First Offline Intranet Resource Centre Launched In Kenyan Schools
In collaboration with UNESCO, the Ministry of Education has initiated the establishment of a pilot Offline Intranet Resource Centre (OIRC) in Garissa High School and Iftin Primary School in Garissa County, Northern Kenya.
The project is part of a larger plan to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote opportunities for lifelong learning for all.
According to UNESCO, an offline warehouse of digital educational resources for both formal and informal learning will be established in the area, which will be transmitted and used by learners in areas without internet connectivity.
“Most rural communities are less resourced than urban communities in terms of internet and energy infrastructure, and learning institutions in these areas are not immune to these challenges,” the agency said in a statement.
The UN agency cited the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, which affected an estimated 91 percent of learners globally.
While recognizing that the Ministries of Education and National Curriculum Development Centres in the East African region took steps to ensure learning continuity through broadcast lessons on TV/Radio and Internet-based solutions, Mr. Saidou Jallow, Chief of Education at UNESCO EAST AFRICA, noted that gaps still exist.
“Despite these great efforts,” he said, “a large number of learners in rural and semi-rural areas faced challenges with limited to no connectivity (internet and electricity) and access to learning devices such as computers, laptops, and mobile phones.”
UNESCO notes that for the foreseeable future, offline solutions are the only way to provide quality educational information and technology skills development to the vast majority of schools and learners in remote locations.
“I applaud UNESCO for the initiative which will increase access to learning and teaching materials for learners and teachers.
“Increasing motivation to learn and lesson attendance and curriculum delivery for teachers,” said Dr. Elyas Abdi, Director General, State Department of Early Learning & Basic Education
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Currently, UNESCO emphasizes the importance of offline solutions to bridge the resource gap between rural and urban communities.
This is made even more pressing by the fact that statistics show that approximately 90% of schools in developing countries lack internet access, and many also lack electricity.
First Offline Intranet Resource Centre Launched In Kenyan Schools
