FALSE: Photo does not show the drought situation in Embolioi, Kajiado County, in October 2022
Admin Worldreader East Africa on Friday embarked on a journey to digitize learning in Mukuru slums in Nairobi County, by the use of smart phones.
Speaking during the training done at Ruben Center, Mukuru kwa Ruben, Worldreader regional Director Mrs. Joan Mwachi was excited about this new project.
“This is an amazing platform that is friendly to all and sundry. Any person anywhere can use this since it makes learning easy. All you have to do is to download our ‘Book Smart’ app on your smartphone, then follow the instructions,” said the Director who also added that it is important first to start with teachers before getting to students.
Worldreader East Africa invited 26 schools and 80 teachers for the training session that took only half a day of their time.
“Our app was developed around 2019 when Coronavirus pandemic hit the country. The ideas behind it were mainly because education had been suspended in learning institutions and we had to come up with a way to curb idleness among students,” Mrs Joan added and emphasized that once teachers grasp the ideas, then students will benefit hugely.
Book smart application is downloaded on smart phones and has varieties of educational materials.
The 80 teachers from the 26 schools were taught how to use the app, but most importantly how to develop their own course modules and ease of applying that to the students.
According to statistics from Worldreader, 53 percent of children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple story by the end of primary school education.
Worldreader also works with partners by bringing digital books to millions of children and youth in their efforts to address the crisis.
With 48 countries globally and about 40 Counties in Kenya, the organization is working closely with schools and libraries both locally and nationally.
Now the Director Mrs Joan Mwachi is dreaming of spreading digital education across Kenyan slums and rural areas, in a bid to compliment the government’s ideas of doing the same at primary level by introducing laptops in primary schools.
By Shadrack Andenga Odinga
