By Felix Njenga
Worth Noting:
- The students will be learning and also seeing what they are learning and will be able to access alot of information which could have been tedious exercise saving time and cost.
- “Many innovations and discoveries have been made and have changed people’s lives profoundly. many young people are embracing the use of technology in accessing educational opportunities which would have been difficult without technology,”he said.
- He said that the e-learning center is purely for learning and the students cannot access restricted sites or the world wide web (www).
- “They will not be able access restricted sites as the computers have been fed with only learning materials,”she said.
The Thika Alumni Trust (TAT), a charitable organization, has established the 57th e-learning center in the country at Senior Chief Koinange Girls Secondary School in Kiambaa constituency in their bid to enhance ICT integration in schools.
Speaking during the launch of the E-learning center Maxwell Kayesi, a teacher in the school said that TAT in conjunction Harpal Punia an Alumni of Chania boys high school in Thika based in the UK together with his wife Liz Punia has been able to establish a 50 computer e center at the school to provide insights to both the learners and the teachers to use digital skills in their teaching and learning.
“This is in readiness for the rolled out Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) which brings about digital literacy,”he said.
He said that the Thika alumni will train the teachers and learners on how to use the e-learning center and it encompasses all the learning.
He said that all education stakeholders are aware of the initiative and are in support of what is being done as it is a donation that has been building capacity for schools since 2015 and has impacted over 45,000 learners across the country.
The head teacher Esther Maina said that the launch of a computer hub in the school is a milestone in ensuring quality and holistic education.
‘It is an honour to be chosen as a school to be donated with computers to enhance digital literacy. it is a dream come true for our learners and we feel privileged,”she said.
She said that digital learning has brought a newness in the education sector making learning more interesting, more appealing and more engaging.
“It has brought newness to the learning process as the students are taking center stage,”she said.
The students will be learning and also seeing what they are learning and will be able to access alot of information which could have been tedious exercise saving time and cost.
“Many innovations and discoveries have been made and have changed people’s lives profoundly. many young people are embracing the use of technology in accessing educational opportunities which would have been difficult without technology,”he said.
He said that the e-learning center is purely for learning and the students cannot access restricted sites or the world wide web (www).
“They will not be able access restricted sites as the computers have been fed with only learning materials,”she said.
Punia said that they raise money in the UK which goes into setting up e-learning centers in Kenya.
‘The donations and money that we raise in the UK goes to schools in Kenya. None of the money goes to our pockets as we facilitate ourselves and we have dedicated volunteers who are not paid and only want to have an input to the education sector,”he said.
Punia said that they have provided laptops, desk tops and a server that enables them to access data to schools with more requests coming in.
He said that they are now focusing in establishing e-learning centers in girls and mixed schools across the country
Chief Guest Elijah Omwega Teachers Service Commission (TSC) director for Nyeri county said that the learners need positive energy and determination to succeed and therefore should seize the opportunity handed to them to acquire knowledge through digital learning.
He called upon the learners to set a target which they will work on and believe it is achievable.
‘The learners require guidance, appreciation, motivation and encouragement so that their mindset is focused on meeting their targets,’ he said.
He called upon the teachers to embrace strengthening of guidance and counselling rather than using the cane to discipline the learners.
The school Board of Management chairman said that the e-learning center will go a long way in helping learners to impart knowledge in a much faster and effective way.
“If the government can equip schools with e-learning materials and equipment’s learning will be faster and more effective,”he said.
He said that the school is now well prepared as they have a computer lab that will help learners further their studies.
“The e-learning center is cost cutting since the materials needed to be bought will now be online rather than learners physically using materials that are usually bought such as chemicals and apparatus,”he said
Tabitha Karundu a teacher said that the computers will ease their work of teaching where the learners will also be able to learn by seeing.
“The computers will help the learners to see through videos what is being taught so that they can relate well and will ease the volumes of books being taught by the teachers and the learners will understand better and will be able retain content in their minds when they see,”said Karundu.
She said that the computers have eased the work of schools who would have used a lot of money in buying learning apparatus for chemistry, biology and physics lessons.
‘Parents have been eased off buying textbooks since everything has been programmed in the computers and all the resources will be able to be done through computers. the government will not be required to build more laboratories in schools since everything is encrypted in the computers,’ she said
Kennedy Mburu Kiambaa sub county quality assurance standards officer representing the county director education said that out of the 57 e-learning centers the TAT has supported.
He said that the support has gone a long way in removing the burden for parents to contribute to put up the e-learning center.