For years, teaching young children has largely depended on books, charts, songs and the creativity of teachers to keep learners engaged. But inside an ECDE classroom at Ng’araria Primary School in Murang’a County, that familiar routine is increasingly being complemented by digital technology.
As learners count numbers, pronounce new words and solve simple problems using digital content, teachers are taking on a changing role — guiding children through interactive lessons while using technology as an additional tool to strengthen concepts taught in class.
The shift is part of a wider effort to integrate technology into Kenya’s early childhood education as the country implements the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, which places emphasis on developing practical skills and competencies from the earliest stages of learning.
At Ng’araria Primary School, digital devices are not being used to replace teachers. Instead, they provide another way of presenting lessons, allowing children to interact with educational content while teachers continue to guide classroom activities, encourage participation and provide direct support.
ECDE teacher Beth Ruguru Kimani says the approach has changed the way she prepares and delivers some lessons, particularly because children respond differently when concepts are presented through interactive digital content.
“The learners find the lessons interesting and practical. More children are willing to attend class because they enjoy learning,” Kimani says.
She adds that technology has also encouraged her to become more innovative, as she looks for ways to combine digital lessons with other classroom activities that keep young learners interested.
The experience reflects a broader change in the responsibilities of ECDE teachers, who are increasingly expected to work alongside digital learning tools while maintaining the human interaction that remains central to early childhood education.
At Ng’araria, school headteacher James Gitau Chege says the programme has been running for three years and has introduced learners to digital skills while supporting competencies targeted under the CBE system.
The school has 127 learners enrolled in PP1 and PP2, with Chege saying the technology has brought a noticeable change to the classroom environment.
However, he says sustaining such programmes will require continued investment in devices, infrastructure and teacher support so that schools can use technology consistently rather than as an occasional addition to lessons.
The programme is being implemented through a partnership involving EIDU, national and county governments, with the technology designed to complement teacher-led instruction and play-based learning.
Murang’a County ECDE Director Catherine Mwaura says the model has been rolled out across 250 ECDE centres in the county, reaching more than 1,100 teachers.
According to Mwaura, the approach is helping strengthen foundational learning, language acquisition and creativity, while the learning content used in the programme has been approved by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
Parents are also beginning to notice changes in their children.
Janet Mukami and Caroline Njoroge say their children have shown improvements in pronunciation, spelling and logical thinking, alongside greater enthusiasm for attending school.
The parents say the interactive nature of the lessons has helped their children participate more confidently, giving them an opportunity to learn through a combination of visual, verbal and practical experiences.
Beyond the classroom experience, the EIDU model is designed to strengthen the connection between teachers, learners and educational content.
Digital lessons can provide structured activities and repetition while helping teachers identify areas where individual learners may require additional attention. However, direct engagement between teachers and children, play and classroom interaction remain important parts of the learning process.
EIDU Deputy Head of Operations Moses Onjolo says the organisation is seeking to expand its programme from 32 counties to all 47 counties.
According to EIDU, its platform currently supports approximately 790,000 learners in Kenya, while 47,445 devices have been distributed through partnerships involving government and development partners.
“The next frontier is sustainability: strengthening government ownership, expanding relevant learning content, supporting teachers and ensuring equitable access, particularly in underserved communities,” Onjolo says.
The expansion comes as Kenya prepares to mark World Teachers’ Day on October 5, with the experience at Ng’araria highlighting how the role of teachers is evolving as technology becomes increasingly integrated into classrooms.
Rather than removing teachers from the centre of learning, the Murang’a experience points to a model where technology provides additional resources while teachers remain responsible for interpreting lessons, responding to learners’ needs and creating an environment where children can develop essential skills.
The bigger test, however, will be whether schools can sustain the approach over time and whether digital learning can deliver measurable improvements in literacy, numeracy, creativity and problem-solving among children across different parts of the country.
For teachers at Ng’araria, the technology has already changed one important part of their work: giving them another tool to make learning more interactive while allowing them to spend more time focusing on how individual children understand and respond to lessons.
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