Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has called for coding to become an integral part of the national curriculum, highlighting its potential to address educational inequality and equip students with crucial skills for the digital age.
Murkomen spoke at the official launch of coding studies at OLC Mugoiri Girls in Murang’a County, a model coding school established through a partnership between the Ministry of Education and education technology firm Kodris Africa.
The coding initiative by Kodris Africa is supported by Safaricom, KCB Group, and Co-operative Bank, and aims to position Kenya as a leader in digital education and create a talent pipeline for the global tech market.
“These students are being exposed to something that many students from national schools have no opportunity for. This example being set here should be compulsory in the national curriculum.” CS Murkomen observed.
With a global demand for skilled coders on the rise, the program aims to position Kenya as a leader in digital education, creating a talent pipeline for the international tech market.
“If you want to bridge the gap that is there because of inequalities, it is for us not to give excuses and say we do not have the infrastructure – it is to improvise and make sure that we give all our children the opportunity to become global citizens the way this programme has been done.” The CS said.
He added that: “I will tell the President and the CS Education that every other school should send their students to Mugoiri Girls to see what’s happening in this school.”
OLC Mugoiri Girls has been developed as a model school for coding, utilizing a Ministry of Education-approved curriculum.
This exemplary school boasts a stellar track record in computer studies, with all 55 students achieving top marks in 2023 and a near-perfect showing in the previous year’s KCPE exams.
A video showcasing Mugoiri’s innovations was recently presented in London as part of the Commonwealth Business Women Africa activities. This exposure underscores the school’s potential to inspire a national coding education initiative.
“We believe it is crucial to equip school children with technological knowledge. I congratulate the school for its innovative education programmes. Through such education, we can ensure a bright future for our country. I am confident that we will continue to make great strides as a country in ICT.” The CS added.
The CS was accompanied by the School’s Board Chairman and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) chairman Anthony Mwaura and Presidential Advisor on ICT Dennis Itumbi among other leaders.
Itumbi echoed Murkomen’s sentiments, emphasising the importance of coding as “the language of the future.”
“Every child in our country deserves to learn coding,” Itumbi declared. “Mugoiri Girls is going to produce the next apps, the next generation of social campaigns and platforms.” Itumbi said.
Itumbi urged the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of ICT to collaborate with partners like Safaricom, Kodris Africa, and other partners to sponsor coding courses and support students nationwide.
President William Ruto’s administration has already announced steps towards mainstreaming coding education.
On Jamhuri Day last year President William Ruto announced that the government would train 42,000 teachers on delivering KICD-approved coding lessons in an ambitious move to introduce computer programming lessons across the country.
This initiative, aimed at mainstreaming KICD-approved coding lessons in primary and secondary schools, seeks to equip a generation of students with the essential skills for thriving in the digital economy.
“Google, in collaboration with the ministries of Education, ICT and Digital Economy, has begun implementing a Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development-approved coding programme in primary and secondary schools. To reach 4 million learners, the partnership will train 42,000 teachers.” President Ruto stated.
