Education Cabinet Secretary, Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi Wednesday launched a harmonized curriculum guide for ICT integration in education as a preparatory measure towards the implementation of the government’s one laptop per child initiative.
The curriculum guide which will be assimilated into the teacher training programmes is meant to enhance teacher competency in ICT as Kenya braces to be the first African country to entrench digital learning in its academic system.
While thanking the consortium that developed the guide, Prof. Kaimenyi noted that uptake of ICT was an indispensable enabler of cost effective, equitable and universal access to quality education for the Kenyan child.
“The laptop initiative will bridge the digital divide and inculcate twenty first century skills among our children,” opined Prof. Kaimenyi.
Prof. Odhiambo receives a copy of the curriculum guide from TSC Chief, Lengoiboni
The Cabinet Secretary also lauded Kenyan teachers for overcoming technophobia, adding that the initiative will improve their skills for education delivery transformation.
Speaking at the launch, JKUAT acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Romanus Odhiambo said the university is set to establish a regional e-waste academy to support the country in addressing the e-waste expected to be generated by the massive laptop project.
“I am convinced that as a team in the education sector; we can utilize our collective synergy for the development of our country,” noted Prof. Odhiambo.
TSC Chief Executive, Gabriel Lengoiboni, confirmed that a total of 61, 351 primary school teachers will have undertaken the training by January 2014.
“Three teachers will be trained per school in three hundred centres across the country,” added Lengoiboni.
The curriculum guide was conceived and developed by a technical team drawn from Ministry of Education, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Microsoft, Kenya Literature Bureau, Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development, Teachers Service Commission, British Council and Intel. The team was coordinated by the Teachers Service Commission.
The ceremony was also addressed by Education Principal Secretary, Dr. Belio Kipsang, KICD Director, Dr. Lydia Nzomo and KLB Managing Director, Mrs. Eve Obara.