By Ally Jamah
A new plan to boost e-learning in schools has been released yesterday at the Kenya Institute of Education. The draft strategy on Curriculum Digitisation and e-learning requires Sh3 billion in the next three years to take off sufficiently.
The strategy provides a blueprint on how learning using digital content like websites, DVDs and computers can be fast-tracked in Kenyan schools.
"The success of curriculum digitisation and e-learning strategy will lead to improved access, equity, quality and the relevance of Education offered in Kenya," said KIE Director Lydia Nzomo.
The strategy calls for digitisation of curriculum for primary, secondary, Teacher Training Colleges, Technical and Vocational Training Institutions, adult and early childhood education. It also calls for dissemination of digital content through various mechanisms namely radio, TV, DVDs, CDs, flash disks, mobile phones and internet.
Kellen Kaburu, an education expert who prepared the strategy said that there very few laptop computerss, projectors, printers and radios in many educational institutions.
This year, the government allocated Sh480 million to boost e-learning in schools, a figure considered insufficient by experts.
Under the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) schools were given funds to buy 11 computers, 11 UPS, digital content.
Nzomo revealed that KIE has already digitised content for major subjects in form one and two and are ready for use, adding that content for form three and four may be completed by December this year to fully unlock e-learning in Kenya.
Substandard content
Director of Policy and East African Community Affairs, Magochi Kiragu, urged KIE to rigorously monitor digital content produced by publishers to keep quacks out of the game.
"There is a real danger that quality might be compromised by substandard content and defeat the aims of this project," he said.
Under the strategy, the programme should be implemented in two phases with phase one focusing on digitisation of content, training of content developers, teachers, field officers and setting up a data center.
Phase two will emphasise improving data security and making e-learning a sustainable.
