Teacher Trainers go through their learning materials during a learning session at the KIE

Microsoft through the Partners in Learning Program has partnered with the Ministry of Education - Kenya, and the African Centre for Women in ICT (ACWICT) to transform education through the use of ICT in Education.

Specifically, the partnership aims to build the capacity of women teachers in ICT while at the same time addressing the issues affecting Girl Child education in Kenya.

Microsoft Partners in learning initiative supports the dual commitment by Microsoft to advance the quality of education and provide alternative channels for economic progress.

By building partnerships with governments and schools around the globe, Partners in Learning works to integrate technology into daily teaching, learning, and research.

The project, which will be implemented over a five year period starting from August 2008, is expected to train 16,800 women primary and secondary school teachers from the 210 constituencies countrywide.

The training will take a training of trainer (TOT) approach and will be delivered through a localized Microsoft Partners in Learning training curriculum designed to develop the capacities of women teachers in both ICT and Girl Child issues in Kenya.

The programme begins with a 3 week Training of 30 Teacher Trainers (TOTs) scheduled for August 2008. The Teacher Trainers will be equipped with the necessary skills set and attitude that is required for implementation of the programme.

The TOT’s will be trained at the ACWICT training centre in Nairobi and Suba Youth Resource Centre under the supervision of E- Learning Coordinator, Ministry of Education.

The teacher training will begin in December 2008. In order to train 16,800 teachers spread across the 210 constituencies countrywide in fives year period, the programme has been designed to train 80 teachers per constituency in 14 constituencies every term holiday.

Other key activities to be implemented include hosting annual Innovative Teachers and learners Congress events, facilitating exchange platforms for teachers involved the programme, and innovative teacher road shows designed to enable reach in areas that are otherwise not covered by the prerequisite ICT infrastructure.

The TOT’s will be introduced to Microsoft Digital literacy, how to mentor teachers to be Innovative ,how to use ICT y to Capture legal and Social issues related to the Girl-Child, a number of emerging technologies including wireless connectivity, solar power technology and the whole philosophy behind Microsoft Partners in Learning.

ACWICT will work closely with the selected training sites ,the Ministry of Education and Constituency Development Fund to synchronize the training schedule to capture those teachers who otherwise for involvement in school calendar events are not left out.

Of central focus will be the use of a customized Microsoft Digital Literacy Curriculum with Girl–Child content so as to capture issues and challenges facing the Girls in and out of school environment. The teachers will be instructed, and mentored and incited by the, TOTs to use ICT innovatively to re-socialize the girls so asto make them realize their potential.

For purposes of scaling up the program, ACWICT seek partnerships with like minded organizations these will include but not limited to telecommunication operators, media houses, educational institutions, operators in the energy sector, ICT service providers, Government of Kenya devolved funds structures including the Constituency Development Fund.

Collaborative effort will be made with the Kenya Institute of Education (K.I.E) to introduce digitized syllabus content in the subject areas where girls have been performing poorly. The trained female teachers (innovative teachers) will act as role models in this area by using computers to improve Science teaching in schools even as they use wireless technology to improve access to gender based information for schools.