Kenyan teachers threatened by proposals for e-learning

By Kenneth Oduor

NAIROBI, Kenya-Thousands of Kenyan teachers have their jobs hanging on a thin thread should the government go ahead and implement proposals to embrace e-learning in schools.

And if the country’s Minister for Education, Professor George Saitoti’s sentiments at a seminar for education ministers from Africa are anything to go by, then the teachers have every reason to fear for their jobs.
Saitoti said the government is making bold steps to ensure that e-learning which is less labor intensive and cheaper is embraced in the country.
“With e-learning one teacher can reach many learners through video conferencing and other ICT based methods,” said Saitoti.

He further lamented that majority of Kenyan teachers are computer illiterate and could therefore not be relied on to implement e-learning.
“Kenya’s teachers totaling around 235,000 across the country’s learning institutions are illiterate on ICT issues,” said Professor Saitoti.
Saitoti further revealed to the participants at the conference that the government have made compulsory for institutions to introduce ICT to train teachers as a prerequisite for graduation.

The Kenyan minister further praised computer based learning saying it would enhance access, equity, relevance, and improve quality of education being provided in schools.
The International Conference on ICT for Education, Development and Training is being held in Nairobi at the Safari Park Hotel.
Saitoti said the implementation of e- learning would be made expensive by high computer prices, lack of adequate electricity and scarcity of trained manpower.

Professor Geoffrey Lungwanga who is also Zambia’s minister for education said e-learning could only be embraced by reducing the digital divide between Africa and the developed world.