There has been more than enough talk about Kenya rise on the the World of Information and Technology. But on the core of everything our technology will never be the best even the region if the country ca not fix Education System. In this case I am not just talking about the system based on numbers but in terms of the quality of the system and accessibility of the learning materials. As adults it is funny that now people don’t need to know things in their heads before hand.. just Google it and you are the biggest smart ass around. Unfortunately, Kenyan kids are still slaved to education system that requires them to fill their skulls with thousand thousand useless information which they will never use anywhere in the World.
Just as a reflection I know many people, yours truly included who have been forced at one time or another to learn useless things due to the bogus education system. For example why on earth did I have to learn in my Primary school days who discovered Mount Kenya or even Lake Victoria? Leave a lone the fact that such topics are irrelevant, it adds to the weight of the books kids need to carry to schools. The school system is crap and in most cases force students to fill their skulls with nonsense. Things which are not necessary for the future of the country and the people of Kenya.
But here comes technology and all of sudden you realize that a lot can be achieved if there is right vision, right guidance and the right use of technology. That is one thing the ELimu Kenya is trying to achieve. Elimu, winner of the Mobile Web East Africa App developer Competition 2012, was created with the sole purpose of engaging children in their education; making learning fun. Elimu Kenya is working to introducing Elimu Tablets in schools . Elimu tablet was created with the sole purpose of engaging children in their education ..making learning fun.
Great stuff…. and there were many great people at Elimu tablets launch at iHub including ever Present PS. Dr.Bitange Ndemo and Hon. Martha Karua but I was disappointed that nobody of note from Ministry Education saw it fit to attend the launch. A classic example of the disconnect between the priority of the people in the Government and what the country really need to move forward.
Elimu Tablets Content
- Learning revision content of all 6 KCPE subject areas
- 3D animations to help students grasp complex concepts
- Games to capture interest and improve cognitive thinking memomry and focus
- Songs and mnemonic devices to aid retention
- Quizzes to track progress
- Examination tips and techniques
Elimu tablets will be rolled out as pilot project starting June. The Elimu education content is accessible through tablets, which Samsung is gladly on board to provide. At least a number of tablets will be placed in the school libraries and can be accessed by students/pupils at anytime when they are allowed to access the Library. Ms. Nivi Mukherjee, the Founder of Elimu talked of starting with two schools in Nairobi, and working with Vision 2030 to come up with 15 years plan. I like the idea of learning through the tablet, but I still think the country should work on the mix of tablets and phones. There are cheap tablets out there but phones will be a better option in terms of the cost or just say the mix would be better. Samsung Galaxy Mini, Ideos are some of the cheap phones which can be distributed to almost every child in Kenya as a learning tool. With proper system like Elimu , the learning materials can be distributed as applications which can be accessed through the phones and tablets by every kid at any time.
I know this would bring up the question of what is left of the teachers? The technology will never replace teachers, when looked at the proper context technology like Elimu will help teachers deliver the knowledge in more efficient and easier way. Books have existed for years without replacing the teachers, technology will replace books but not teachers.!!
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TECHNOLOGY
This is a great initiative since if we teach our kids using the methods that were used on us, then we are ruining their tomorrow.
There is also an initiative by Wikimedia Kenya to create an offline version of Wikipedia that can be used in the computer laboratories at secondary schools plus any other computer of course. This work shall involve having a copy of the Kenya syllabus and handpicking articles from Wikipedia which are later dumped offline. The articles are later compressed using the ZIM file format and a special reader Kiwix is required to read this type of format.
I am a techie and education enthusiast and I must say the fact that the Tablets are a good step in the right direction, however the writers opinion on education that “fill their skulls with thousand thousand useless information which they will never use anywhere in the World” is rather disturbing rather than annoying. It is/was important to have our skulls filled with as much content as possible. In that regard, u can be able to tackle the needs of a very dynamic society. In reality, there is no such thing as “useless information” maybe “data” is……
Being prepare to tackle very dynamic society is great but I think it is the notion which has left most Kenyans jerks of all trade. We have a system designed to feed you with bits of everything, and I mean just bits. Yes the bits probably will be enough to tackle the so called dynamic society but how enough is that? I think It is the reason why even after 50 years of independence no major invention or innovation or discovery has been done by Kenyans. We have engineers who can not design roeads, we have technical experts who can only work as sales people for the Multinationals. And the main reason is they have to learn as many things as possible instead of learning what is important for what they want to specialize in.
I would rather have people specialize on their different fields. For you who like to know about the past, learn about the past and discover as many things as possible. And if you choose to go with being a computer programmer then be the best in doing it and leave history to some other people. With that we will have the real skilled citizens and not semi-skilled citizens which I think we have now
My point about Mt.Kenya, is the context. What I saw in the text book was a story of someone discovering a mount where people have been living around for years..how is that so. If you go to remote part of Turkana today and there people there and then you see a unique funny looking hill, will come back to Nairobi and start saying that you are the first man to see it. Then from there start forcing the kids to start learning about that?
I think It is important that we filter what is important for our kids to learn in schools, seriously there should be some purpose to learning. There must be an end goal to doing something and in particular learning. I know is important for many reasons but at the same time we have to consider the time available for kids to learn.
By the way, I like the initiative of the Wikimedia Kenya. I think the guys behind it are doing a great job and they need all the support. It would be great if the Elimu initiative, combine forces with Wikimedia in one way or another, the education issues need combine forces.
I concur that the education issue needs combined forces and yes the education system in Kenya is still wanting. It is true that some of these things we learn make us blends of everything and anything. Or is it that we take too long before we know what our passion likes to pursue, for instance, I do not understand the reason as to why a student admitted to take architecture studies chemistry in their first year at university.
Wikimedia Kenya already did a pilot of the project last year but the ZIM file they were using was tailored to the UK syllabus which in some way shares some aspects with ours since we were their colonies. Some positive feedback from schools registered so far.
After almost all you studied in school and college is forgotten, what remains is the mind power that one can use in tackling all sorts of real-life problems. Let me use your example. Learning history and geography helps future lawyers aquire the skill of memorizing facts and articulating them. If you do not end up as a lawyer, that ability may not be so important, but it is not harmful.
About specialization, I have two ideas to suggest: graduate school and professional certifications. Actually, there is a third one. Practical experience mixed with lots of practice or experimentation.
Elimu Tablets sounds like an interesting idea, and I hope that more will be done to determine how effective it is as a learning aid. I know of people who are currently investigating how to apply either Moodle or Dokeos in a similar manner.