Nairobi: The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has called for stronger investment in digital skills and foundational learning in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) schools to prepare learners for the changing world of work. Muktar Abdi Ogle, Head and Coordinator of the National Assessment Centre at KNEC, said the government was committed to ensuring learners in ASAL counties had equal access to technology, digital connectivity, and skills required to participate in the rapidly changing digital economy.
According to Kenya News Agency, Ogle said KNEC was conducting a national assessment of learner achievement to establish proficiency in literacy and numeracy while examining contextual factors affecting teaching and learning. He emphasized that foundational assessment is critical for a learner’s future learning capabilities. The assessment aims to identify challenges facing learners and teachers, gaps in curriculum delivery, and other factors affecting learning to provide evidence for interventions addressing identified gaps while recognizing areas where schools are performing well.
Ogle highlighted that the assessment should also inform preparations for the future of work, particularly in ASAL counties where access to technology and digital skills remains a concern. The government’s national master plan covering the period 2022 to 2032 emphasizes preparing Kenya’s human capital for a technology-driven economy. Ogle questioned the preparedness for the next ten years in human capital development in Kenya, particularly for ASAL regions.
He further stated that the country’s investment in digital infrastructure should translate into improved access to technology, innovation, and digital services for learners and communities in rural and underserved areas. KNEC has established innovation hubs for assessment alongside ICT hubs in different parts of the country to decentralize access to technology, skills, and digital opportunities. These hubs aim to provide every Kenyan child, in every county, and to every school and community with access to technology and skills.
Ogle, however, cautioned that digital hubs should be functional and connected to education and skills development rather than serving simply as physical facilities. The hubs should harness the talents of young people and provide opportunities for entrepreneurship, innovation, and access to online government services. He identified connectivity and access to digital devices as critical challenges that must be addressed to enable learners and young people to acquire digital skills.
Ogle added that ASAL counties needed to prepare learners and teachers for emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, advanced data analytics, cybersecurity, and digital commerce. He challenged policymakers and education stakeholders in Wajir County to assess whether schools and community digital hubs were adequately equipped to perform their intended functions and respond to the changing demands of the labor market.
He emphasized that digital skills would enable young people in rural areas to access employment and entrepreneurship opportunities without necessarily migrating to major towns. Ogle stressed that Kenya’s aspiration for a knowledge-driven and technology-driven economy should include ASAL counties, stating that what is true for Kiambu must be true for Turkana, reflecting the vision of the Government of Kenya.
He stated that digital learning initiatives should help identify inequalities in access to modern technology irrespective of geographical location, gender, disability, or household income. The ultimate goal is to ensure that learners across the country acquire digital and AI literacy and become creators and innovators rather than passive users of technology. Ogle concluded by affirming that ASAL counties should never feel excluded from national conversations or opportunities available to every Kenyan.
