The failure to implement the widely publicized laptop-per-pupil initiative by the government has hindered the integration of digital technology in education, according to teachers and virtual education experts in Embu County.
These educators express regret that, had the program been executed, the use of digital devices like laptops, tablets, desktops, and smartphones in education would now exceed 80 percent, nearly two decades later.
Teachers from Primary and Secondary Schools in Manyatta and Mbeere South, who chose to remain anonymous, share their hope that the current government will prioritize access to digital equipment for all learners by allocating the necessary budget.
They highlighted the minimal internet connectivity and scarcity of desktops and laptops in schools and communities.
The inadequacy of smartphones, coupled with soaring data costs, adds to the challenges faced in embracing digital learning.
The teachers additionally argued that the Education experts and government stakeholders, , have neglected to revisit the stalled laptop project initiated by the Kenya Kwanza Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, led by Professor Raphael Manavu, some two decades ago.
They believed it could have laid the foundation for digital information communication technologies in education.
Parents emphasized that financial resources allocated to digital hubs in technical institutions could have been more equitably distributed nationally, benefiting a broader spectrum of Kenyans.
Calling for dedicated budgetary allocations, parents propose acquiring and distributing affordable desktops and laptops to primary and secondary schools, particularly where digital laboratories remain elusive.
They express concern that students in private academies will maintain an advantage in digital information communication skills, given their access to computers at school and home.
This, they argue, perpetuates an uneven playing field where learners from private institutions possess essential skills for successful competition and employment access compared to their counterparts in public schools with inadequate facilities.
By Robert Nyagah
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