Rono added. Mr. Ismail said the DLP project will continue as planned and that the government will be providedall public primary schools in the country with the digital gadgets.

He said the DLP project will transform the education sector in the country and enhance faster transfer of ICT skills and technology in the country.

This year, digital learning started in earnest in various primary schools in the country. In Nyandarua County, ICT Authority Officer, Patrick Mbatia said that the programme which was launched last year has been rolled-out in 176 out of the 346 primary schools in the county.
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We have trained class one and two teachers but will train more teachers once all schools have the digital learning devices installed,” Mr. Mbatia said. He noted that about 400 teachers had been trained on Net Support System that will help them control the learners’ devices during class sessions.

The digital content will compliment the current pen-to-paper learning methodology which has been in use over the years.

A sport check at Baari Primary School revealed that parents seeking admission to class one were being turned away, with the management hesitant to take in more pupils against the limited learning digital devices.
“Only 20 devices were delivered for the 25 learners we had enrolled for the class. We cannot take more than that number until more devices are delivered,” noted the school head teacher, Mr. Abel Wanjohi while sending away a parent who sought admission.

About 200 public primary schools across the county are yet to receive the coveted digital learning devices, with learners eagerly waiting to join their counterparts in the digital learning journey.
Kenya like many other countries such as Philippines is committed to promote the acquisition of technical skills at all levels of education and training. This noble investment should be supported by all Kenyans and the country’s development partners.

Any support towards Kenya’s technical education and innovation is welcome because technological change generates jobs through demand for new products and services and higher competitiveness of firms that implement new technologies.

By Joseph Kipkoech, February 2, 2017