NAIROBI, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's ministry of education on Wednesday unveiled state of the art digital learning devices earmarked for primary school children to boost their ICT literacy.
President Uhuru Kenyatta in a speech read on his behalf by the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Information and Communications (ICT), Joe Mucheru said the deployment of digital learning devices in primary schools dovetails with Kenya's quest for knowledge based economy that would unleash new opportunities for the youth.
"Provision of digital learning devices for children and youth is in tandem with the government's commitment to transform our country into knowledge based economy and society," Kenyatta said.
Kenya's ministry of education and partners in April last year launched the Digital Literacy Program that aims at integrating ICT in teaching and learning in all primary schools.
The program involves distribution of personal computers, laptops and tablets to aid teaching and learning in primary schools.
A consortium of local public universities and global ICT firms have partnered to implement the project that is embedded in the Kenya's vision 2030 blue print on growth and transformation.
Kenyatta noted that 380,000 digital learning devices have been distributed in 70,000 primary schools spread across 21 counties since the launch of the digital literacy program.
"The Digital Literacy Program has registered many benefits since its launch last year and chief among them includes enhanced class attendance, improved ICT skills among tutors, power connection and business opportunities for content developers and assemblers," said Kenyatta,
He added that full implementation of Digital Literacy Program will enhance Kenya's status as a regional ICT and innovation hub.
Kenya has intensified efforts to bridge digital divide through investment in supportive infrastructure, training and capacity building for young learners and tutors.
Mucheru said that improving ICT skills among children and youth will hasten Kenya's socioeconomic transformation agenda.
"Kenya is at the forefront of a technological revolution and this goal will be achieved through improving overall digital literacy among children and youth," Mucheru said.
