Some 200 teachers in Kiambu county will spearhead digital literacy in their schools after completing an information and communication technology course.
They are also expected to be ambassadors of ICT integration in more than 300 schools in the county.
The group was from 20 institutions in Kiambu that took part in the African Digital Schools Initiative programme. The initiative was run by the Global e-Schools and Communities’ Initiative.
Kiambu county director of education Victoria Mulili on Tuesday said digital learning must be encouraged as it will help schools become e-compliant.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has led us into thinking of ways to resume learning. Schools must embrace e-learning as it is the future. When controlled and better managed, it has helped in the good performance witnessed in last year’s exam results,” Mulili said.
She spoke in Juja during an ADSI meeting to award the teachers.
Some 800 teachers in 80 schools in Kiambu, Nyamira, Taita Taveta and Narok counties have been trained in ICT through the Sh750 million programme. It is funded by MasterCard Foundation and overseen by the AU Commission and Ministry of Education.
Regina Opondo, the Teacher’s Service Commission Kiambu county boss, said the teachers have imparted the knowledge to the learners.
“If a nation has to be somewhere in the technological age then we must learn to innovate. We must learn to involve our children so that they are not just hearing things but they are learning from what their teachers are giving them in a practical way,” Opondo said.
GESCI project coordinator Christine Akello said that they have taken teachers through professional development and digital school of distinction.
“Digital school of distinction was meant for school leaders and teachers' professional development was for teachers where we have walked with them for four years. The teachers who introduced the technology in 2016 can comfortably integrate technology in the classroom,” Akello said.
The teachers have been taken through knowledge literacy, knowledge deepening and knowledge creation.
“The teachers have now created content which they use for teaching even during this time of Covid-19,” Akello said.
Queen of Peace Secondary School principal Mary Maina said that teachers were better skilled for ICT integration.
“Our school did not have computers when we started the digital journey. Now we have five laptops and two projects and we have managed to have software to manage the curriculum and also manage administrative work,” Maina said.