Government distributes 10,382 laptops and interactive smart boards to public Junior Schools

The government has commenced the distribution of laptops and interactive smartboards to 10,382 public Junior Schools across the country.

Each school gets one laptop and one interactive smartboard in a move aimed at strengthening digital learning and supporting the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework.

The initiative under the Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Project (KDEAP) marks a major milestone in the nation’s digital transformation agenda and efforts to modernize education.

The launch ceremony, held at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) in Nairobi on Tuesday, brought together senior government officials, education stakeholders, development partners, and representatives from the ICT sector.

Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke said the initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to preparing learners for a future increasingly driven by technology.

“This occasion marks an important milestone in Kenya’s digital transformation journey and demonstrates our commitment to preparing learners for a future where technology will increasingly shape how we learn, work and create opportunities,” said Isaboke.

The initiative forms part of the government’s broader vision to build a digitally connected, knowledge-driven economy under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

According to Isaboke, the programme complements ongoing investments under the Digital Superhighway Programme, which includes the rollout of 100,000 kilometres of fibre optic infrastructure and the establishment of 1,450 digital hubs across all wards in Kenya.

He emphasized that digital inclusion remains a key priority, noting that learners in remote regions should have access to the same opportunities as those in urban centres.

“Whether a learner is in Turkana, Mandera, Marsabit, Kwale, Kisumu or Nairobi, every child deserves access to the same opportunities and the same digital future,” he said.

The PS called for responsible use of technology in schools and urged stakeholders to safeguard educational infrastructure amid recent incidents of school unrest and fires reported in some parts of the country.

“Technology should become a tool that inspires curiosity, innovation and hope, not frustration or destruction,” he said.

Outgoing Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok described the launch as a historic moment for the education sector, identifying technology and equity as two critical priorities in delivering quality education.

Bitok said digital learning tools will help bridge longstanding disparities in access to education between learners in urban and remote parts of the country.

“Technology remains at the heart of delivering quality, relevant and equitable education in our country,” he said.

He announced that the government plans to connect every school to digital learning infrastructure and emphasized the need to retrain teachers to effectively utilize emerging technologies in classrooms.

“We need to retool our teachers so that they can match this technology. Otherwise, learners will be ahead of the teachers,” he said.

The PS revealed plans for a second phase of the programme that will expand digital learning infrastructure to an additional 15,000 schools and provide another 10,000 smart boards through the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS) initiative.

ICT Authority Board Chairperson Lily Ng’ok described the programme as a strategic investment in Kenya’s future workforce, saying it will equip learners with the skills and competencies required in an increasingly digital economy.

She noted that the initiative reflects successful collaboration between the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy; the Ministry of Education, the World Bank, ICT Authority and other implementing partners.

“At its core, the programme is an investment in human capital. The learners who will benefit from these tools today are the innovators, professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders who will shape Kenya’s future,” she said.

Ng’ok further reaffirmed the ICT Authority Board’s commitment to ensuring effective implementation, accountability and long-term sustainability of the programme.

Chairperson of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, John Kiarie, challenged educators to rethink the role of teachers in the digital classroom.

Kiarie argued that modern education should focus on nurturing both creativity and analytical thinking, enabling learners to become innovators and creators rather than mere consumers of technology.

He urged educators to prepare learners to participate in the entire technology value chain, from innovation and manufacturing to entrepreneurship and leadership.

“If Africa has been supplying the raw materials that power global technologies, then our education system must prepare learners to become owners, innovators and leaders within that value chain,” he said.

ICT Authority Chief Executive Officer Jessy Maruti said the success of the programme would be measured not by the number of devices distributed but by the impact they have on teaching and learning outcomes.

He noted that the government has already laid more than 34,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable as part of the national target of 100,000 kilometres and connected more than 8,000 public institutions to the internet.

“Today, we are not simply dispatching equipment. We are investing in Kenya’s future and ensuring that no learner is left behind in our digital transformation journey,” Maruti said.

by Joseph Ng’ang’a