Visually impaired students will not be left out as Kenyaâs Digital Literacy Programme (DLP) becomes entrenched into the educational curriculum. The Ministry of Education is set to incorporate 150 special needs schools in its digital literacy program. Kibos Special School in Kisumu County is being used to pilot this project before it is rolled out to similar institutions countrywide. This pilot project will help identify special gadgets required by different special schools.
Project Manager Peter Okeyo of inABLE organization said that they have installed special software on computers that are suitable for visually impaired individuals, with five special schools benefitting from the ICT solution. Six more schools will benefit from this project. So far the project has reached about 1,400 disabled children countrywide, and they are working to increase the number. The organisation has trained 115 teachers to guide the students on how to use computers.
Positivo BGH, in partnership with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), will supply devices including the braille embosser for visually impaired pupils in the 5 subjects. All the devices that will be supplied under the Digital Literacy Programme are namely:
- Digital content server and wireless router
- Learner digital device (LDD)
- Teacher digital device (TDD)
- A projector
- Braille embossers for Special Learners
The consortium of JKUAT and Positivo BGH will see the installation of these devices and also offer the necessary support. They will also participate in training of teachers and students in selected Kenyan public schools. Until now, Positivo BGH and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) have delivered around 83,000 equipment.
âThe Government plans to have 1.2 million devices to be rolled out in the first phase of the project.â
-Eng. Victor Kyalo, PS in charge of ICT & Innovation, Ministry of ICT
Positivo BGH is one of the worldâs leading manufacturer and distributor of PCs and other electronic devices. It is the result of a joint venture between two leaders in their industry in Latin America: Positivo InformĂĄtica from Brazil and BGH from Argentina. The company has participated in various programs that aim to bridge the technology gap and now has become a strategic ally for the Government of Rwanda and Kenya.
