Thousands of marginalised girls in Kenya are set to benefit from a United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DfID) partnership with the private sector to deliver e-learning programmes.
Project iMlango is a first-of-its-kind e-learning partnership involving DfID, digital payments provider sQuid, global satellite operator Avanti Communications, online maths tutoring provider Whizz Education and technology NGO Camara Education.
The integrated programme aims to improve learning outcomes for 25,675 marginalised girls across 195 Kenyan primary schools by addressing the cultural and financial issues that can lead to reduced school attendance and drop outs, with electronic attendance monitoring and conditional payments to families.
At the programme’s core sits an internet learning platform, accessed via high-speed satellite broadband connectivity, where partners provide students with interactive, individualised learning tools.
Lynne Featherstone, UK international development minister, said: “Education is vital to helping improve the life chances of millions of marginalised girls and protecting them from harmful practises like child and forced marriage. Through this private sector partnership we are able to deliver innovative and cutting edge solutions that mean marginalised girls in Kenya get the education they deserve.”
Adam Smith, chief executive at sQuid, said: “We have been preparing the ground for Project iMlango for some time, following the successful deployment of our digital transaction platform in Kenya. Project iMlango builds on our UK education sector services and on our payments capability in Aid environments, and with the programme partners we create a true end-to-end service to tackle a really important set of issues relating to girls education.”
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