Since the start of 2023, Edtech Mondays Kenya has explored a range of conversations such as mainstreaming hybrid models of learning, improving foundational literacy and numeracy for young learners, and most recently the role of digital literacy as a crucial component of 21st-century skills.

Throughout our conversations, the lack of ICT infrastructure and connectivity, such as electricity, Internet access, WIFI networks, and mobile networks was a key discussion area on what is needed to make technology-enabled education accessible to all learners in Kenya.

Even though all 47 counties in Kenya have fiber-based connectivity, last-mile links to rural parts of sub-counties remain inadequate. The 2019 census report also showed that rural internet access was 13.7% compared to urban Internet access, which was 42.5% – more than thrice that in rural areas.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that technology-enabled education is possible when schools closed in 2020, many marginalized and rural learners did not benefit due to inadequate ICT infrastructure and connectivity, as well as the high costs for access.

In the May 2023 edition of Edtech Mondays Kenya, we took a deep dive with our panelists into the current state of ICT infrastructure and connectivity in Kenya for education to better understand where we are and what needs to happen to close the digital divide for all learners. Our panelists were Rose Wanjohi, the Principal Programmes Officer at the ICT Authority, Ben Roberts, the Group Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, and Dr. Tim Kelly, the Lead Digital Development Policy Specialist at the World Bank Group.