Members of the Safaricom Youth Orchestra are set to receive music lessons through e-learning, following a handover of 4G-enabled mobile handsets from Safaricom.
With the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the physical practice sessions, the over 80 students who make up the orchestra will now receive music instructions from home.
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa acknowledges the significant role music plays in our daily lives. "Being in the technology industry, we aim to bridge the divide brought about by the restriction of movement by enabling the students to get access to their music tutors through e-learning,” he said.
The orchestra draws 45 per cent of its students from public schools, 30 per cent from the Ghetto Classics programme, and 25 per cent from private schools. It aims to provide the necessary skills to become Kenya’s next generation of professional musicians.
Safaricom Youth Orchestra manager Elizabeth Njoroge said the interaction among students and with their music tutors goes a long way in shaping who they are.
The telecom company has also partnered with Eneza Education, Longhorn Publishers and Viusasa to provide free access to educational content for primary and secondary school students studying from home since mid-March.
Students have access to revision content on the SMS-based Shupavu291 free of charge, following a waiver of the Sh3 subscription fee. Learners can also access Longhorn e-learning, Shupavu Web and Viusasa Elimu through a free daily education bundle accessible via *544#.
