- Ōmata School in New Zealand has phased out iPads in lower grades, returning to traditional teaching methods after research linked excessive screen time to reduced concentration and weaker foundational skills.
- Kenya has embraced digital learning under CBE, while continuing to emphasise handwriting, reading, creativity and practical classroom activities to balance technology with core skills.
- Education experts have argued that the New Zealand experience reinforces Kenya’s principle that digital tools should complement, not replace, proven classroom practices, ensuring learners gain both competence and strong foundational development.
As countries continue investing heavily in classroom technology, a primary school in New Zealand has taken a different path by removing iPads from its junior classrooms and returning to traditional teaching methods. The move has reignited the global conversation on whether digital devices should dominate early childhood education or simply complement conventional teaching.
For Kenya, where the government has invested significantly in digital learning as part of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, the New Zealand experience provides valuable lessons on achieving the right balance between technology and foundational learning.
Ōmata School in New Plymouth recently phased out iPads for learners in its lower grades after reviewing emerging research suggesting that excessive screen time may reduce concentration, weaken foundational skills and limit meaningful classroom interaction.
The school had embraced digital learning since 2011 and had nearly achieved a one-to-one iPad programme. However, administrators concluded that younger learners would benefit more from handwriting, reading printed books, practical classroom activities and face-to-face engagement with teachers.
According to teachers, the transition has been smoother than expected. Learners have adapted quickly, become more attentive during lessons and interact more frequently with classmates. Teachers also report improvements in concentration, participation and classroom behaviour.
Rather than eliminating technology, the school has adopted a gradual approach. Laptops will be introduced in upper primary classes after learners have mastered core literacy and numeracy skills.
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Research Reinforces Traditional Learning
Education researchers in New Zealand argue that handwriting and printed books remain powerful learning tools, particularly for young children.
Julie Cullen, a researcher with the Paediatric Society of New Zealand, says handwriting is a multisensory activity that helps children process information more effectively, improves memory retention and strengthens reading and mathematical understanding.
She also points to research showing that educational benefits from digital devices begin to decline once daily screen exposure exceeds approximately one hour. Beyond that point, learning gains may diminish while excessive screen time can affect learners’ wellbeing and attention.
These findings have encouraged educators to reconsider how and when technology should be introduced in classrooms.
What This Means for Kenya
Kenya has embraced digital learning as one of the pillars of the Competency-Based Education programme. Thousands of public schools have received digital devices, smart classrooms and internet connectivity aimed at improving teaching and preparing learners for an increasingly technology-driven world.
The Ministry of Education has consistently maintained that digital literacy is one of the core competencies learners should acquire from an early age. At the same time, the curriculum continues to emphasise handwriting, reading, practical activities, creativity, communication and critical thinking.
Education experts note that CBE was never intended to replace traditional teaching methods with technology. Instead, digital tools are expected to support classroom instruction where they add value while teachers remain central to the learning process.
The New Zealand experience therefore reinforces an important principle already embedded within CBE—that technology should enhance learning rather than become the learning itself.
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Finding the Right Balance
As Kenya continues expanding digital infrastructure in schools, experts say policymakers and teachers must ensure that technology is introduced in age-appropriate ways that support, rather than weaken, foundational learning.
Young learners still require opportunities to write by hand, manipulate learning materials, read printed books, solve problems collaboratively and interact directly with teachers and peers. These experiences help build language, motor, social and cognitive skills that remain essential regardless of technological advancement.
Digital devices can then be integrated progressively as learners become more academically confident and capable of using technology responsibly and productively.
A Lesson for Education Systems Worldwide
The decision by Ōmata School is not a rejection of technology but a reminder that educational innovation should always be guided by evidence and the developmental needs of learners.
For Kenya and many other countries implementing digital education programmes, the debate is no longer about choosing between technology and traditional teaching. The real challenge is creating a balanced education system where digital tools complement proven classroom practices, strengthen foundational skills and improve learning outcomes for every child.
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As education continues evolving in the digital age, the New Zealand experience serves as a timely reminder that the most effective classrooms are those that combine innovation with the timeless principles of good teaching.
By Hillary Muhalya
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