So, what is collective Action? Collective Action refers to actions taken together by a group of people whose goal is to enhance their condition and achieve a common objective. It involves individuals working together to address shared interests or concerns, often through organized efforts that result in social change. In the context of the EAC Regional Education Conference, this would involve the participants working together to develop and implement strategies for improving education in the region. This includes sharing best practices, advocating for policy changes, and forming partnerships to support educational initiatives.
EdTech East Africa is made up of a community of innovators and enablers using technology to improve access, quality, and relevance of education and to produce more inclusive, effective, and resilient learning across East Africa. The EdTech ecosystem has an additional layer of complex problems that no single actor can overcome alone. EdTech East Africa invites ecosystem actors to share their diverse viewpoints and experiences to create a more evidence-based, collaborative approach to technology-enabled teaching and learning in East Africa.
EdTech East Africa:
Facilitates collaboration by building clarity and empathy for improved collaboration among stakeholders from different parts of the EdTech ecosystem.
Fosters innovation through discovery, celebration, and amplifying EdTech innovations.
Strengthens Collective Action by connecting and organizing EdTech innovators and enablers around shared goals to create a coordinated, evidence-driven movement around the use of technology to improve education for all.
One of the sessions that stood out for me was the EdTech Hub, an EdTech East Africa partner, session on learning resilience. The question was, “How do you build resilience if you don’t have the right data to make decisions?” Reflecting inward, EdTech East Africa is on a movement towards evidence-driven, technology-enabled teaching and learning, and as an ecosystem builder co-ordinating the Collective Action Agenda, we must combine efforts and expertise to address the challenges we face in the education sector in the region. After all, no stakeholder can resolve on their own, and the core function of collective action is to build resilience in a system by putting in place sustainable measures to address the challenges.
At the conference, we went on to explore cross-cutting themes around Stronger and Resilient Education education systems; effective implementation of Competency-Based curricula, Strengthening teacher capacity to deliver Foundational Learning and Secondary Education using EdTech; 21st Century competencies for Each Child; Data and Accountability for SDG 4.1.1, Children Furthest Behind; Confronting the Language Question; Regional Strategies for Youth Employability; Harmonisation of TVET and Development of a Regional TVET Qualifications Framework.
All of these themes are reflected in EdTech East Africa’s Collective Action goals, which are:
Cultivate foundational literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning for all learners
Skills for the future
Develop technology that ensures Equity and Inclusion for resilient learning
Strengthen the capacity of leaders of learning (teachers, parents, caregivers)
Develop sustainable digital infrastructure and evidence-driven policy to support resilient learning
As I presented my session alongside Lyra and PEAS, the question that echoed in the room and in other sessions was how to leverage technology to create the enabling environment that will provide the data to inform decisions made in and about education resilience in the region.
Collectively, we need to build a model that can be replicated across the region to avoid duplication of work and unintentionally creating further exclusion and marginalization.
Some key takeaways:
Data and evidence remain an issue; From lack of data to access and accountability, deliberate efforts must be made to address this real gap.
Collective action and collaboration are the way to go, at regional and continental levels. No stakeholder, no country can solve the region’s challenges independently. We must pool our efforts for meaningful change.
How do we better integrate issues of poverty, climate, and conflict into education? This trilemma is a primary cause of school dropouts, learners being left behind, and missing out on the opportunities that education provides.
We need to intentionally prioritize agency as an ecosystem both at micro and macro levels in the sector, whether it is financing, teacher training, competency-based curriculum, assessments, data management, or policies.
The collective action model can be replicated at the country level and fed into the regional level. We welcome partnerships to make this happen as we await the establishment of a regional network to strengthen the multi-sectoral partnerships for education in the EAC region and transform the vision into actionable items.
Joan Mwachi has led the Collective Action efforts and is a Board Member for EdTech East Africa.
EdTech East Africa brought tech gurus to a summit held at Garissa University in Garissa to explore the future of education technology in the Frontier Counties.
A daylong summit that culminated in the launch of a pilot project for a digital literacy program for eight frontier counties brought together policymakers, education technology practitioners, educators, researchers, and government representatives from Kenyan frontier counties.
Abdinoor Alimahdi, the founder of M-Lugha, who was among the technology enthusiasts at the summit, demonstrated how young learners can access content through an application in different Kenyan languages.
“M-Lugha is a literacy-based solution, a translation service, and early childhood or basic education for adults. We understand the region’s lack of teachers and are bridging the gap using digital learning skills,” he said.
He said they will train teachers in eight Frontier counties who will train learners in digital skills.
He described how to use M-Lugha and emphasized its significance for schools, even those in remote areas, because it operates within a 100-meter radius and has KICD-approved content. The content he noted can be downloaded for future use and plays a significant role, especially in areas that experience a shortage of teachers, such as the northeastern region.
Abdinoor urged residents in the region to put more emphasis on technology in the early years of learning, noting that some courses might be obsolete soon and adding that the world is moving towards technology.
He noted that their ultimate goal is to enable young university graduates with visual impairments to access inclusive employment opportunities.
David Osinya, a program officer at Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, demonstrated how the Orbit Reader 20 works with visually impaired children. He noted that the previous braille gadget was large and expensive, unlike the orbit reader, which he said was a removable memory card.
Visually impaired staff members also use it to read books or take notes. It is, however, not an internet-enabled gadget. It’s called the reader 20 since it has 20 cells. A visually impaired individual can read, take notes, and access content stored in the orbit reader.
He explained that their organization focuses on providing digital literacy, decoding STEM subjects, employability skills for visually impaired communities, and offering support system devices for people with visual impairments. He noted that their ultimate goal is to enable young university graduates with visual impairments to access inclusive employment opportunities.
The Kilimanjaro Blind Trust is based in Nairobi but works in various counties. In Garissa, they support the Garissa primary school. They also support several schools in Mandera and Masrsabit. According to Osinya, they also train technicians in various schools so that they learn how to handle the device.
Garissa Governor Nathif Jama, who graced the occasion, said the digital literacy conversation is critical in the Frontier Counties region. He appreciated the Summit sponsors, underscoring the importance of technology to learners at an early age.
“As the chair of ASAL counties in the Council of Governors, I appreciate all other partners who, with dedication, continue to empower communities through technology. Such an initiative is a significant milestone in their efforts to ensure that people in the region gain the necessary knowledge and skills to survive the digital age, ultimately creating employment opportunities and fostering economic growth,” he said.
The EdTech summit, the governor noted, has come at the right time when Garissa and other FCDC counties are investing in digital learning. Garissa, in particular, is working on internet connectivity, ICT laps, digital hubs in the sub-counties, and GIS implementations, which will launch in the coming week.
The pilot project for digital literacy targets up to 14, 000 schoolchildren in Northern Kenya who will have access to computing lessons for the first time, equipping them with vital digital skills for the future.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation, in partnership with the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC) and the M-Lugha Foundation, will lead the initiative. Thousands of schoolchildren aged 8–14 in eight FCDC counties will benefit from computing lessons, a significant boost to upskilling young people in the country’s arid areas. Key terms will be translated into Somali, Borana, Turkana, and other local languages to aid comprehension. The M-Lugha Foundation, spearheading the project across eight counties, will manage these translations.
According to Wariara Waireri of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, “We are delighted to be partnering with FCDC and the M-Lugha Foundation in this exciting project to ensure young people living in these communities have access to high-quality computing lessons and resources, supported by the most recent research.”
“The curriculum has been specially adapted for Northern Kenya, so it feels more relevant to the students’ lives, providing them with vital skills for the future.” She added.
The summit featured various panelists discussing the unique context of EdTech in the frontier counties. Abdullahi Maalim of the FCDC moderated the discussion. The panelists included Stephen Ajanga from the regional Teachers Service Commission, Anil Khamis from Aga Khan University, and Dr. Mohamed Dahir, an education specialist and member of the Mandera County Education Task Force.
Dr. Mohamed Dahir stated that blaming insecurity, infrastructure, connectivity, and other factors for the lack of education in the region is no longer tenable. He emphasized that it is a leadership issue, whether it involves political leaders, heads of institutions, or Boards of Management (BOMs), and that they need to step up and resolve the issues within their reach.
He emphasized the importance of engaging all stakeholders, including children, parents, and education professionals, in serious discussions to resolve the issues revolving around education. He noted that these discussions should focus on solutions rather than placing blame on the sector’s problems.
He noted that the region’s problem is the excessive localization and long tenure of staff, citing the example of the head of an institution who has remained at the same school for over 20 years.
Stephen Ajanga, a regional representative of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), noted that the current teacher shortage is a result of the government’s 1998 policy that froze employment. He mentioned that the TSC is working to bridge this gap by recruiting more teachers. Additionally, he highlighted that affirmative action, which allows teachers in the region to be recruited on permanent contracts, also addresses the shortage.
He said over 3000 local students are currently in various teacher training schools, hence the anticipation that the teacher shortage will be resolved in the coming years.
Anil Khamis from Aga Khan University noted the distinction between digital natives and digital immigrants. He explained that digital immigrants—the older generation, including teachers—were not born into the digital age. In contrast, digital natives, the young children born into a world with technology, need to be equipped with digital skills. He emphasized the importance of training teachers, as they are crucial agents of change in this rapidly evolving technological world.
In the Collective Action Workshops moderated by Joan Mwachi, participants discussed foundational learning and basic literacy skills by creating personas in the ASAL areas. They focused on Halima, a woman from Garissa who left school to marry and now runs a small shop, earning 15,000 KES monthly. The discussion highlighted her use of WhatsApp for communication with her children’s teachers, who send updates on their progress and follow-up messages.
It was observed that children often relay information from teachers to parents. Sometimes, teachers send their students to ask their parents to check WhatsApp for communication. They believe this practice can significantly enhance learning and keep parents informed about their children’s well-being.
Here are two sample messages shared by participants:
“Hi, Mama Abu, Homework is available on WhatsApp, due on 1/7/2024.”
“Salaam aleykum, mama Abu, Kazi ya ziada hesabu moja hadi kumi.”
Local convenings like the EdTech East Africa event at Garissa University play a crucial role in exploring and implementing solutions tailored to the unique challenges of ASAL (Arid and Semi-Arid Lands) regions. Bringing together local stakeholders, policymakers, and technology experts, these summits foster discussions that lead to the development of targeted initiatives such as digital literacy programs and innovative educational tools. They ensure that solutions are relevant and responsive to the specific needs of communities in Northern Kenya, aiming to equip youth with essential digital skills and empower them for future success in the digital age.
As the world evolves, everything is taking on a new shape, with digital space taking over in all sectors and introducing new technologies.
Kenya is one of the countries that is quickly evolving and ensuring that it is not left behind by introducing digital working spaces not only in offices but also in schools. The introduction of the CBC was one of the new technologies that were introduced in learning institutes, especially in public schools.
Today, EdTech community experts are working towards promoting digital literacy in schools in Kenya and ensuring that learners, teachers, and parents are introduced to and made aware of the importance of technology in schools.
Despitethe efforts by governments, the EdTech community, and other stakeholders to ensure that there is inclusivity of technology among learners, there is still a gap when it comes to learners with disabilities who have been left out, especially those who are mentally handicapped.
The Action Foundation head of programs, Stephen Ikonya, noted that Kenya has a big gap in inclusion and that women, girls, and children with disabilities have always been left out of technology programs.
Schools are also struggling to get resources that can enable digital literacy learning in their institutions because it is expensive and hard to maintain.
The language barrier among learners, teachers, and illiterate parents is still a challenge that needs to be addressed. Teachers cannot also contextualize the content to ensure inclusion in classrooms.
Philip Okidi, a teacher at Pwani Secondary School for the Deaf, said that schools and educational institutions should prioritize accessibility and diversity in STEM. He called upon all stakeholders to ensure that girls are not denied the opportunity to access their rights to go to school because most parents do not allow them to attend school. He said that learners with disabilities should also be given postsecondary digital support just to ensure that they do not sit home idle.
The government and key stakeholders were called upon to ensure that teachers are retooled to enable inclusivity.
The national government, through the Ministry of Education, has also come out to support the initiative of digital literacy in schools by providing training to teachers.
Dr. Robert Juma Wamalwa, a member of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, stated during the 2024 Pwani EdTech Summit that the government and its agencies have started a journey that goes beyond the bounds of conventional education thanks to the winds of technological innovation.
In this rapidly evolving digital landscape, he said that the interception of education and technology has become the cycle of progress shaping the way children learn, how they are taught, and ultimately the future of society.
Dr. Wamalwa said that there is a need for the EdTech community, the government, and other stakeholders to reflect on the power of collaboration and imagination because the digital era has presented opportunities to enhance the learning experience, breaking down barriers and creating a conducive environment for learners around the globe.
The 2024 Pwani summit took place in Mombasa at the Close the Gap Hub. Jecinter Nduta, manager at Close the Gap Hub, a tech incubation hub where the 2024 Pwani summit took place, said that Close the Gap, a Belgium company, was brought to Mombasa to make it more inclusive for Mombasa people because there was huge innovation potential.
Changing the Norm
EdTech East Africa, supported by the Mastercard Foundation, is working closely with East African countries to ensure that learners are introduced to digital literacy.
It is a network that began 10 years ago to bring EdTech communities together in Kenya with a focus on three goals, coordination, transparency, and action. It has since grown to an EdTech East Africa community of over 4000 individuals.
Dr. Wamalwa said that the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of ICT are working together with EdTech East Africa, which plays a very crucial role in delivering technology by developing ICT infrastructure for curriculum delivery and assessment to improve digital literacy among teachers’ parents and other key stakeholders. “EdTech also has a role to play in ensuring that there are enhanced accelerated education programs for marginalized learners and learners with special needs.” Dr. Robert Juma Wamalwa.
The EdTech East Africa chief executive officer and Kenya Co-Lead at EdTech Hub, Jeniffer Cotter-Otieno, said in her remarks that the organization aims to bring communities together to create relationships and forge the way forward. “Pwani EdTech Summit is about something bigger than any individual or organization; this is about us coming together. As individuals, we cannot change EdTech in Kenya, but together, it is possible, and we have the opportunity to use technology to make that transformation happen,” said Jennifer.
“We all believe that, as partners, it is important to use evidence as our common language for what allows us to make the most informed decision about how we use technology in teaching and learning. We have the responsibility of transforming the education sector in Kenya, and together, we can make that transformation,” she noted.
The CEO noted that EdTech East Africa has an agenda of helping African governments close the gaps that exist in the education sector. They are working towards having evidence-based technology by enabling teaching and learning in schools.
Evidence-based Tech
On her part, EdTech Hub executive director Verna Lalberharie noted that the EdTech Hub is a global research partnership and has a role to focus on and make sure that decision-makers, regardless of where they sit in the digital ecosystem, have access to vigorous evidence and a lot of work in regards to technology and education.
She noted that there is a need for critical evidence that will guide developers in providing tech solutions. “There is still limited evidence on the work in low-income countries in regards to technology, so how do we as developers or policymakers handle enthusiasm, including teachers as co-creators? Their role is very essential. Parental engagement is a very critical component because children who grow up in low-literacy environments where parents lack education resources, capacity, and connections in schools that need to support the development of children’s education; therefore, we need to partner with schools to ensure that we make this happen,” Verna Lalberharie noted.
She noted that measuring learners’ experiences is critical, adding that there is still a gap in the social and emotional learning of children and their mental and physical status. Her call to action to the government, EdTech community, and other stakeholders was that as they work on EdTech solutions, they need to take into consideration how they consider the children.
Innovation Manager East Africa, Brink Kenya, and Co-Lead EdTech Hub, Ciku Mbugua, said that they want to generate and continuously use evidence to improve and upscale in sub-Saharan Africa.
She said that EdTech Hub has a new project called Ubora Bora, which is expected to be launched on February 27, 2024, under the partnership of the Gates Foundation, who are the funders.
The new project will help enable continuous improvement and remind the education system to use evidence.
“EdTech is already doing upscale and long-term research, but we want to do speed implementation research; we want to help unlock certain things in the implementation journey. We have to work with the government and provide solutions for government productivity,” Ciku Mbugua said.
She noted that system integration goes hand in hand with scale and that the strength of evidence needs to work with the goal. The new project will fund the governments, but the partners will work with the governments.
EdTech East Africa Collective Action Lead Joan Mwachi said that evidence is key, and they cannot talk about what works if they don’t talk about what works. This is because with technology, it is easy to talk about it, but those who are not in technology need evidence to believe that it works.
“We are in the process of making adaptive change consumable; we are in the era of making AI; we are now talking about intersections in education and AI: AI for learning and AI for teaching.
How are we adapting to these things? How are we preparing our teachers, what are our policies saying, and how do we use the platform of foundational learning to address skills for the future? It is all connected in one way or another, and each one of us has a role to play in that space,” said Joan Mwachi.
The key areas include a common agenda where they want to use technology to close the gap and shared measurement systems, and this entails mutually reinforcing activities. She said that if the EdTech community works together collectively, they will make a change that will work.
Another key to the collaborative effort is continuous communication. Joan said that the community platform is what EdTech has for people. On the backbone support, she noted that their role as an organization is to try and bring everyone together and coordinate the efforts of the community.
“Edtech is a catalyst; the members sit on the table of reforms because they work in one voice. What we are doing is embedded in the Ministry of Education’s vision to support teachers to have the required skills. We have partners who are working to ensure that we have co-facilitators in all areas, identifying skills that are needed in the future, and who are working towards producing technology that ensures equity and inclusion,” Joan Mwachi noted.
Call to Action
To strengthen the use of technology in schools beyond the connectivity infrastructures that can be used, the government and key stakeholders were also called upon to ensure that teachers are given access to the devices, especially by the school heads and the Ministry of Education.
Stakeholders were called upon to also ensure that young people are involved in this technology implementation in schools because they are more likely to embrace and adapt technology than the teachers.
The government was also urged to come up with evidence-driven policies that will make technology yield in schools.
“It is very important to start working with teachers and not for teachers; let them contribute to the making and validation of solutions.” William is an EdTech community member.
The representative of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, Dr. Robert Juma Wamalwa, said that the Ministry of Education has support from the Ministry of ICT in the implementation of technology in schools because it cannot make it on its own.
“The Ministry of Education on its own cannot make it; it needs an extra hand and support in achieving the goals towards introducing technology to learners, and that is why EdTech East Africa plays a very crucial role in this to leverage technology at all levels of education by defaulting on ICT infrastructure for curriculum delivery and assessment to improve digital literacy among teachers, parents, and other key stakeholders,” Robert Wamalwa noted.
He said that the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms recommended that the Ministry of Education enhance and accelerate education programs for marginalized learners and learners with special needs while upscaling inclusivity, an area in which he said EdTech will have to play a crucial role.
We also recommended the framework for operationalizing the National Open University of Kenya. This alone presents a transformative opportunity for technology to play a central role in shaping the future of education. These are the areas which he said EdTech needs to swim in.
He called upon collaboration between the government, education institutions, and the private sector as an essential player in the success of these reforms.
He noted that he is very close to the EdTech community because they are the team that can help the government achieve or fulfill the recommendations they have on the table both nationally, regionally, and even globally.
“If we talk of the African Union, that is where every country within the region must come. We need serious stakeholders and partners like the EdTech community and other opportunities because we have increased access to learning, inclusive quality education, relevance in learning and teaching, and parent and teacher professional development.
Online courses are something that EdTech East Africa can do because, within the EdTech community, we have a team of innovators who have a lot of energy to implement this.
EdTech East Africa has a plan to hold their summits in all 47 counties to create awareness of the importance of technology in schools. The next summit will be held in North and Northern Eastern, Central, and then come back to Nairobi for the 2024 national summit.
About the AuthorMs. Aura is a communication consultant, a storyteller, and a writer. She is a journalist working with Radio Africa Group, where she writes for The Star Newspaper.
It is a hot, humid Tuesday morning on February 20th, and guests are slowly streaming in to attend the EdTech East Africa organised Pwani EDTech Summit.
A first of its kind, the event brought together EdTech experts based in the Coast region as well as innovators working in the coastal part of Kenya.
Close the Gap, an incubation hub nurturing the most outstanding tech innovations in the Coast region, is this edition’s host, with a well-organized venue suited exactly for that kind of audience.
The summit was not only to discuss the innovations but also to come up with other solutions that will see more learners, especially in remote and marginalized areas, get access to EdTech learning tools.
It was also to shed light on the importance of collaboration between government agencies, innovators, and other EdTech practitioners to make the learning transformation a success.
The inclusion of innovators meant they demonstrated their work to other parties for the sake of making their work known to more people and also forming connections.
Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) member Dr. Eng Robert Wamalwa officially opened the summit, highlighting why the intersection of technology and education is shaping learning and the future of society.
“This summit is a catalyst for change where education is not confined to classrooms. This is a journey that will change the destiny of education,” Wamalwa said, setting the mood for the day-long engagement.
He also noted the importance of leveraging the use of technology to empower learners and institutions. As an ambassador for ED Tech, he said it was time that government officials, education players, and the private sector collaborate to see not only Kenya but all the African Union countries benefit from this.
Jacinta Nduta, Close the Gap’s hub manager, was appreciative of EdTech East Africa considering the hub as a venue for the largest EdTech summit in the coastal region.
She said the hub offers co-working spaces, meeting rooms, and physical shops for computers whose prices are way below the market prices. These computers allow a wider population to access affordable laptops.
Their latest innovation is the Digitruck, which moves from one school to another to teach coding to learners, especially those who do not have physical premises or infrastructure that would promote education in tech, such as electricity or machines.
EdTech East Arica Co-Founder Jennifer Cotter-Otieno was in awe of the attendance, noting how this was just a noble idea with ten people ten years ago but is now attracting tens of hundreds of players in the sector.
“We decided to hold a summit in Mombasa because we wanted to bring all the communities represented from across the country.”.
“We cannot change the education sector in Kenya individually, but when we do it together, it is possible.”
On the partnership, she said the Mastercard Foundation had played a major role as a sponsor for this and other EdTech East Africa initiatives, such as the EdTech Mondays, a programme that discusses various issues in the industry and features several players.
Collaboration
EdTech Hub Executive Director Verna Lalbeharie noted that with Ed Tech, it was key to co-create innovations with teachers, parents, and caregivers to be able to have an all-round working system.
“There is limited evidence of what works in low- and middle-income countries. We need more collaborative research that will enhance the design and the platforms that we use for learning.”
A key issue was the importance of parent engagement, even as she said that teachers had shown enthusiasm.
“Parents cannot expose children to teaching at an early age; therefore, collaboration with caregivers can help prompt them to meet the challenges expected because they know what they need.”
She also noted that the learner’s wellness was important in transition. Verna said the physical health, mental health, and all-around wellness of those learning also contribute to the success of the tools used and their effectiveness.
Collaboration stood out in the day-long interactions that not only involved speeches by key organizers but also plenaries and group discussions organized to shed light on the various technologies that have been applied to support learners in their education.
In her opening speech, Jennifer Cotter-Otieno said this was not just an event, but the summit was a platform to create relationships that forge the way forward in the fast-growing sector.
“We want to create an evidence-driven movement, create transparency, and also catalyze action so that we can do our work more efficiently.”
This was not possible without the inclusion of key government players.
For instance, the presidential working party on education reforms, represented by Dr. Robert Juma Wamalwa, came up with recommendations for improving the learning cycle.
“Let us reflect on the power of collaboration and imagination,” Dr. Wamalwa said, adding that PWPER had come up with recommendations for education, with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of ICT, and EdTech playing a major role in the education transformation.
He also said the other recommendation was for the Ministry of Education to enhance inclusivity, which will be an opportunity for EdTech to play a role in the fast-transforming and evolving education sector due to technology.
Other than the role of the government, innovators were also asked to collaborate, as opposed to working in silos, to be able to bring out the best in their work. Innovators join forces, especially those with similar innovations, to avoid the replication of ideas.
Collective Action
Joan Mwachi’s Collective Action Workshop session brought to light how stakeholders are preparing for the use of artificial intelligence in terms of policies and how technology can help close this gap.
“If we work collectively, we will achieve the changes we want,” said Joan.
She said successful collaboration efforts include having a common agenda, a shared measurement system, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and a backbone support organization.
“EdTech has started a movement that I think will lead us to achieving this,” added Joan.
Demonstrations of Working Innovations in Coast Region
In one of the breakouts, Stem Impact Center Kenya ran a demonstration on how to use the coding app dubbed SCRATCH, which uses a block model for coding.
Stem Impact Center, the youth development non-profit organization, leverages Science, Technology, and Innovations (STI) to enhance technical skills development, youth empowerment, employment creation, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
The showcased programming language and online platform allow users to create stories, games, and animations. Scratch promotes computational thinking and problem-solving skills, creative teaching and learning, self-expression and collaboration, and equity in computing.
Children as young as six years old can use this, which is one of the technological learning solutions that is effective in some Coast region schools. For instance, the drag-and-drop program can be used to ease learning, and its adaptation of the Kiswahili and English languages makes the tool more relatable.
The highlight of the demo session was when participants were offered laptops to attempt to create characters and conversations using the block model. This also involved individual voice recordings to personalize the characters and being guided on how to arrange the code blocks to make successful stories from the characters.
“Most learners love it when they hear their voices, which makes the tool more relatable,” a representative from the STEM Impact Center said. They added that the innovation was willing to offer workshops for both teachers and learners in new schools to get to know how the tool works.
Taking Digital Personalized Learning in ECDs a notch higher
In the other session, Janice Mutegi and Joseph Gatonye, passionate ECD teachers, took advantage of the forum to explain to the attendees how an innovation of EIDU is working to help learning in preschools.
“We are bringing digital personalized learning (DPL) to Kenya to support teachers’ efforts in teaching,” said Janice.
Through the tool, learners have access to digital personalized learning content in math and literacy. The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has approved all content, and it is fully in line with the new competency-based curriculum (CBC).
Her co-presenter, Mr. Gatonye, said they are working in steps with partners to ensure the DPL is introduced in class to support the teacher’s efforts and also have a structured pedagogy that is digitised to help teachers have some uniform way to deliver the competency-based curriculum (CBC) better and ensure ECDE officers have a platform or tool to monitor and support learning.
So far, the team has visited 37 counties and says their goal is to serve all 12+ million public pre-primary and primary students across the country by 2027, making Kenya the first country in the world to have a fully digitized education system.
Mr. Gatonye said they had developed a digital learning platform and worked with the county governments to identify schools and then help the teachers deliver the CBC curriculum.
To ensure teachers are capacity-built, they used a master training approach for early childhood development officers. They also support monitoring through class observations and cluster meetings, and EIDU officers support tech issues.
In the case study, Jane said ECDE learning in the classroom has shown considerable improvement in terms of materials in the Coast region.
“However, in every classroom you visit, different teachers have different strategic methods of covering their lessons. Even though they are using CBC designs from KICD, they have different priorities,” she said.
The project, however, still faces a challenge because there are few tools to support teachers in the coverage of their lessons.
Local education officers monitoring learning also turned out to be a challenge. The duo, however, said EIDU has joined hands with the county government to ensure learning outcomes are improved through the use of enhanced tools to support the learner, the teacher, and the officers.
Their sessions also included group questions for participants to brainstorm how best teachers can be supported through training and capacity building when it comes to the application of the DPL tools in schools.
To be highly noted was the need to not just target the teachers but also to include community leaders and parents and use existing platforms.
Participants also suggested that there should be webinars for teacher training so that they do not have to move out of the classroom. The other suggestion was training outside of class hours.
To make this more effective, groups suggested that young teachers should be targeted in the training since they are more adaptive to digital tools.
As teachers, it was also important to note that there were factors to be considered when it came to the dosage of the tools for the learners. Participants said key considerations would be the concentration span of the learners, the activity type, and the type of learner to know how long each one will take to use the tools.
Creating Visibility
As the summit came to an end, Ed Tech East Africa called for the need to increase the visibility of creators and their projects to a larger audience.
This is after it turned out that even though there were great innovations, they were not highlighted, and people and various stakeholders were not aware of what was happening in the Ed Tech space in the coastal region and other parts of the country.
Ms Joan said highlighting such innovations to a greater audience will not only foster growth but also open avenues for collaboration with interested investors and innovators from other parts of the world
More summits and opportunities
In her closing remarks, Jennifer said this was the first of the many regional summits.
The next summit will be held in the Northern Kenya Region and another one in the Central Region before it goes back to Nairobi. “These summits will hold discussions that reflect on the technology being used and whether it is working in these specific regions,” said the co-founder.
About the author:
Ms. Cece Siago is a bilingual multimedia communication specialist and consultant. With over seven years of experience in the communication and media industries, she develops compelling stories with a bias in technology, education, climate, health, and the environment. She has worked with the Nation Media Group as a reporter based in the Coast region, with her multimedia work published in The East African, The Daily Nation, Business Daily, and Taifa Leo (Swahili), among others.
EdTech East Africa, spearheaded by visionary co-founder and CEO Jennifer Cotter-Otieno, is not just an organization. It is a movement, a vibrant ecosystem of stakeholders working together to reshape the educational landscape through technology.
From a humble beginning as EdTech Nairobi, this powerhouse has grown to over 4,000 members, united by a common goal: inclusive, evidence-driven technology use in education. Their reach goes beyond the city limits, thanks to partners who share their passion. The summit in Western Kenya exemplifies their commitment to building a truly inclusive movement.
The goals of EdTech Conversations are clear and ambitious:
● Coordinated action: Ensure technology in education is used inclusively and effectively.
● Transparency and clarity: bridge the communication gap between diverse stakeholders.
● Action, not just talk: drive policies, practices, and real-world impact.
This isn’t a one-off event. EdTech Conversations have been ongoing for two years, attracting more voices and evidence with each session. It’s about building a collective narrative—a tapestry woven from diverse experiences and perspectives.
Who attends?
The Western EdTech Summit, hosted at Tom Mboya University in Homabay, was a microcosm of the movement itself. From product developers to community educators, from research scientists to digital infrastructure builders, everyone with a stake in education’s future was present. It was a powerful reminder that change requires a village.
The event was not just about sharing stories. Dr. Manos Antonios’s presentation of the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report on Technology and Education offered a critical look at this evolving field. Key takeaways?
● Scale and Scope of Technology: Despite significant deployment in higher education, technology has yet to transform primary and secondary education. Only one in ten students use digital devices regularly in classrooms.
● Rapid Change and Lack of Evidence: Education technology products change rapidly, approximately every three years. This pace outstrips the ability of research to keep up. In the UK, only 7% of products have undergone rigorous testing. In the US, only 2% of apps in the government clearinghouse have evidence of a moderate or high impact on learning. Despite the lack of evidence, technology adoption continues at a rapid pace, with technology providers generating much of the available evidence.
● Impact on Learning: The impact of technology on learning is best described as context-dependent. Some educational technologies improve some types of learning in some contexts. Broader societal issues related to equity and equality should inform decisions on the use of technology in education.
● Human-Centered Vision of Education: Technology in education should put the best interests of learners and teachers at the center. The suitability and value of these tools need to be proven concerning a human-centered vision of education. It’s important to consider who these tools might leave behind.
Dr. Antonios also shared a four-point compass that his team had developed for education policymakers:
● Look Down: Assess if the technology is appropriate to your context and learning needs.
● Look Back: Ensure focus on the marginalized.
● Look Up: Consider whether your choices are scalable.
● Look Forward: Plan to support a vision for sustainable development in the future.
Western Kenya Grassroot Education Technology Case Studies
Angaza Elimu
Mr. Kiko Muuo, CEO of Angaza Elimu, provided demonstrable proof of the potential in the case study he presented. His pilot project in GIGA schools demonstrated the effectiveness of personalized learning and teaching. Angaza Elimu, a digital tool, boosted student engagement and performance, with boys showing higher adoption and improvement in science and social studies.
● Angaza Elimu: It proved to be an effective tool for facilitating student engagement inside and outside the classroom, with measurable improvements in student performance over its usage period.
● Gender Differences: Across almost all schools, boys had higher levels of engagement and adoption of Angaza Elimu and outperformed girls.
● Subject Performance: Science and social studies were the subjects where Angaza Elimu facilitated the highest increases in student performance.
● Teacher Upskilling: Teachers require upskilling that builds digital literacy as well as learning greater digital pedagogy principles. Increased digital competency among teachers and access to digital tools enhance the capacity of teachers to adapt teaching methods to deliver the national curriculum.
Challenges remain:
● Internet Access: Consistent access to the Internet remains a key challenge for the adoption of digital learning and teaching in schools.
● Device Availability: There is a lack of enough devices, with a best-case scenario of a 1:2 device-to-student ratio per class in each school. This leads to the significant challenge of device scrambling.
● Teacher Training: There is a strong need for ad hoc and ongoing in-person teacher training components that build teachers’ comfort and confidence to utilize digital tools.
Edutab Africa
Mr. Mike Mumbo, the CEO and Founder of Edutab Africa, presented the second case study. It clearly showed the importance of teamwork by stakeholders for rural learning. In two remote Trans Nzoia schools, Edutab Africa is using Moodle to provide offline digital education, transforming how teachers use technology and integrate playful learning. This ongoing collaboration with local NGOs, schools, and the Ministry of Education highlights the crucial role of partnerships in empowering rural communities.
Collective Action Goals Workshop
The participants in particular gave careful consideration to the collective action objectives under Joan Mwachi’s leadership at EdTech East Africa. From the workshop, it was clear that education today faces a critical turning point. A coordinated effort with specific objectives that prioritize inclusivity, innovation, and empowerment is necessary to prepare students for the opportunities and challenges of the future. The five EDTech East Africa collective goals are very clear and specific:
1. Building the foundations: Literacy and numeracy aren’t relics of the past; they’re the pillars upon which future skills are built. Ensuring every learner, regardless of background or circumstance, grasps these core competencies is paramount. The key is to use a shared measurement system, using tools like EGra and EGma to assess literacy and numeracy skills across different programs
2. Future-Proofing Skills: The world of work is evolving at breakneck speed. It was clear to all that learners should be equipped with the critical thinking, collaboration, and digital fluency they need to solve problems, adapt to change, and navigate the complexities of a digital future.
3. Technology for All: Technology can be a powerful equalizer, but only if it is designed for inclusivity and accessibility. From diverse content to user interfaces that cater to different learning styles, we must ensure technology serves every learner, not only a select few.
4. Empowering the Frontlines: Teachers, school leaders, parents, and caregivers are the closest allies of learners on their educational journey. By strengthening their capacity to create data-driven, inclusive, and engaging digital learning experiences, we empower them to guide and inspire.
5. Building a Resilient Ecosystem: Sustainable digital infrastructure, reliable connectivity, and evidence-based policies are the bedrock of a resilient learning environment. Investments in these areas ensure everyone has equal access to quality digital education, no matter where they learn.
On the last goal, the participants were introduced to the ICT integration model, a framework for government-private sector collaboration to ensure equity, quality, and research in technology-enabled education.
Conclusion
EdTech East Africa is taking the conversations to the grassroots, and the Western EdTech Summit was just the beginning of an exciting journey. Expect more summits in different parts of Kenya, spearheaded by EdTech East Africa. The future of education looks brighter than ever.
“Despite education receiving over a third of the national budget, many decisions are made without reliance on evidence, leading to inadequate knowledge and information on alternative, cost-effective, and impactful alternatives,” Dr. Kilemi Mwiria observed at the recently concluded 5th Education Evidence for Action (EE4A) 2023 in Homabay County. Dr. Mwiria is the Managing Director of Africa at Education.Org, an independent non-profit that uses evidence to transform education for children and young people. Having a political and research background, Dr. Kilemi was a great fit to deliver the keynote because he could speak from both sides. If you recall, he led a task force in 2014, proposing a raft of measures, including introducing free secondary education.
EE4A is a biennial conference that brings together the research community—researchers, development partners, and policymakers—in education in Kenya to discuss the use of evidence in education decision-making. This year, EE4A was from November 28th to November 30th, with the theme Revitalizing the Evidence Community for Kenya’s Education. It was the first time a learning institution, Tom Mboya University, hosted this conference and ensured strong representation from the academic research community in Kenya, with over 40 deans from universities and technical institutions in attendance.
Dr. Mwiria argued that the collection of enrollment data, participation data, and other data helps allocate resources effectively and provide ideas about progress. However, reports about these numbers may not always reflect the reality on the ground, with many students going through difficulties such as the scarcity of textbooks distributed to schools and the shortage of teachers in some areas.
Also in his keynote speech, Dr. Mwiria discussed the challenges of using evidence in school administration, particularly in school examinations. He noted that while there are county quality assurance teams that use evidence to guide special transitions, there are issues with the objectivity of this data across all schools and the potential for manipulation.
Representing the Ministry of Education (MoE) was Mr. Darius Mogaka, Director of University Education, who read the opening remarks on behalf of Hon. Ezekiel Machogu, the Cabinet Secretary at MoE. He reiterated the importance of using evidence as a catalyst for transformative change in Kenya’s education. He gave the example of the government’s commitment to educational reforms by commissioning the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER), which conducted countrywide consultations with education stakeholders, resulting in a report that prioritized reforms for quality education.
In his speech, Hon. Machogu recognized the symbiotic relationship between evidence and policy in ensuring that decisions resonate with the proven dynamics of effective education. As such, he emphasized the importance of inclusivity, ensuring that every voice from the classroom to the research lab is heard.
Of interest to the EdTech ecosystem was having EdTech as one of the four EE4A conference tracks, positioning it as a key enabler to improving education outcomes. EdTech East Africa held their first Western Kenya EdTech Summit as an EE4A 2023 pre-conference activity on November 28th. This half-day event built upon the national-level conversation conducted at the Kenya EdTech Summit in September 2023. The Western Kenya EdTech Summit allowed local EdTech innovators and enablers to interact with the Kenya EdTech Collective Action Goals workshop and Learning Out Loud workshops featuring two case studies of locally implemented EdTech solutions—Edutab Africa and Angaza Elimu.
The aim was to bring the conversations around EdTech evidence closer to the local community in Western Kenya. Kiko Muuo, the CEO of Angaza Elimu, said in his session that what data from their EdTech interventions has shown them is a disparity between the way girls and boys access technology. He said that they observed a trend where girls accessed their platform late at night when they should be asleep, while boys accessed their platform during normal after-school hours. On probing, they found out that the trend was due to domestic work by the girls after school.
Mike Mumbo and the Edutab Africa team presented a case study of providing digital education through Moodle for offline access to two rural primary schools in a remote region in Trans Nzoia County. The ongoing case study has so far empowered teachers to integrate technology and playful learning. It has also brought to the fore the importance of collaboration with local NGOs, schools, and the Ministry of Education.
In a pre-recorded video played at the pre-conference, Dr. Manos Antonios, Director of the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, highlighted the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report on Technology in Education. The report highlights three key findings:
1. Although the scope and scale of technology and its change have been vast over the last few years, in higher education and lifelong learning, it has yet to transform primary education.
2. As EdTech products change rapidly, on average every three years, research cannot keep up. In the UK, only 7% of products had gone through rigorous testing, and in the US, only 2% of apps in the government’s clearing house had evidence of a moderate or high impact on learning. In cases of the availability of evidence, it is technology providers who provide that evidence.
3. The best way of describing the impact is that some education technologies improve some types of learning in some contexts. This also means that broader considerations around society-wide issues related to equity and quality should inform our decisions on the use of technology in education, with learners’ and teachers’ interests at the center.
Ciku Mbugua, Kenya Co-Lead at the EdTech Hub, led a discussion on Dr. Manos Antonios’ sentiments regarding what the evidence means for the EdTech ecosystem in Western Kenya. Some of the issues that came out of this conversation were issues of teacher professional development in terms of using technology in the classroom and inadequate infrastructure in rural areas, making access to technology difficult for learners and teachers.
During the main conference, Joan Mwachi, Collective Action Lead at EdTech East Africa, lauded the fact that this time, the EdTech conversation was part of EE4A’s core agenda and not a side conversation. Joan moderated an engaging EdTech panel consisting of Jennifer Cotter Otieno, CEO and co-founder of EdTech East Africa and Kenya Co-Lead at EdTech Hub; Kiko Muuo, representing the EdTech practitioners; Eng. Robert Juma Wamalwa, who was part of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms; Dr. Owen Ngumi, from Zetech University; and Prof. Carol Omulando from KCA University, representing academia.
This panel brought out issues of educators’ attitudes toward the use of technology in the classroom, the challenges of e-learning in higher education, issues of access and equity in terms of gender and geographical location of learners, the innovative collaborations between EdTech practitioners and infrastructure providers like telcos, and the strategies that EdTech East Africa is using to bridge the gap between evidence and practice of EdTech interventions. EdTech East Africa is in charge of ecosystem-building initiatives like the Kenyan EdTech Collective Action Goals, which all ecosystem participants co-created under the direction of existing government policies on ICT and education.
Dr. Sarah Ruto, the former CAS for Education who is part of the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (GEAAP), also reiterated the GEM report when she gave a snapshot of the 2023 GEAAP report on Cost-Effective Approaches to Improve Global Learning. The report outlines great, good, and bad buys for educational programs. The GEAAP report lists great buys as providing information on benefits, costs, and quality of education; supporting teachers with structured pedagogy; and targeting teaching instruction by learning level, not grade (in and out of school). However, making a single investment in hardware, such as laptops, tablets, or computers, or funding additional inputs without addressing other contextual issues has proven to be a bad buy time and time again.
The interesting insights that came out of the GEAAP report were the interventions with promising but limited evidence. These have studies that prove their high effectiveness, but evidence of their cost-effectiveness or examples of implementation at scale is lacking. One such intervention is using software that allows personalized learning and adapts to the learning level of the child (where hardware is already in schools). The concept of adaptive learning is already in use with EdTech products. This report clearly shows that it is an area of academic research that’s yet to be exploited.
As a first-time attendee, the conference prompted introspection. My motivation was to interact with the evidence community as I prepared to come up with a master’s thesis topic. Listening to the different panel sessions, I couldn’t help asking myself the same questions posed. How do I make sure my research informs policy? What is my motivation for choosing a topic? And how do I maintain the quality of my research? Will it be related to EdTech, having worked in EdTech circles for more than five years?
Dr. Charles Ochola, Vice Chancellor of Tom Mboya University, interrupted my thoughts during the Higher Education panel session. He stated that the research agenda is for career advancements and not to influence policy. Most postgraduates are self-funded by busy working students. This is why, outside every university, you see posters announcing research services and people offering to write master’s theses and Ph.D. dissertations while they don’t even hold degrees. This shines a light on the quality of evidence churned out of our higher learning institutions. Upon successful completion, the bound research gathers dust in libraries and stores, never to be read or influence policies.
To remedy this, Dr. Ochola said that we need to have more organizations fund authentic academic research. He stressed that senior lecturers and professors should have more time to do research, balancing it with their lecture work. There needs to be a succession plan for mentoring young lecturers.
In conclusion, the 5th Education Evidence 4 Action (EE4A) 2023 conference provided a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities within the education sector in Kenya. In essence, EE4A 2023 served as a platform for critical discussions, bridging the gap between research and policy in the education sector. The incorporation of the EdTech track and the insights from esteemed speakers underscored the importance of evidence-based decision-making for transformative change in Kenya’s education landscape. The discussions recognized that technology is an enabler of teaching and learning, and its implementation should focus on evidence that supports the interests of learners and educators. Moving forward, the challenge lies in translating these discussions into actionable policies that positively impact learners and educators nationwide.
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About the author: Juliet Awuor is the Communications and Marketing Lead at EdTech East Africa, an ecosystem-building organization that aims to connect EdTech evidence to practice for developing inclusive, effective, and resilient technology-enabled education systems in East Africa.
If a tree falls in the forest, and there’s no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? Sounds like a trick question, right? But it’s not. It’s the age-old question that pits reality versus perception.
And that’s what Collective Action Goal 4 at the 2023 Kenya EdTech Summit sought to shine a spotlight on. The Summit was co-created by several EdTech stakeholders organized by EdTech East Africa, and sponsored by Mastercard Foundation and other sponsors.
For context’s sake, let’s rephrase the question: If EdTech innovations make seismic waves and there’s no one to measure the impact, does it cause a change or disturbance in the atmosphere? Sound causes change or disruption in the airwaves. “We don’t have to continue measuring the impact the way we do if it’s not working,” the facilitator, Grace Maureen, said. “That’s why we’re here; to learn from each other.”
Digital divide
Grace works at Metis Collective. At Metis, they amplify and connect with innovators and help them to innovate for systemic change. They bridge the learning gaps with free programmes. One is the six-month fellowship, where they empower education leaders to turn their innovative ideas into practical solutions.
Metis piloted InnovateEd two months ago. It’s training that helps teachers solve problems. Currently, they are in what they call the empathise stage. This is where they go to their students, ask questions, and do a root-cause analysis.
Metis learned that those closest to the learners lack tools, resources, and a community of partners. These individuals in close proximity—teachers, pedagogical leaders, parents, and caregivers—need to strengthen their capacity to lead data-driven, inclusive digital learning. These players may be physically closest to the learners, but as long as they are worlds apart as long as the digital divide exists between them.
Purpose-driven conversations
The purpose of Collective Action Goal 4 was to help participants think through how they can measure progress toward the end goal of Inclusive digital learning. In the first collective conversation at the EdTech Workshop that took place in August, attendees talked about the enablers and barriers to strengthening the capacity of those closest to the learners and developed indicators.
The other purpose was to build on that conversation that players in the EdTech field need to develop our teachers. They also need inclusive curriculum integration, digital tools, collaboration, and engaging students, among others. That’s one end of the equation.
The other end is measuring progress toward the goal of being inclusive in digital learning. And while we’re at it, it’s not just about strengthening the capacity but realising that all the players are data-driven and can measure and share findings with the communities of practice.
“Let’s not leave measuring to the government and the big institutions,” Maureen advised. “We can contribute to that conversation from wherever we are.”
Measuring tools
“How do you measure progress toward your end goal?” Maureen asked the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question. “Which tools are you using and what are you measuring? It could be that, as a teacher, you are measuring student engagement or learning outcomes.”
Silence.
“Or you don’t measure?” Maureen quipped. “That’s also an answer. If I hear someone say they’ve realised that they’re not measuring anything, that would be great.”
That takes us back to the age-old question. If we EdTech players are not measuring their impact, how will they know what they are doing right? Or wrong?
When it comes to measuring, there are different strokes for different subjects. There is measuring progress and learning outcomes based on the 8-4-4 system and the CBC, the latter being more descriptive. There are measurement tools provided by the government: like the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and the Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA).
There are also classroom measurements that educators generate according to how they have taught the syllabus. At the end of the term, a teacher sets an exam based on what they have taught. This exam is moderated by other teachers, who will say whether the teacher has followed the syllabus and met the objectives. The pass will be percentage or descriptive.
Ideally, the goals of any measuring tool ought to be threefold. One is to measure impact. Two, strengthen the capacity of learners. And third, to strengthen the capacity of those closest to the learners. However, more often than not, most measuring tools accomplish the first two goals but barely scratch the surface of the third.
“The tool should be holistic,” Maureen pointed out. “You need to include all stakeholders. As a teacher, you don’t, for instance, look at data in isolation. The parents and caregivers also contribute to that goal.”
Actionable insights
“We should come up with actionable insights. What metrics will I start measuring?” Maireen asked. “If you are an EdTech-preneur, what metrics are you going to use to measure your progress?”
“We measure revenue,” a participant said. “It’s important because we’re a for-profit organisation. We spend a lot of money to do content and want to get a return on investment and see if it’s worth it.”
A player like Ntemata, emphasises the teacher who, in their opinion, is the driver of learning. They measure the quality and wellness of the teacher. They measure how a teacher enhances learning in a classroom. Their assessment tool is supposed to support the teacher to achieve 100% engagement with the learner. They believe if they can strengthen the teacher’s capacity, then, they will have better learning outcomes.
Actionable insights are not just the preserve of some stakeholders in the ecosystem but for all and sundry. A pedagogical leader or EdTech-preneur can, for instance, look for the usage of apps and study the trends on the backend to arrive at actionable insights.
Learning metrics
There are different learning metrics for different learning scenarios. Let’s take the case study of Ziwani Primary School. Its metrics are professional development, inclusive pedagogy in curriculum integration, digital tools and infrastructure, collaboration and community building, student engagement, learning outcomes, and parental and caregiver empowerment.
Ziwani Primary School has implemented inclusive education for children with diverse needs. Emily is a fourth-grade student with autism and has shown remarkable progress in her social skills and academic performance since joining the inclusive programme. She has made friends, become more engaged in class activities, and is meeting academic benchmarks. However, the school’s focus on Emily’s success has led to less attention given to other students with diverse needs.
“If you’re working in Ziwani Primary School—as a teacher, pedagogical leader, policymaker, EdTech-preneur—what metrics would you use to measure success?” Maureen asked. “How do you ensure the metrics consider the needs of all students with diverse needs, not just Emily?”
“The key metric is inclusive pedagogy and curriculum integration,” one attendee opined. “This is because some of the learners are being neglected. They’re not fully engaged. The indicators in this case could be diversity in curriculum materials. This is because the other learners do not deal with the same challenges as Emily.”
“The other metric is learning outcomes,” another attendee chimed in. “Because if you’re feeling neglected, which means they’re not at the level they’re supposed to be at. They are not achieving the learning outcomes. One of the indicators would be competency in teaching.”
Learning metrics have a lot to do with measuring impacts to strengthen those closest to the learners. For starters, as Valamis states: “By gathering data throughout the process and carefully analyzing real-life results, learning metrics offer a way of accurately assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a particular course to determine whether it achieved its goal.”
Measuring the impact of a fallen tree
We’re back to para one. If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? Well, there’s more to this than meets the eye. The tree falls on other flora and fauna. The impact of a fallen tree tremendously affects the surrounding habitat.
But then again, if there’s no one around to, in the context of EdTech, measure the impact, it would be akin to a lost opportunity. Why? The capacity of other forms of life that are closest to the tree—teachers, pedagogical leaders, parents, and caregivers—cannot be effectively strengthened.
Let’s take a trip to Sobral. You don’t know where Sobral is? No problem. Google Maps’ got you. From the map, Sobral looks like a tiny dot with nothing to write home about. But don’t let that tiny dot deceive you. Because? Sobral has got a world of a story to tell.
Sobral, a municipality in Ceará in Brazil, has a population of 200,000 inhabitants. Among Brazil’s 26 states, Ceará has the fifth lowest GDP per capita. Ceará and Sobral had low levels of literacy 20 years ago. Then an education revolution of sorts happened.
According to The World Bank, “in just over a decade, Ceará improved the quality of education so much faster than the rest of Brazil. Among them, Sobral went from a bottom-ranked municipality to become first for both primary and lower secondary education and to reach levels of education quality comparable with those of world-class education systems as measured by PISA.”
Ceará has the lowest rates of learning poverty in Brazil and features 10 of the 20 top-ranked municipalities. Sobral has some of the best primary schools in Brazil. The outstanding educational results of Ceará and Sobral students are well above what would be expected given the socioeconomic context in which they live and learn.
What happened? What changed? How did Sobral do it? That’s what Dr. Samuel Marigat and other educationists went to find out in 2022. The trip, which was under the South-South (Kenyan Chapter) Programme, was to understand why a rural village has such high literacy levels and for educationists to learn the importance of foundational literacy. It’s this knowledge that Dr. Marigat and other players came to share at the 2023 Kenya EdTech Summit. The two-day summit, which was co-created by different players in the EdTech space, led by EdTech East Africa and sponsored by Mastercard Foundation, the EdTech Hub, Oracle Academy, and Amazon Web Services.
“At the end of the programme, we asked ourselves, ‘What do we go and implement?’” said Dr. Marigat, who’s a Curriculum Support Officer (CSO) at the Teachers Service Commission. “I said we will go to Kirinyaga. The South-South agreed to support us on this initiative in Kirinyaga.”
Kirinyaga rising
In 2020, in terms of education, the most dropped county in Kenya was Kirinyaga. There are 200 public schools and 200 private schools in this county that are located in Central Kenya.
Most foundational literacy programmes are led and funded by development partners. Unfortunately, when the partner leaves, the programme dies. Dr. Marigat was adamant that Kirinyaga’s turnaround would be government-led; from gun to tape.
“The teachers belong to the GoK and are paid by the GoK,” Dr. Marigat explained. “Ditto the heads of departments and CSOs and others. Because it’s government-led, we ensure there’s sustainability. Personalities go, but offices do not. The systems will remain.”
“Because it’s a government-led initiative, we move at the pace of the government. Two, we don’t allow partners to cut and paste their programmes. In Kirinyaga, we say we cook our mukimo – a local delicacy in Central– our way.”
The more, the merrier
Though Kirinyaga’s foundational literacy turnaround is Caesar-led, it is also multisectoral. It is community-centric. As the Swahili proverb warns: “You can’t kill a louse with one finger.” The team to kill illiteracy consists of Dr. Marigat, the country director of education, an official representing the Minister of Education, a steering team representing all the sectors, and a technical team that’s currently working on a manual. Other players who have seats in this roundtable are teachers, heads of institutions, County Directors, parents, CECs, the business community, and elected leaders.
Their approach is four-pronged. One; NGOs and other development partners remain in a position of support. Two; everyone moves at the government’s pace and is allowed to be the pace-setters. Three; they are collecting and learning from shared local data. And four; they have crafted roles and working teams that allow the government to take the lead.
A project on early childhood literacy and numeracy which was carried out in 400 randomly-selected villages in a rural district of Uttar Pradesh, India concluded that: “In order to fully optimise the potential of the community, there is a particular need to strengthen mechanisms for school-community engagement, recognising that home, school and the broader community are all important sites for children’s learning. This could involve implementing mechanisms for regular communication, coordination, and collaboration between teachers, parents, and communities around how best to support children’s learning.”
Fixing the foundation
A building can only go as high and be as solid as its foundation. The foundation’s depth must be commensurate to the weight it will carry and the type of soil the edifice will stand on. Every construction material used must be A1. From planning to execution, there are no cutting corners.
Education is a building that houses a nation’s hopes and aspirations. This means that learning outcomes cannot be wished away until foundational literacy is fixed. The mission of education stakeholders in Kirinyaga is to ensure every learner can read by Grade 3. They are aware that Grades 1 to 3 are the foundation. If this isn’t done right, a catastrophic collapse awaits the county and country.
“When we say most learners can read, if there’s one learner who can’t read, is that okay?” Dr. Marigat posed. “When we say 99% can read; what if that 1% is your child, how would you feel? It’s never okay when there’s one child who can’t read.”
In their initiative, no child will be left behind. To achieve this, the team’s work focuses on material development, pedagogy for early grades, and formative assessment. Besides, they have got a much-needed shot in the arm; by putting all ECD teachers on permanent and pension, the county government isn’t just walking the talk but also making the foundation firmer.
Evidence-based learning
John Adams said, “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
Facts. Evidence. Two legs that make educational initiatives run, without which such initiatives cannot go anywhere. And Dr. Marigat knows this too well: “We prided ourselves that we were doing well, but evidence showed otherwise.”
Having learnt their lesson, Kirinyagans are doing things differently. The teachers have developed learning materials, which cover four weeks. Every Thursday, without fail, they assess every learner to check their competence level. Thereafter, they start remedial work for learners who have not met the standard. They want to know – and not guestimate – if their learners are meeting the standard.
After the assessment, they have a rubric that has been developed in partnership with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). That’s where technology comes in. They get real-time data because their attention is on formative evaluation. They use the evidence brought by the data to inform learning and what interventions are needed for each learner.
Tech and teachers
In Kirinyaga County, every school has a minimum of 40 gadgets. Many of these gadgets are still brand new. Part of the reason why the laptops are still new is because teachers are struggling.
The gadgets are also safe. It’s very tempting to think of the learner when talking about the use of tech in education.
“Let’s put the learners on the back burner. They’re not missing anything,” Ciku Mbugua said. “Let’s not focus on the teachers just to say we’re building technology skills.”
“Let’s equip them to use technology in their day-to-day work. Once the teachers start to perceive technology as an assistant, a tool that makes their tasks easier, then we’re going somewhere. If we want to build the capacity of teachers, we need to figure out how to leverage data; and how they can collect, understand, and use data to make decisions in the classroom. How do we begin a culture of data?”
In Kirinyaga, teachers are “tech-ing” their homework game. They write links to videos the learners need to take to their parents to watch. This has made the parents more involved. It has made parents realise they have a central role to play. It has made them realise that, like the traditional African fireplace, it takes three stones to cook.
This supports the hypothesis that: If pedagogical leaders, teachers, and parents are equipped with the mindset and competency to support the appropriate use of data, teachers and learners will receive targeted impactful support that will ensure every child can read with fluency and comprehension.
Policy
The role of policy in any foundational literacy effort cannot be overemphasised. Before you do anything, ask yourself: “Am I introducing something that’s contrary to policy?” Check the policy.
Even the team in Kirinyaga is toeing the policy line. They are implementing what’s within government policy. They are using digital learning devices from the government. They are not introducing anything new. They brought an official from KNEC when they were introducing their assessment tools.
“Government is about structures,” Dr. Marigat advised. “If you want to discuss the curriculum, go to KICD. If it’s about assessment, talk to KNEC. If it’s teacher management, go to TSC. We cannot talk about publishing books if it’s not approved by the right government agency.”
Here’s the thing. Situations may seem to be alike. But that’s not always the case. There’s a place for learning from others. There’s a place for visiting success stories like Sobral and, like a sponge, soaking in all the lessons. But there’s grave danger in blindly bringing an intervention that worked in other countries and thinking it will work locally. For instance, in nomadic communities, the schools follow the children.
When you go to the village, first find out what works in the village. Then, as they say, work it.
10 down, 90 to go
Dr. Marigat’s team has currently done 10% of all the schools in Kirinyaga County. Next January, they want to roll out the initiative in all the schools in Kirinyaga. That’s 20 of the total 200 public schools, which are scattered in the 81 sub-locations.
There’s an African proverb that says it takes a village to educate a child. A village is made up of people, policies, and potentials. These are what these intrepid educationists will have to tap into to realise their dream of making Kirinyaga the Sobral of Africa.
By Nancy Marangu, Communication and public policy analyst
The Kenya EdTech Summit 2023, would not have been complete without delving into the concerns of ensuring learners have the requisite skills to thrive in the current digital workforce. This is with the appreciation of the dynamic landscape of the 21st century. I had the privilege of attending the Collective Action Workshop on Goal 2 at the Kenya EdTech Summit. Goal 2 of Kenya’s EdTech Collective Action Agenda is to Ensure learners have the skills they need to solve the problems of the future and thrive in a digital workforce and society.
Whereby the traditional face of education is undergoing a profound transformation, evolving into dynamic learning ecosystems that cultivate adaptability, innovation, and the paramount ability to innovate. Acknowledging the pivotal role of education in national development, Kenya has embarked on a transformative journey, placing substantial emphasis on nurturing problem-solving skills among learners to thrive in an era dominated by digital advancements.
To this end, the government has invested in seeking to understand the education industries better, including their market structures and innovation processes, to create a more mature relationship with the education sector. This is with the appreciation that the innovation in the industry – which develops the products and services that could drive innovation in schools – does not happen in isolation from what is happening in the education sector. It is only when there is an innovation-friendly culture in education systems, supported by an innovation-friendly business environment and policies, will industries start to engage in risk-intensive research and development.
Repackaging STEM: A Keystone of Transformation
At the heart of this educational transformation lies the repackaging of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and training – a flagship project integral to Kenya Vision 2030. The ambitious endeavor is poised to cultivate experiential learning, innovation, and creativity while magnetizing learners toward STEM-related disciplines. The fundamental objective is to harmonize comprehensive programs in education, training, research, and development, alongside nurturing innovation in science and technology at all educational levels. The Ministry of Education, as outlined in the Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2019, is ardently executing its role in equipping all learners with fundamental STEM literacy. This proficiency is pivotal in enabling them to navigate and excel in a rapidly transforming world. Furthermore, the initiative aims to bridge the skills gap by ensuring an adequate supply of skilled labor in STEM fields, which is fundamental for technological advancements and robust economic growth.
One 2023 Kenya EdTech summit participant who sought anonymity, argued that educational innovations can improve learning outcomes and the quality of education provision. For example, changes in the educational system or in teaching methods can help customize the educational process. The participant further noted that new trends in personalized learning rely heavily on new ways of organizing schools and the use of information, communication, and technology. They also added that innovations could help enhance equity in the access to and use of education, as well as equality in learning outcomes.
According to Michael Mumbo of Edutab Africa, STEM ought to also embed entrepreneurship education to ensure learners can cultivate entrepreneurial skills through problem-solving activities and contextual learning based on interactive projects and games. By contrast, entrepreneurship education for upper secondary school students and young adults is more typically based on providing information and developing the practical knowledge and skills needed to run a business.
Accordingly, Eng. Juma Robert, another participant, said that there is a need for sustained public investment in an efficient system of knowledge creation and diffusion: most of the key technologies in use today, including the Internet and genomics, have their roots in public research, illustrating how essential public investments are.
At a time when the world economy faces many long-term challenges, public investment needs to focus on durable benefits, rather than short-term outcomes. Support for business innovation should be well-balanced and not overly reliant on tax incentives. Incentives should be complemented with well-designed, competitive grants that can be better suited to the needs of young innovative firms and can also be focused on the areas with the highest impact.
Increased access and participation in the digital economy: digital technologies offer a large potential for innovation, growth, and greater well-being. However, policy action is needed to preserve the open Internet, address privacy and security concerns, and ensure access and competition. Digitally enabled innovation requires investment in new infrastructure such as broadband, but also in ensuring there will be enough spectrum and Internet addresses for the future.
During World War II, U.S. leaders realised that nearly 16 million American men and women who were serving in the armed forces would be unemployed when the war finally ended and that this could cause another depression and widespread economic instability similar to the aftereffects of the 1929 stock market crash. To prevent that, expertsstudied the issue and recommended a series of education and training programs.
On Jan. 10, 1944, Congress passed the GI Bill of Rights because it offered federal aid to help veterans buy homes, get jobs, and pursue an education, and in general helped them to readjust to civilian life.
Within its first seven years of use, about 8 million veterans took advantage. U.S. college and university degree holders more than doubled between 1940 and 1950. Within 50 years, the number of Americans with advanced degrees rose nearly 20 percent. By July 1956, when the bill initially expired, almost half of the 16 million World War II vets had gotten education or training through the GI Bill.
In 1990, President George H.W. Bush summed up the bill’s impact: “The GI Bill changed the lives of millions by replacing old roadblocks with paths of opportunity.”
Youth power
During the Town Hall session at the 2023 EdTech Summit, Joseph Nsengimana pointed out that, as other continents are aging, Africa is getting younger. Nsengimana is the Director of the Mastercard Foundation’s Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT. The summit was co-created by several edtech players and was sponsored by the Mastercard Foundation and EdTech East Africa.
“According to the UNICEF Report, Africa will be home to 2 in 5 children by 2050,” Nsengimana gave the stats. “This is an asset. But it’s only an asset if we can invest in this abundant human resource. It’s important to keep the focus on why we’re all here. Education is why we’re all here. Education technology is the means to accomplish what it is we’re trying to do.”
“How do we educate our children in emergencies? How do we make sure we’re taking advantage of all available tools? Whether under a tree or inside a classroom; we have to ensure our children are learning.”
2050 is 27 years away. 27 years seems like a long time. 27 years sounds like Africa has all the time in the world to get her act together and seize her rightful place. But in this fast-paced world, that’s a blink of an eye; what with different emergencies side-tracking Africa, causing her to waste valuable time and talents.
Learning goes on
Nobody knows how we can educate our children in emergencies than Jane Maweu, who’s the Education Program Officer at Save The Children International. Maweu, who works in Dadaab Refugee Camp, refers to herself as a trained teacher who’s no longer in the classroom but supports what happens in the classroom.
The Dadaab refugee complex has a population of 218,873 registered refugees and asylum seekers as of the end of July 2020. The first camp was established in 1991 when refugees fleeing the civil war in Somalia started to cross the border into Kenya. A second large influx occurred in 2011, when some 130,000 refugees arrived, fleeing drought and famine in southern Somalia.
Let’s put it into context. Dadaab has a larger population than the world’s eight least populated countries. Put together.
“We deal with populations we refer to as ‘people on the move’; they’re moving from their home countries because of war or unrest,” Maweu explained. “During their transitory process, they have missed education. When they arrive in Dadaab, we have to pick the learning pieces.”
As if that’s not a big enough challenge, Maweu talked about double jeopardy. The refugee situation is an emergency, and then there are other bolts out of the blue: COVID-19 and El Nino.
“I ensure learning continues during emergencies,” Maweu said. “During Covid-19, many children were left out of school. This forced us to think outside the box.”
No organisation can fly solo during emergency missions. Save The Children has partnered with Library For All which provides gadgets for the learners. Sesame Workshop has also joined the mission. They provide content that targets ECD learners.
“We have teachers who have no exposure to what happens. They’re untrained,” Maweu expounded. “They came from neighbouring countries or were born and brought up in the refugee camp and became teachers in the camp. How do we ensure these teachers can use technology to enhance equity in learning?”
“We’ve been training these teachers to build their capacity. We’re also partnering with EDU Africa to help these teachers with skills and tools to enhance quality education.”
Refugee camps have several challenges. There’s a lack of infrastructure. Families live in tents. Some live in semi-permanent structures. There’s an increasing number of children. There’s also the issue of language.
Tech isn’t the be-all and end-all. Tech can only do so much. On the issue of language, the players in Dadaab have tried to contextualise the content by translating it into Somali. That, too, has brought another challenge. The Somali language has several dialects.
“Technology will not replace teachers, but teachers with technology in hand are the ones who will replace the teachers without technology,” said Dr. Sam Marigat, the TSC County Director for Kirinyaga.
“That should be our foundation when we start discussing EdTech. Technology will supplement teaching. I don’t think technology will replace learners who are lagging behind in learning outcomes.
Education under attack
In an article published in the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, attacks on education in Kenya were reported between 2013 and 2017 with similar frequency to what was reported from 2009 to mid-2013, with a slight uptick in attacks on schools in 2017, due to al-Shabaab’s increased activity that year.
In 2014, terrorists killed quarry workers in Wajir. The victims were non-locals. Fearing for their safety, non-local teachers packed and left.
“The Wajir governor, Ahmed Abdullahi approached us, saying they had about 400 schools in the region but very few locals were heading these institutions,” said Mahmood Ali, the Managing Director of MwalimuPLUS. “He told us they had tried to bring back the teachers who left, but they adamantly refused.”
“That time there was no MwalimuPLUS. We were just a technology company. We did a little bit of research and that’s how MwalimuPLUS was born. We gave the governor the idea that we could solve the problem with the schools that had teachers.”
Ali’s team got down to brass tacks. They developed and used some models to start training. It worked. They approached the governor and advised him that the teachers he had could be supplemented using technology. They could give the county a product that was ready for students to use. AI would assist them by knowing the individual students, how they are performing, and tailoring content solutions for them.
“For those areas that had internet connectivity, we could teach using the same platform from Nairobi,” Ali explained. “We hired experienced teachers who were about to retire. The teachers were teaching from Nairobi.”
“We wanted to ensure the product worked. We went to the government to seek clearance to use the product. Then we came to CEMASTEA in 2017 where we did a pilot with about 23 schools, which worked well.”
MwalimuPLUS is now not only in conflict areas but also in non-conflict locations. Which just goes to show that local emergencies have local solutions. And it also goes to show that, when education is under attack, the best form of defense is creativity.
Partnerships
There’s an African proverb that says “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”. MwalimuPLUS wants to go far. Which is why they don’t walk alone. They walk with donors, NGOs, national and county governments, and wellwishers.
“It’s good to form communities of practice,” said Martin Chungu from Save The Children. “We have done that with different stakeholders; from content creators to gadget providers. Such collaborations are key.”
“And to ensure sustainability, we must involve key government stakeholders. Even if some of these organisations are doing small projects, the learning outcomes go a long way in helping the children.”
Chungu’s colleague Eric Nyawara echoed his sentiments, saying that EdTech players should avoid working in silos.
“When developing EdTech tools, we should incorporate all the stakeholders so we can have tools we can easily scale up and replicate because African problems are more or less similar,” Nyawara said.
“Whatever you’re doing, I want you to know the government is a custodian and has the principal responsibility to do all the things you’re doing,” Dr. Marigat said. “The government can reach every nook and cranny of the country. Even during emergencies, the government has systems and structures in place to reach out to people in difficult and hard-to-reach situations.
Undiscussed emergencies
“When we’re talking about education in emergencies, do we only confine ourselves to flooding, et al?” An audience member asked. “What about the children who cannot comprehend some of the basic learning they are supposed to know? Isn’t this also an emergency?”
The answer could lie in remedial programmes. In 2019, researchers evaluated a technology-aided learning, after-school programme in urban India. Children who were the furthest behind saw the greatest improvement in this randomised controlled trial. Those who took part in the intervention “experienced twice the test score value-added in math and 2.5 times that in Hindi” compared to the control group. The authors identified that personalised learning software played a greater role in determining improved learning outcomes than the grade level in which the child is enrolled.
A second audience member talked about yet another undiscussed emergency; children with disabilities, whose numbers are increasing. This participant called for more inclusivity, as she was concerned that any intervention that comes up does not put learners with disabilities in mind.
Paul Lynch, Et Al say “Robust research is needed to evaluate the conceptualisation, design, testing, and impact of appropriate technology in relation to different environmental conditions (such as gender; age; location – urban, peri-urban, and rural; public/private schools; curriculum area) to meet the needs of the full range and diversity of learners with disabilities in low and middle-income communities”.
Turning point
To turn African emergencies into paths of opportunity, we ought to take a cue from the U.S., circa 1944. We must study prevailing and future continental and global issues. We must come up with education and training programs to mitigate these issues. These initiatives must involve all leaders. In our different spaces and spheres, we’re all leaders. We must do all these things like our lives depend on it. Wait a sec. Our lives actually depend on it.
“The triangle of education at the foundational level is knowledge transmission and acquisition. This is followed by the skills and then character,” the Town Hall moderator, John Kimotho stated. “But in 2050, the foundational level will be character.”
2050 sounds strangely familiar, right? If not, let me refresh your memory. The year 2050 is precisely when Africa’s young population will have peaked.
