He spoke at Siginon Global Logistics, Mombasa. The tablets are being manufactured in China in partnership with Portugal and Brazil, Itemere said. They will cost Sh28 billion.
More Details
the Kenyan government launched an ambitious initiative to equip all public primary schools with tablets by June 2017. This effort was part of the Digital Literacy Programme (DLP), aimed at enhancing ICT skills among young learners and integrating technology into the education system.
Key Details of the Initiative
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Launch and Rollout: The DLP was officially launched in 2016, with a pilot phase involving 150 schools. By June 2016, the government had distributed 600,000 tablets, with plans to supply the remaining 600,000 by mid-2017.
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Scope and Distribution: By the end of 2017, over 1.2 million devices were distributed to more than 19,000 public primary schools across Kenya . These devices were pre-loaded with digital content in subjects like Mathematics, English, Science, and Kiswahili.
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Assembly and Support: The tablets were assembled locally at institutions such as Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), which had the capacity to assemble approximately 1,000 units daily.
Challenges Encountered
Despite the ambitious rollout, the program faced several challenges:
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Device Losses: An audit revealed that approximately 242,000 tablets were missing or unaccounted for, possibly due to theft, damage, or mismanagement.
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Infrastructure Limitations: Many schools lacked the necessary infrastructure, such as reliable electricity and internet connectivity, to fully utilize the digital devices.
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Curriculum Integration: Aligning the digital content with the national curriculum and training teachers to effectively integrate technology into their teaching methods proved to be ongoing challenges.
Long-Term Impact
While the initial phase of the DLP encountered obstacles, it laid the foundation for future educational technology initiatives in Kenya.
The program highlighted the importance of infrastructure development, teacher training, and curriculum adaptation in successfully integrating technology into education.
Subsequent efforts have focused on addressing these challenges to enhance the effectiveness of digital learning in Kenyan schools.
