The Ministry of Education has launched Phase One of the Digital Literacy Programme (DLP), marking a major step in the government's plan to modernise learning by introducing digital technology into classrooms across the country.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The first phase of the programme will benefit 10,382 public junior secondary schools, with the government saying the rollout is aimed at equipping learners with digital skills while improving the quality of teaching through technology.

Speaking during the handover of a school bus to Racecourse Senior Comprehensive School in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County, on Wednesday, July 15, Basic Education Principal Secretary John Lekakeny Ololtuaa said the programme forms part of the government's commitment to transform education and prepare learners for a technology-driven future.

Under the initiative, schools will receive smart boards, large, touch-sensitive interactive digital screens that allow teachers to deliver lessons using videos, animations, graphics, and other multimedia content while enabling learners to actively participate during class.

📌 What You Need to Know

Ololtuaa said the technology will not only make learning more engaging for students but will also improve lesson delivery by giving teachers access to digital learning resources and modern teaching tools.

According to the PS, 215 junior secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County are among those set to benefit from the first phase of the programme, with similar rollouts expected across the rest of the country.

The PS also announced that the government will roll out a solar power programme to support the initiative, ensuring schools have reliable electricity to operate the smart boards while promoting the use of clean energy in learning institutions.

Kenyans.co.ke has learnt that the programme is part of the government's broader digital education plan, coming just weeks after the launch of the National Integration of ICT Learning in Junior Schools initiative to prepare learners for the digital economy and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Education officials say integrating digital technology into classrooms is expected to strengthen digital literacy from an early age, improve collaboration between teachers and learners, and expose students to practical technological skills that are increasingly required in the workplace.

Ololtuaa urged parents, teachers and other education stakeholders to continue supporting the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, saying the government acknowledges the challenges experienced during implementation and remains committed to addressing them.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke