In a major boost to digital literacy for young learners, ten schools in Lodwar town have been chosen for a new pilot digital literacy project customized in introducing creative coding and robotics that supports the Competency-Based Curriculum. In place of the pilot project, eight months of the year will see the implementation of ICT clubs for learners’ groups in Grades 4-8. This program is funded by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, with implementation undertaken by the Frontier Counties Development Council in collaboration with the M-Lugha Foundation.
Bridging the Digital Divide
The Chief Officer for Education, Social Protection and Administration Moses Korea said that digital literacy is of extreme priority in contemporary life, especially in the areas which cover the arid as well as semi-arid regions that have a wide digital divide. The officer added that the concept itself should cover wide spectrum areas to be effectively implemented. These sentiments were made during the opening of a two-day orientation training for around ten ICT teachers selected in primary schools. “In the trilogy of digital devices, teachers, and content for education stakeholders, the child should be in the center,” he said.
Consequential Interventions
The Korea also indicated that the EIDU digital literacy program for Early Childhood Development would complement this new program of primary schools in building learners’ capacity in ICT. It is, therefore, a sandwich approach to ensure that at a tender age, one is rooted well in the development of digital skills as he advances in the high years of his young life.
Sustainability and Scalability
“Abdullahi Hassan Maalim, the Education and Governance Sector Lead of the FCDC, observed that among the key focuses of the project were sustainability and its potential for scale. That way, the project will also have the potential to be transformed and expanded to other regions so that it may benefit more students in future.”
Empowering Educators
Mr. Sammy Loitakol, the Director for the Teacher Service Commission in Turkana County, urged the trained teachers to share their new knowledge with their colleagues to increase the ripple effect of the program: “Also improve your lesson presentation to have more impact, even as you educate the learners.” This will assure a working environment where knowledge in teaching is shared in a collaborative manner, which nurtures support.
According to Washington Odoyo, the County ICT Officer and the facilitator of the training, technology has played a very vital role in the current system of education, especially with the CBC system. He added that this project would enable students with needed digital skills, making them prepared for the opportunities ahead. Each ICT teacher was provided with a laptop and a certificate for their readiness to offer this digital transformation in respective schools.