The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has urged policymakers and education stakeholders to look beyond academic performance and invest in digital skills, particularly for learners living in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL).
Muktar Abdi Ogle, Head and Coordinator of the National Assessment Centre at KNEC, said preparing learners for the future could not be separated from technology, as the world of work continues to change rapidly.
According to Ogle, learners in ASAL counties should have equal opportunities as their counterparts in more developed areas to access and use technology, the internet and digital devices.
He said the national assessment being conducted by KNEC seeks to establish learners’ proficiency in literacy and numeracy while also identifying the conditions that either support or hinder learning.
The information gathered through the assessment will help the government and education stakeholders understand the challenges facing learners and teachers, gaps in curriculum implementation, and areas requiring urgent intervention.
However, Ogle said the assessment should not only focus on determining academic performance. It should also help Kenya identify the skills learners will need to compete in the future labour market.
In ASAL areas, one of the major challenges remains internet connectivity and access to digital devices. Ogle stressed that it is impossible to expect young people to acquire digital skills without the infrastructure needed to access and use technology.
“Digital skills cannot be attained if connectivity is not established and digital devices are not available,” he said.
The government has placed emphasis on preparing Kenya’s human capital for a technology-driven economy through its national master plan covering the period from 2022 to 2032. Ogle said the implementation of this agenda must also reach learners in remote and underserved areas.
KNEC has established innovation hubs and ICT hubs in different parts of the country as part of efforts to bring technology and digital opportunities closer to communities.
However, Ogle cautioned that such centres should not simply be buildings equipped with computers. He called for them to be linked to education, skills training, innovation and entrepreneurship so that young people can use technology to improve their livelihoods.
For young people in ASAL counties, such skills could open doors to employment and online business opportunities without necessarily forcing them to move to Nairobi or other major towns in search of opportunities.
Ogle also identified emerging technologies that should receive greater attention in preparing learners and teachers, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, cloud computing, advanced data analytics, cybersecurity and digital commerce.
In Wajir County, he challenged leaders and education stakeholders to assess whether existing schools and community digital centres have adequate equipment, internet connectivity and programmes to help young people meet the changing demands of the labour market.
He said Kenya cannot build a knowledge- and technology-driven economy while leaving parts of the country behind.
“What is true for Kiambu must be true for Turkana,” Ogle said, stressing that all children should have equal opportunities to benefit from the technological revolution.
The goal, he said, should not be merely to turn learners into technology users, but to empower them to become digital creators, innovators and entrepreneurs.
From this perspective, investment in foundational education, internet connectivity and digital devices in ASAL areas could go beyond education. It could help narrow economic inequalities and give young people in rural communities’ greater opportunities to participate in the economy of the future.
Ogle said ASAL counties should no longer feel excluded from the national conversation or from opportunities arising from technological development.
