Voices of Change

            GOVERNMENT POLICIES SHAPING EDUCATION TRANSFORMATION IN KENYA BY JOEL KAVILWA Government Policies Shaping Education Transformation With IT advancements and changing cultural needs, all aspects of education are evolving globally, from physical classrooms to eLearning. This transition has been accelerated by conscious government efforts to reform the education system of Kenya into a twenty-first-century or knowledge-based system. From the adaptation of the curriculum to the integration of digital resources, Kenya’s educational transformations illustrate how purposeful policymaking might reshape learning outcomes, address disparities, and prepare students for the rapidly evolving world around them. Building on earlier essays examining the current state of schooling in Kenya, the challenges of infrastructure and fairness within, and, increasingly, the role of development policy, here I argue that government policies themselves, pa...

Rampei Ronkei The Colonial Era (Early 20th Century - 1963) Missionaries led the development of formal education in Kenya, which enabled Western European teaching approaches to become available to the country. These educational institutions focused primarily on rote learning combined with memorization and strict discipline for the purpose of creating persons who would serve the colonial administration (Mackatiani et al., 2016). The educational system placed a priority on memorization instead of independent thinking and creative thought (Raymond. 2023). The colonial government entered the education system slowly, but the schools remained separate for different races. The educational system in Africa primarily delivered vocational training that strengthened existing social castes. Knowledge transmission during this period relied on authoritarian methods alongside spoon-feeding students to gain their compliance while keeping a strict focus on the teacher. The Post-Independence Era...

By Jane Kinanu Kiugu While technology has been advancing at a rapid pace, e-learning has not only adapted as an alternative to in-person learning, but has fundamentally revolutionized the education system. The COVID-19 pandemic brought forth the necessity of online platforms for learning which not only highlighted the weaknesses of traditional educational systems, but also showcased the endless opportunities that online education has to offer. Differently from the common model which is often constrained to a certain place, time, or teaching style, e-learning has no boundaries as it offers customized courses and instructions that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Studies conducted over the past five years have consistently demonstrated that well-structured e-learning environments can, at the very least, foster equal engagement, knowledge retention, and academic performance when compared to teaching in person, and in some cases, outdo it entirely (Bond et al., 2021; Rasheed et ...

  By Mary Zawadi The journey from chalks to clicks in the Kenyan education system is way more than the change in tools for learning but rather depicts a shift in the way we look and do our things, our attitudes, value system as well what we strive to achieve on a day to day. Kenya is positioned in a global space where different countries have developed unique systems of education with some of them becoming successful while others still undergoing a continuous development. This has for sure placed Kenya in a competitive environment which constantly pushes it to continue working on the curriculum to make sure all needs for the learners are well taken care of. As we look at the future of education in Kenya, am reminded of a famous quote by Winston Churchill states that “The further backward you can look, the further forward you are likely to see.” It is important to look at where we started and evaluate how the future looks so that we get insights by identifying opportunities to e...

Imagine walking into a classroom where your teacher is an AI, your textbook is a virtual world, and learning feels more like a video game than a lecture. Sounds like science fiction? It’s quickly becoming our reality. Education stands at a turning point unlike any we've seen since the invention of the printing press. Around the world, the traditional sights of chalkboards, textbooks, and lecture-heavy classrooms are losing way to dynamic digital learning environments that adapt to each student's needs. This revolution goes well beyond merely replacing paper with tablets; it profoundly alters how knowledge is transmitted, processed, and kept. As digital innovation increases, forward-thinking institutions are leveraging powerful new tools such as artificial intelligence (AI), gamification, and virtual reality (VR) to create learning experiences that were unthinkable just a decade ago. AI instructors now offer quick feedback and individualized lesson plans. Gamification transforms...

By Judith Ndagano 14-2667 The transformation of learning resources has been an evolving and developing process, considerably advanced by technological improvements and evolving pedagogical philosophies. From the basic tools of the past to the advanced digital platforms, the progression illustrates a continuous journey to improve the learning experience, enhance accessibility, and provide diverse learning needs. In the early period of education, learning resources were limited and consisted mostly of oral traditions, handwritten manuscripts, and later, the revolutionary advent of printing, which facilitated access to books. The blackboard and chalk became common tools, used as the primary channel for spreading information in class rooms. These resources, while essential, were often constant, shallow, and very limited in their capacity to engage students actively (Eisenstein, 1979, p. 43). In the 20th century audiovisual aids such as filmstrips, overhead projectors, and educational tel...