Kenya's push for digital literacy has gained momentum with the announcement of a partnership between Credit Bank, Microsoft Africa, and Kodris Africa. The collaboration aims to equip learners with coding skills, a move that aligns with the country's efforts to increase its skills pool in the digital economy.
On April 19, 2022, Kenya became the first country in Africa to formally approve a coding syllabus for primary and secondary schools, issued by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). This development has paved the way for the partnership, which seeks to promote the use of Kodris Africa Studio by students in Kenya.
According to Betty Korir, Credit Bank's Chief Executive Officer, the partnership is a crucial step towards preparing young Kenyan citizens for the future workplace. 'We are entering into this partnership to support all stakeholders, including the government, schools, parents, and learners, and for the social impact it will cause,' she said.
Microsoft Africa's commitment to Kenya's Ministry of Education spans over two decades, and the company is now extending this partnership to bring coding education to Kenyan schools. 'Students who learn and understand coding have an advantage of coming full participants – rather than merely spectating – in a heavily computerized and digitized world,' said Irene Githinji, Microsoft Africa Development Center Program Manager.
The partnership comes at a time when Kenya is unveiling its Kenya National Digital Master plan 2022-2032, which seeks to leverage new innovations to accelerate socioeconomic growth. The government is also boosting the country's ICT workforce through the Digital Literacy Programme launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2016.
