The ICT Authority CEO, Dr. Katherine Getao, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Moi University for the implementation of Digital Literacy Programme Phase II.
The objective of the Programme is to impart learners with the required skills and knowledge to competitively participate in a knowledge-based economy. These skills include critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, and innovation.
The Government of Kenya (GoK) has undertaken integration of ICT in teaching and learning across the education system. This Programme is targeting 24,000 public primary schools spread across the country.
The Government has completed Phase I of the Programme covering 21,638 schools. 1,167,245 devices have been installed with digital content for grade 1-3, with over 218,000 trained teachers. Over 22,000 schools have also been connected to electricity. The implementation of DLP I, (2016 – 2019), provided digital devices with preinstalled digital interactive content for lower primary, grades 1 to 3.
The DLP phase II (2019-2023) is geared to provide advanced learner digital devices for upper primary (grades 4 to 6) in line with Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) roll out in middle school. The Special Needs Education Learner Digital Device will also be supplied and installed in the special needs’ schools in the three years’ contract.
In her remarks, the CEO asked academia to partner with ICT Authority to integrate research and development (R&D) when addressing the challenges faced in phase I.
“Let us learn from the challenges of the first phase to improve the second phase. Our aim is for the government to support learning for children who are currently at home because of covid19. Our hope is that every child gets a device,” said Dr. Getao.
On her part, the JKUAT Vice-Chancellor Prof. Victoria Ngumi lauded the partnership between her university and ICT Authority. “The government to government procurement has plentiful benefits. JKUAT is ready to support the e-Learning for the Kenyan child,” she said.
On his part the Moi University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Kosgey, thanked the ICT Authority for the continued partnership. “Moi University is already leading the way in digitizing learning and there is need for the academia to pool expertise in research and development. I also request the ICT Authority CEO to host a conference on the same.”
Dr. Getao welcomed the idea saying that, when universities join hands, they pool expertise to design a home-grown device that is suitable and affordable for the Kenyan child.
