This archive report was first published on 14 July 2020.
Kenya's efforts to upscale virtual learning have been hindered by unreliable internet connectivity and expensive data, leaving many students without access to online classes.
Research by Usawa Agenda has revealed that only 25 out of 100 students have uninterrupted access to virtual learning, with the majority of them residing in Nairobi.
The government has been urged to expedite the rollout of Loon services in underserved rural areas, which are the worst affected by the internet connectivity issues.
Kenya's poor internet connectivity has been exposed in the last four months after the government closed schools to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Despite Kenya's high mobile phone penetration, internet connectivity lags behind, with only 1 in 5 people having access to the internet. The situation is worse in far-flung areas, where only 3.7% of the population can connect to the virtual space.
A new project by Prudential Life Assurance Kenya and the Kenya Education Fund (KEF) aims to ameliorate this challenge by providing 15,000 schools in the country with computers, internet infrastructure, and learning kits to disadvantaged schools.
According to Prudential Life Assurance Kenya CEO Raxit Soni, the project targets learners from financially disadvantaged families that are unable to benefit from virtual learning delivered through radio, television, and internet.
"This project aims to bridge the learning divide by enabling learners from vulnerable communities to continue learning even as schools remain closed due to Covid-19," said Mr. Soni.
The project, which is supported by Prudence Foundation, will provide 11,250 students in Form 1, 2, and 3 with printed learning materials distributed through their schools.
