The Principal Secretary for University Education and Research, Amb. Simon Nabukwesi has launched the school net program at Friends School Kamusinga.
Addressing the media after the launch, Nabukwesi said Kamusinga is one of the 13 schools that were selected in the country for internet connectivity.
He noted that the connectivity to fast optic fiber internet in the school will save money the school has been paying to other internet providers.
"The school has been paying Sh15,000 for internet which at some point failed to serve the school as required, now the school has obtained high speed internet that will serve the school well," Nabukwesi said.
He added that the Education ministry being the key stakeholder is committed to ensuring learning institutions are supplied with high speed internet to make learning easier.
The PS said the main aim of his visit to the school was to assess the level of preparedness and utilisation of digital devices by the school, adding that 62,041 digital devices have been disbursed to various learning institutions to help learners get to know more about the digital world and be updated on current issues.
Nabukwesi said that Kenyan schools lost a lot of time during the Covid-19 lockdown because some students could not access e-learning but the Kamusinga fraternity now has every reason to smile because they can read books online.
Kamusinga principal, Alex Kariuki lauded the ICT authority for considering the school for internet connectivity, saying that it has really transformed online operations whereby students can get the latest information.
"The internet has really made teachers work easier. Us teachers and students can now access science practicals online and see how they work," he said.
Kariuki called on the Ministry of Education to help the school build more dormitories and a multipurpose hall.
He added that the school was yet to launch Udhabiti Africa, an initiative by the school alumni whose sole purpose is to link Diaspora students in relation to Kiswahili speaking, saying that the internet will be a game changer towards the active participation in the program as every student will have access to online learning.
David Wesonga, Western region ICT director applauded the government’s move to identify Kamusinga for the launch of the innovative program.
He added that the internet has also benefited 2,413 schools with digital devices.
Wesonga noted that they have also trained 4,994 ICT teachers in Western region to integrate ICT learning in schools, in addition to laying down 208km of internet across the region.
Edited by B. Oruta
