Kenya Expands Digital Literacy Programme to 377 Schools

Kenya’s ICT Authority is rolling out smart boards and teacher laptops to 377 junior schools in Nyeri County under the Digital Literacy Programme.

The latest rollout took place at Nyaribo Junior School in Nyeri County as the ICT Authority continues implementing DLP Phase II under the Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Project (KDEAP). The World Bank supports the project.

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Amb. Dr. Caroline W. Karugu, Principal Secretary for the State Department for East African Community Affairs and Acting Principal Secretary for the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development.

She said digital technologies are making learning more engaging and improving knowledge sharing across schools.

Implementing the Digital Literacy Programme in Nyeri

Representing ICT Authority CEO Jessy Kiveu Maruti, Deputy Director for Programmes and Standards Project Management Thomas O. Odhiambo said the rollout will equip all 377 public junior schools in Nyeri County with interactive smart boards and laptops for teachers.

Learners at the Nyaribo event also demonstrated how interactive smart boards can be used in classroom lessons, showing how digital tools are being incorporated into teaching.

The ICT Authority says its Digital Literacy Programme covers supplying and installing devices for learners and teachers, educational content, school connectivity, and teacher training on ICT integration.

Expanding Digital Skills for Teachers and Students

The rollout also builds on Kenya’s investment in teacher training. More than 62,000 teachers have already been trained to integrate digital technology into classroom teaching, according to the ICT Authority.

DLP Phase II is part of KDEAP’s digital skills component, designed to expand the initiative to junior secondary schools, TVET institutions, and teacher training colleges while providing ICT equipment and strengthening digital skills.

The broader KDEAP program focuses on digital infrastructure, digital government services, and digital skills and markets as Kenya works to expand access to technology and build a digitally skilled workforce.

Digital Transformation in Kenyan Education

The Nyeri rollout forms part of Kenya’s wider digital transformation agenda. The ICT Authority currently lists digital skills and literacy as one of the country's key ICT priorities, alongside digital infrastructure, digital government and digital innovation.

For schools, the focus is increasingly shifting from simply providing devices to helping teachers and learners use technology as part of everyday education.

Why It Matters to Africa

Kenya’s rollout shows how digital education programs are moving beyond distributing devices toward building the skills and infrastructure needed to use them effectively.

For African education systems, smart classroom technology can expand access to digital learning resources while giving teachers new ways to deliver lessons. The bigger challenge, however, remains ensuring that schools have reliable connectivity, trained teachers and relevant digital content alongside the hardware.

Kenya’s approach under KDEAP combines these elements, linking equipment and connectivity with teacher training and broader digital-skills development.