The initiative was launched by Huawei Technologies Kenya and UNESCO in collaboration with the ministries of ICT & Digital Economy, Education, and the ICT Authority at Machakos Primary School for the Deaf on Friday.
Digischool is an initiative that aims at transforming education through connectivity, thus improving learning outcomes for students as well as equipping them with basic ICT literacy skills, hence attracting the digital inclusion agenda.
ICT & Digital Economy PS John Tanui said Phase 2 of the initiative equips the Kenya Institute of Special Education and selected schools with videoconferencing facilities, enabling remote support for administrators, teachers, and learners—enhancing teaching and access to assessment and rehabilitation services, scalable nationwide.
“We take a bold step in ensuring that every learner, including those in special needs schools, has access to digital opportunities. The DigiSchool programme is not just about connecting schools to the internet—it is about empowering students with skills for the future, bridging the digital divide, and fostering inclusive education,” Tanui said.
Tanui said the government remains committed to expanding digital infrastructure to ensure that no child is left behind in the digital revolution and the project aligns with the Digital Superhighway Agenda.
Huawei Kenya deputy CEO Stephen Zhang said Huawei’s Tech4All Initiative aims to enable an inclusive and sustainable digital world.
“Together with our partners, we are committed to innovating technologies and solutions that make the world a more inclusive and sustainable space for all,” Zhang said.
“The project being launched today is the perfect example of this. I believe that the group of partners working on this program are bringing unique capabilities. Combined together, these unleash the ability of high-speed internet to improve the lives of Kenyans all over the country,” Zhang added.
Zhang said he was pleased that they were able to leverage existing infrastructure and resources in the country, which include KPLC’s power lines, the ICT Authority’s fiber network, Konza’s data center, and KISE’s experts in special education.
“This enables us to add our innovative internet equipment and video conference solutions. This is our value, and as we have seen today, it is also bringing real value to Kenyan learners and teachers,” Zhang said.
"In special needs schools like this one, connectivity is also helping experts provide assessment and rehabilitation services remotely."
He said they had also connected other special needs schools through the project in far-flung areas like Migori and Tana River counties.
“Once schools have internet, there is a lot they can do. We want to help enhance the services available to them online, especially with advancements in technologies like AI,” he said.
He said the Konza Data Center is a great resource that can have more capabilities, and bring more benefits to Kenyan learners, no matter where they are in the country.
Zhang said they had begun working together to develop local software and AI innovations that leverage Konza Cloud to help learners and teachers with special needs.
In early 2021, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy (including ICT Authority) agreed to work with Huawei and UNESCO to connect schools to broadband.
Following a school selection process, installation took place, and 13 schools (9 primary schools and 4 secondary schools) began using the internet at the end of 2021.
The schools are Amatu Secondary (Meru), Amatu Primary (Meru), Sironga Girls Secondary (Nyamira), Sironga Primary (Nyamira), Irechelo Primary (Kakamega), F.S Kamusinga Secondary (Bungoma), Takaba Primary (Mandera), Haji Yussuf Girls Secondary (Mandera), Rarieda Primary (Siaya), Kitivo Primary (Taita Taveta), Bosto Primary (Bomet) and Maragima Primary (Nyeri).
More than 6, 000 students and teachers benefited from the first phase of the programme.
