A former student, Kamau Wairuri, has donated a computer lab to Mjini Primary School located in the outskirts of Murang’a town, giving a key boost in the school’s digital learning. With 10 computers and associated equipment, the computer lab is expected to enhance digital education, especially at the junior secondary school level of learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum.
Through his foundation, he presided over the project following a tip-off on the need for digital resources at the school. Speaking during the launch of the lab, Kamau narrated that months ago, he visited the school where the administration complained of lack of computers for digital skill training. “After engaging the school administration, I approached some of my friends and we managed to put up a computer lab powered by solar energy. This is going to serve the population in the school since as we understand it, each class has an average population of 40 pupils,” Kamau explained.
He noted that digital learning was critical, especially for schools in informal settlement counties where the parents might not afford to help pupils access online materials. He urged the government to allocate more funds to enhance digital learning in primary schools, particularly those in rural areas.
He said, “Reviewing some of the past government projects, the project for giving tablets to class one learners by the previous government back in the year 2013 was a great move, but the project was poorly implemented. If the tablets were well managed and successfully installed with a new syllabus to support CBC, then they could be useful to date.”.
He emphasized the integration of digital skills into education and advocated for the need for all schools in the country to have active computer labs.
The head teacher, Ms. Christine Michubu, thanked the donation, citing that it had been challenging to learners who were borrowing their parents’ phones for assignments that require digital tools. “It has been a big challenge especially to CBC learners some of whose subjects require internet-connected phones, but with the lab the challenge will be mitigated”, she noted.
With over 500 students, Ms. Michubu recognized the need for more computers to serve all the learners well. “We call upon well-wishers and organizations to support us to have more computers for our lab,” she appealed.
The move has been termed a milestone towards promoting digital literacy and quality education at Mjini Primary School, hence setting a precedent for similar initiatives in other rural schools across the country.