The Digital Learning Programme is reinventing and rapidly transforming Kenya's education sector. Since 2015, when the government first conceived of the DLP concept, the programme has been implemented in pre-school, primary and secondary schools across the country. This digital transformation reality can also be seen in the increased use of digital tools and services among Kenyans, who have continued to adopt mobile and internet services in recent years.
Around the country, the government is already providing Information and Communication Technology training to teachers, right from pre-school to high school. This comes after the disruption of school programmes, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, prompted an increase in the uptake of digital tools and services. It, therefore, became necessary for teachers to possess internet-connected laptops and smartphones with internet connection and the ability to download extra apps in order to conduct lessons online.
The government's effort to develop a coding curriculum, led by the ICT Authority and Kodris Africa, is also gaining pace. Moi University, in collaboration with jp.ik technology of Portugal, committed to build digital devices including laptops, tablets, desktops, mobile phones, servers and other ICT advances for around 15,000 public schools in 26 counties to assist the integration of digital learning in schools.
More than 1,169,000 digital learning and teaching equipment have also been assembled by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Given that Kenya has one of the strongest rates of internet penetration worldwide because of its ICT infrastructure, the introduction and integration of ICT learning in institutions appear to be a possibility. The penetration rate has increased from 31 per cent in 2013 to 98.5 per cent today, according to AgendaKenya Newspaper.
Furthermore, the establishment of the Kenya Digital Masterplan from 2022 to 2032, in which ICT will be ramped up for innovation and to boost growth in all sectors of the country's economy, would be a vital component in the DLP's future transformation.
The master plan, which calls for the establishment of more than 20,000 rural digital centres for citizen digital training and ICTA software factories, will also improve internet availability and speed across the country, boosting DLP.
While DLP has gained momentum in many counties, individuals from some rural areas, particularly Arid and Semi-Arid Lands, still face difficulties accessing digital learning due to insufficient broadband connectivity.
In order for the country to fully integrate the DLP into institutions, smart classrooms should be set up using improved facilities, a variety of learning materials in the classrooms, advanced digital devices, programmable output devices, projectors, and online updated contents.
There should also be provision of affordable electricity to schools, teacher training, internet connectivity and adequate technical support.
The most difficult component of implementing DLP has been training and retraining teachers to construct different online learning activities for acceptable online assignments. Teachers must be knowledgeable about their students' learning issues and needs, as well as available technology apps, a variety of teaching methods, visual illustrations, and other approaches for overcoming learning obstacles.
It is hoped that the government, through ICTA, will expand teacher training and re-training to all counties and educational institutions.
The benefits of ICT on education and learning cannot be overstated; learning may take place at any time and from any location thanks to ICT. Teleconferencing classrooms allow both learners and teachers to communicate instantly with comfort and convenience, thanks to widely available online course materials that are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Learning and teaching are no longer just dependent on printed resources. Numerous internet resources and expertise video clips, audio noises, and visual presentations are easily accessible. As a result, ICT provides both learners and teachers with an infinite number of educational affordances and opportunities.
Despite some drawbacks to the implementation of DLP, encouraging signs show that digital learning is fast becoming a reality in Kenya.
Therefore, the overarching question still is, how timely is the Digital Learning Programme in Kenya?
Communication professional
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