DP Kindiki Unveils Digital Learning Programme for 10,000 Junior Schools
A classroom in the quiet village of Kaptarkok became the centrepiece of Kenya’s digital education ambition on Saturday 11th July, 2026, when Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki launched the ICT Integration in 10,000 Junior Schools Project, a flagship initiative designed to transform teaching and learning nationwide.
The launch at Kaptarkok Primary and Junior School in Elgeyo Marakwet County featured a live demonstration of how technology can reshape education. An integrated science teacher simultaneously taught learners in six junior secondary schools across six counties using internet-enabled digital classrooms, interactive smart boards and virtual learning technology.
Prof. Kindiki said Kenya’s ambition to become a globally competitive and industrialised nation depends on sustained investment in education and technology. “Our journey to the First World requires us to modernise the delivery of education to match global standards. The future belongs to countries that invest in knowledge, innovation and technology. Our children deserve an education system that equips them with the digital skills necessary to compete anywhere in the world,” he said.
The demonstration underscored how digital platforms can help bridge teacher shortages, expand access to specialised instruction and ensure learners in remote areas receive the same quality of education as those in urban schools. Principal Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy Eng. John Tanui said the programme supports the government’s broader digital transformation agenda under the Digital Superhighway programme and the Kenya National Artificial Intelligence Strategy.
“As we implement the Kenya National AI Strategy and continue building the Digital Superhighway, initiatives such as this remind us that the true measure of digital transformation is not the technology itself, but the opportunities it creates for our people,” Eng.Tanui said. “Our collective responsibility is to ensure every learner, every teacher and every school, regardless of geography, can participate fully in our nation’s digital future.”
Implemented under the Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Project (KDEAP) with support from the World Bank, the initiative represents one of Kenya’s largest investments in digital learning. The schools’ Internet connectivity is supported by the Communications Authority of Kenya through the Universal Service Fund, implemented by the Kenya Power under the Digital Superhighway Project implemented by KPLC.
The Authority was represented at the event by Eng. Fred Ong’aro, Deputy Director, Fund Strategy Coordination. One highlight of the launch was a synchronised classroom linking six schools in Nyandarua, Nairobi, Kakamega, Mombasa and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties.
The first phase will equip 10,382 public junior secondary schools with interactive smart boards and teacher laptops, delivering more than 20,700 digital learning devices to strengthen Competency-Based Education while preparing learners for the digital economy. The rollout also includes the distribution of interactive smart boards to selected schools in the initial phase, with institutions in Elgeyo Marakwet among the first beneficiaries to receive digital learning equipment during the launch.
To support implementation, more than 62,000 teachers have undergone training under the Digital Literacy Programme. The nationwide exercise, conducted with the support of master trainers in all 47 counties, is intended to ensure technology is effectively integrated into classroom instruction.
Kenya has already deployed more than 37,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure and plans to extend the network to 100,000 kilometres.Thousands of public institutions have been connected to broadband, laying the foundation for expanded digital access across the country.
The launch was attended by Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Deborah Mulongo; Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen; Principal Secretaries Prof. Julius Bitok, Dr. Chris Kiptoo and Dr. Belio Kipsang; Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga; Nandi Governor Stephen Sang; Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich and the ICT Authority Chief Executive Officer Jessy Maruti among other national and county leaders.