September 20, 2016, The Ministry of Education of Kenya and GESCI launched the African Digital Schools Initiative (ADSI) in Kiambu county, Kenya. The program, which will be rolled out starting 2017, is expected to transform 20 secondary schools in Kiambu county and 60 other schools in the counties of Narok, Taita Taveta and Nyamira into digital schools of distinction.

The event in Kiambu took place on the premises of St. Peter’s Secondary School and Ndumberi Secondary School.  It was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education of Kenya, the Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GESCI), Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and a selected number of school principals. Kenya’s decision to implement the ADSI program is in line with he country’s Vision 2030, Constitution and education policies, including the National Education Sector Support Program (NESSP), which stress the need to provide an all-inclusive quality basic education that is accessible and relevant to all Kenyans. The ADSI program, which is expected to enhance the quality of teaching and learning, to improve students’ performance in Science, Technology, English and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The event in Kiambu precedes three other launches of the ADSI programme, which will take place this month in the counties of Taita Taveta, Narok and Nyamira. ADSI will also be implemented in Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire starting 2017-2018. ADSI is a unique, innovative program to turn secondary schools into digital schools of distinction. The program facilitates the deep integration of ICT on a whole school basis. It is designed specifically to build student 21^St century skills, including in Science Technology, English and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, and teachers’ practice, using ICT in a way that is responsive to the needs of knowledge economies and societies and in the work place. The program is implemented by GESCI with support from the MasterCard Foundation.