Kenya’s leading cellular network operator Safaricom has partnered with the country’s top performing schools, the Starehe Schools, to launch a pilot phase of e-learning management system dubbed the Safaricom Blackboard.
Teachers will now be able to record their lessons as well as store the digital content on the Safaricom Cloud through the three smartboards Intersol Limited donated to the schools.
Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki on Saturday unveiled the Safaricom Blackboard as part of e-learning programme at the two Starehe Schools.
Commenting on e-learning, President Kibaki said it will improve the quality of education in Kenya’s learning institutions.
“Students will now be able to have skills in modern technology that is relevant in the job market,” he said.span>
He further praised Safaricom for the positive contribution in the programme and urged other corporate organization across the country to emulate.
Safaricom’s project aims at making online education accessible to all student through use of the Safaricom data, Safaricom Cloud and Mpesa.
“This is an excellent innovation move in fostering ICT growth in education,” said Safaricom’s chief executive Bob Collymore.
Mary Makokha, a former Alliance girls high School teacher, told HumanIPO that the innovation by Safaricom will make positive impact to the education sector by providing information at a lower cost.
“Students from all over the nation will be able to access quality information online on all the subjects from national teachers .This will also increase the level of ICT literacy in the country,” she said.
Kenya national ICT policy was established in 2006 to improve the living standards of people by ensuring ‘accessible, efficient, reliable and affordable ICT services.’
The policy seeks to embrace ICT in schools, colleges and university by fostering the latest curricular and enebling each institution to provide quality and affordable education.
