Bungoma County has on Friday signed a contract with EIDU to roll out a digital learning program targeting young learners in the county.
The County will deploy the tech-enabled learning solution in 36 Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) Centers across the county.
The strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in advancing the integration of modern learning technologies into Kenya’s education system. This is in line with the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, Kenya Vision 2030, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Nr. 4 (Quality Education for All).
About 3,233 learners in grades PP1 and PP2 will benefit from the enhanced learning experience offered by the digital learning program. In addition, 108 teachers will be trained on how to use smart teaching devices to plan and deliver highly engaging lessons in the classroom, supporting them in the implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
“We are pleased to partner with the County Government of Bungoma to bring digital learning to early childhood education and to help improve learning outcomes drastically. This initiative aligns with our commitment to making quality education accessible to all. We look forward to witnessing the positive impact this partnership will have in Bungoma,” said EIDU’s Managing Director, Dr. Max Dohna.
On his part, Bungoma County Executive Member for Education, Dr. David Wanyonyi Wamamili, hailed the partnership as a major step in integrating technology into the learning system at county level.
“Through this partnership, we are taking a proactive step towards modernizing our education system and ensuring that our students have access to the latest educational tools and resources,” said Dr. Wamamili.
Learners and teachers use smartphone devices to access the EIDU School App equipped with Mathematics and Language content in line with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) and approved by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
The digital learning program is expected to greatly improve learning outcomes. Independent research conducted by Edtech Hub shows that learners who enjoy the EIDU digital learning program are ahead by months compared to the others without the program. Additionally, the program is expected to foster equity in education, as its offline capabilities make it suitable for urban and rural areas.
Under the contract agreement, 108 smartphones will be provided to the classrooms in addition to comprehensive training and ongoing support to teachers and county government ECDE officers, thus ensuring a smooth transition to the integrated learning platform.
The digital lesson plans’ content was developed in partnership with Kenyan teachers and schools, making it ideal for the local learning environment. Approximately 230,000 pre-primary learners across seven counties (Embu, Kiambu, Machakos, Makueni, Mombasa, Murang’a, and Nakuru) are already enjoying the digital learning program.
The program has also garnered support from parents and teachers with a study in other counties showing parental approval as high as 98% and teacher approval as high as 96%, with improved math and language skills cited as key benefits to learners.
EIDU’s digital tools also provide county officials with the capacity to monitor their education system, with relevant data on the classrooms that allows for decision making for a more efficient, impactful and inclusive educational environment.
