Digital Literacy (DLP) Programme initiated by the government in 2013 has to date equipped Nairobi County primary schools with a total of 16,140 learners’ digital devices.
The Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) the initiator of the programme has also installed 392 teachers’ digital devices, 196 content access servers and 196 projectors in various schools in the county.
The DLP programme has also seen Teachers Service Commission train at least 273 teachers on digital devices in 2017, while the Ministry of ICT in 2018 trained 263 teachers and 19 curriculum support officers to ensure successful implementation of the project in schools.
During a consultative meeting for members of the Nairobi County Development Implementation Coordination Committee chaired by Nairobi County Commissioner Flora Mworoa at Nyayo House, Deputy Secretary ICT Mr. Abraham Odeng told the committee that the Ministry of ICT has plans of putting up a computer laboratory in the counties in the next financial year.
He said the current DLP devices were only covering class one to three, while the computer laboratory which is considered sustainable will include the upper primary classes.
“The ministry will provide the gadgets while the infrastructure part will be done by the Ministry of Education,” he added.
Mr. Odeng said even though the change of the curriculum has affected the use the DLP devices, the Ministries of Education, Information, Communication, Technology Authority (ICTA) and Kenya Curriculum Development were looking for content that is in line with the competence based curriculum.
Nairobi County Education Officer, Mr. Hesbon Nyagaka told the committee that DLP programme was going on well, despite various challenges such as theft of the devices in some schools, increase of standard one enrolment thereby creating shortage of learners’ digital devices and unresolved power bills.
“We are also facing inadequate teachers capacity since those trained to handle the digital devices are affected by natural attrition, transfers and retirement,” he added.
The Committee, formed following the Executive Order No. I to coordinate and implement national government development programmes and projects, recommended that the police speed up the investigation on the theft of DLP devices in schools and the devices be incorporated with security machines to allow trucking.
Members also recommended that counties should have resource centres where teachers could be trained during holidays as it was cost effective.
DLP Phase 1 pilot project was started in 2015 in 150 schools, and due to its success, it was rolled out countrywide in 2016.
While reporting on the progress of the Waiyaki-Red Hill Link Road along Westlands that is under construction, the Deputy Director Urban Development at Kenya Urban Roads Authority Mr. Justus Morara told the committee that the road would be completed by the end of March 2019.
He however called for the removal of individuals who have encroached on government land at Deep Sea, saying that their presence was the cause of delay in the completion of the project.
In response, the County Commissioner said people residing on the land were given notices to vacate voluntarily and those who would not heed the call would be removed.
“The government will not tolerate people encroaching on parcels of land belonging to others or to the government,” added Mworoa.
By Bernadette Khaduli
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Information For Development
