This archive report was first published on 6 June 2020.
Kenya: 'I Have Found a Unique Avenue in E-Learning During COVID Times' ¶
As the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close, 34-year-old Helen Nyokabi saw an opportunity to create a digital school in Nyeri. The platform, which she launched in March 2019, offers virtual interactive lessons and homework to students from standard four to eight.
Helen, a certified accountant with an Information Technology degree from KCA University, had initially created the platform for her 12-year-old son Baraka. However, as family friends and other pupils began to ask about the platform, Helen and her husband Isaac Wangethi decided to let them in and eventually turned the platform into a business.
With the help of her husband, who handles the marketing part of the business, Helen has been able to grow the platform to 100 students, who pay Sh6,000 per month. The platform offers concurrent classes for Standard 4 to 8, taught by different teachers.
"It's a digital platform where learners from all across the country have a virtual interaction with teachers from the comfort of their homes," Helen explains. "We have learners from standard four to eight. They will log in at 8 am, have face-to-face lessons with their teachers until 4 pm."
Despite having no teaching background, Helen has been able to run the platform smoothly, allocating time tables and admitting new students. She believes that the platform has been a success, especially during the pandemic, and plans to keep it open post-COVID for parents who might want to homeschool their children.
"It's a scary time, but we will get to the other side eventually," Helen says. "I know many parents have thought about homeschooling but they do not know how to get in. I am hoping that if we give them an option, they will take it up."
