Joy as local donor gifts Murang'a slum school computer lab

A school in Murang’a town serving mostly poor families has received a computer laboratory that will improve its academic performance.

The majority of learners at Mjini Primary School are from poor backgrounds. Learning activities never run smoothly as parents are unable to provide the required materials.

Hellen Achieng, a parent, said they have been struggling to buy bundles as they assist their children with their homework and sometimes can’t afford the printouts required by teachers.

But the school has now been reprieved after an old student established a computer laboratory that is expected to boost its digital literacy programme.

Kamau Wairuri, who runs Kamau Wairuri Foundation, said he went through similar challenges as his parents struggled to put him through primary school.

Now a lecturer in a local university, Wairuri said he benefitted from the school’s alumni who kept going back to the school to motivate learners.

“That is how I learnt about Starehe Boys Centre and I applied, otherwise my parents would not have afforded to educate me through secondary school,” he said.

At Starehe, Wairuri said he learnt the importance of motivation as former students ran a strong alumni programme, which also prompted him to go back to his former primary school.

“I met the board to discuss the most pressing needs and they said the main concern is their ability to deliver ICT in learning due to lack of infrastructure”.

The lab that has been equipped with 10 computers will benefit 510 learners from the deprived settlement and give them a chance to be at par with other learners across the country.

Wairuri said his foundation that provides support for children and adults to access education is driven by understanding the transformative power of education.

“Our assessment was that each class has about 30 students, meaning the computer laboratory will serve the school when they have computing lessons,” he said.

He encouraged people who are doing better financially to consider investing in their former primary schools where many learners are still struggling to access education.

ICT, Wairuri said, is crucial in the job market and making learners tech-savvy would prepare them for their future.

“As a society, we need to deliberately invest in such efforts and we will  make a huge difference in the lives of learners,” he said.

He said the digital literacy programme started by the government in 2013 with the aim of integrating technology in teaching and learning in basic education requires more resources to succeed.

He said the Kenya Kwanza administration that is in the process of digitising government services and is focusing on the digital economy has made inadequate efforts towards ensuring students interact with computers more.

“The government should be doing the kind of work we are doing here. It is the role of government to provide people with what they cannot provide for themselves. What we’re seeing is either the lack of will or capacity to deliver,” he said.

The Kamau Wairuri Foundation has been providing girls with sanitary towels.

At Mjini Primary School, teachers have expressed concerns that some girls are forced to use pieces of cloth while menstruating as others fall prey to men who offer them sanitary towels.

 “Our aim is to ensure learners access education in a dignified manner and that’s difficult for a child with a torn uniform or anxiety about menstrual health,” Wairuri said.

Head teacher Christine Michumbu said the school has 75 tablets issued by the government but that they were not enough to serve all the learners.

Under the Competence Based Curriculum, Michumbu said digital literacy is a vital component and that the laboratory will make it possible for learners to to learn use of modern technology.

Lawrence Mwangi, a parent and chairperson of the Board of Management, said the school's location in a slum presents numerous challenges, including parents’ financial constraints.