2016 ICT4D Conference

The Uwezo study shows that only 3 in 10 Class 2 pupils can read. To improve this, Kenya is implementing the Tusome National Tablet Programme, which is the first national scale implementation of an ICT program supporting improved instructional feedback in Sub-Saharan Africa, as previous work has been in small scale pilots.
Each of Kenya's Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs) who support Kenya's 1127 zones was equipped with a tablet in 2015. CSOs are provided with the Tutor classroom observational tool, which allows them to help the CSO give feedback on teaching quality to the teacher, and to assess pupil learning. This application also collects a GPS reading, and allows for the creation of a national database of school information. The CSO also has a set of 30 instructional videos, and a letter sound application which allows users to hear letter sounds as well as record their own attempts at the sounds.
In 2015, CSOs observed more than 40,000 classrooms and assessed more than 120,000 pupils. This data has been aggregated in a national dashboard which shows county comparisons. This dashboard has been used to support educational decision-making. A monthly email is sent to each County Director to allow them to make comparisons between CSO performance. The dashboard includes a clickable map of the observations, allowing decision-makers to compare local, zonal, county and national levels. This presentation will share the initial findings of the Tusome National Tablet Programme, and will show the possibilities that exist in expanding simple, sustainable technologies to a national level.