By WMW
Education institutions must urgently integrate artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into learning to prepare students for a rapidly changing world, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has said.
Speaking during Students’ Day celebrations at Kagumo High School, Kagwe noted that technological advancement had fundamentally transformed education, employment and communication, making digital literacy an essential skill for learners and teachers alike.
“The teaching profession and the world have changed fundamentally. The age of Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things is here,” Kagwe said. “Teachers and students alike must invest more time learning from online sources, embracing innovation and keeping abreast of developments in their respective fields.”
The CS challenged schools to move beyond conventional teaching methods and equip learners with practical technological skills that can help them compete globally.
He said the government was keen on ensuring young people actively participate in shaping Kenya’s economic future, particularly in agriculture, which he described as one of the sectors with vast untapped opportunities for innovation.
Kagwe observed that technology-driven farming was becoming increasingly attractive to the youth and could help address food insecurity while creating employment opportunities.
“Agriculture is no longer a poor man’s venture. It is profitable and offers numerous opportunities to those who embrace technology,” he said.
The CS pointed to the use of drones in pest and disease surveillance, precision farming and crop monitoring as some of the innovations the government intends to scale up to improve productivity and reduce losses.
He said digital technologies could help farmers detect crop diseases early, manage outbreaks more efficiently and improve yields, ultimately strengthening household incomes and national food security.
Kagwe was accompanied by among others Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) chairman Dr Thuo Mathenge, school board members and education officials who also expressed the need for schools to align learning with current technological trends.
They noted that there was growing interest among students in technology-related subjects, particularly robotics, coding and digital agriculture, but noted that institutions still faced challenges such as limited infrastructure and inadequate access to digital learning tools.
The CS and other speakers encouraged students to remain disciplined, hardworking and adaptable, saying future careers would increasingly depend on innovation, creativity and the ability to leverage technology to solve societal problems.
Their remarks come at a time when the government is pushing for greater adoption of digital learning and technology integration in schools under ongoing education reforms aimed at preparing learners for the modern job market.
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