Airtel Internet schools program continues to shape education

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 14 – Patrick Onyango is a form four candidate at Sigweng Karuoth Secondary School in Siaya County, Kenya. Like most candidates in the country, Onyango hopes that he will pass with flying colours in his exams and get an opportunity to join a top University in the country where he will finally be able to fulfil his dream of being an anaesthesiologist.

Being a school based in the countryside, over the years Patrick has had to endure with limited access to educational information due to scarcity of resources such as text books for revision. Onyango’s case represents thousands of other students from different parts of the country who have to work twice as hard due to the limited educational resources available to help them succeed in their academics.

However, his case and that of his classmates who started their national secondary schools examinations on October 12, 2015 changed a year ago when Airtel connected the school to the internet for free.

From November last year, the students at the school have been enjoying free 24-hour access to the Internet, allowing them to benefit from unlimited amount of education information available online. With free internet connection, the students have been able to access relevant materials such as revision papers, literature books and sample analysis, helping them learn and reinforce concepts learned in class.

Airtel’s Internet for Schools Program continues to harness the strength of the company’s technology to drive change in the community by giving more and more students from different parts of the country the freedom to connect to the world of information, helping them to learn better and open up a new world of opportunities for their future.

This contribution by Airtel continues to enable students and teachers to have full access to learning tools provided through the Internet, a major boost for Kenya’s youth, teachers and the entire education system.

Sigweng Karuoth Secondary School is one of the 150 learning institution that have so far benefited from Airtel’s Internet for Schools program impacting over 150,00 students across the country for the last one year.

As candidates from these schools start their national secondary and primary schools national examinations, the learners and teachers are hopeful that their schools will be able to perform well in their examinations.

Sigweng Karuoth Secondary School Patron Joseph Adewa said: “Access to unlimited educational material and information available online has greatly helped our students with their studies this year. The Internet has provided our students with a multitude of possibilities, allowing them to receive knowledge and exposure as other students in developed countries. Even as they start their national exams, we believe that they will be able to do well with the wealth of knowledge that they have acquired through this program.”

Education experts indicate that as we progress in the 21st century, online learning will constitute 50percent of all learning and education. The rapid rise of learning on the Internet will occur not because it is more convenient, cheaper, or faster, but because cognitive learning on the Internet is better than learning in-person.

The endless amount of information in the Internet is at their disposal through a computer connected to the internet. This hands-on tool allows students to relate their interests on a personal level, which is believed to motivate students to do better in school. Many educators believe it can encourage the type of independence students need to progress in their learning process.

Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi said: “We find that the importance of Internet in education cannot be denied, and hence, more and more students should be given access to the Internet for them to maximize on the relevant education content available online. With internet connectivity, we are able to better equip our youth with information, subsequently creating the future leaders of Kenya.”

Airtel’s Internet for schools is positioned to go a long way in ensuring that Kenyan children attain the necessary skills for their respective ages. It has improved student engagement and made accessible the kind of knowledge that matches up to the Western world preparing them with the required knowledge and skills to survive in a world where information has become the new currency.

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