Webuye: The government has intensified efforts to digitize learning in public schools with the rollout of smart boards and laptops under the Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Project (KDEAP), a programme expected to transform the delivery of Competency-Based Education (CBE) across the country. ICT Authority Chief Executive Officer Jessy Maruti announced the initiative during the distribution exercise at Webuye ACK Junior School in Webuye East Sub-County, Bungoma County.
According to Kenya News Agency, the World Bank-funded initiative seeks to improve the quality of education and equip learners with digital skills required to compete globally. Maruti emphasized the government’s plan to distribute 10,332 smart boards and laptops to junior secondary schools across the country in the first phase, with additional devices planned for the second phase. This launch follows a national rollout flagged off by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki in Elgeyo Marakwet County last week.
Maruti explained that the objective is to strengthen education and improve learning quality by creating inclusive and digitally enabled classrooms. The initiative is part of the government’s broader Digital Superhighway Programme, which aims to build a digitally connected economy by expanding broadband infrastructure and digital public services. The government, in partnership with Kenya Power, is rolling out 100,000 kilometers of fibre optic cable across the country to ensure schools have reliable internet connectivity.
For schools in remote areas without fibre connectivity, satellite technology will be used to ensure no learner is left behind. Maruti highlighted that Western Kenya will receive about 1,300 smart boards and laptops, with 393 devices earmarked for Bungoma County schools. Over 62,000 teachers have been trained nationwide to support digital learning implementation and ensure devices deliver intended classroom impacts.
The smart boards, functioning like computers, will enable learners to access digital content, interact with peers in other schools, and participate in virtual learning sessions. The government also plans to establish four digital hubs in every constituency and equip modern markets with digital centres containing at least 50 computers each to expand digital inclusion. Additionally, 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots will be installed across the country.
Maruti assured that all devices will be monitored centrally to enhance security and ensure proper utilization. Webuye ACK Junior School principal Wycliffe Oduori welcomed the initiative, noting its potential to revolutionize research and learning by exposing students to global knowledge resources. He mentioned previous struggles with internet connectivity and unreliable power supply but acknowledged recent improvements through government support and a partnership with the Ministry of Education and KCB Bank to install solar power.
Oduori highlighted that the digital infrastructure would help address teacher shortages by enabling virtual lessons and resource sharing among schools. He noted that the programme would directly benefit the school’s 1,575 learners. Webuye East Teachers Service Commission Sub-County Director Kennedy Mekenye confirmed the commission’s full embrace of the programme and ongoing teacher training to support CBE implementation.
Webuye East Sub-County Director of Education Linda Serete described the initiative as the beginning of a new era in teaching and learning, emphasizing the importance of digital literacy for education and future employment opportunities. She urged teachers to fully utilize the equipment and expressed concerns over the rising theft of digital devices in schools, appealing for increased security measures and funding for safe custody and maintenance. Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) Webuye East chairman Patrick Musinai praised the initiative’s potential to significantly strengthen CBE implementation and improve learning outcomes, expressing optimism that all 61 schools in the sub-county would eventually benefit from the programme.
