MultiChoice Kenya Launches Resource Centre Program in Nyeri County to Enhance Learning

MultiChoice Kenya has announced the expansion of its multimillion resource centre program to reach over 180 secondary schools with additional 30 learning institutions set to be connected to DStv education bouquet by end of 2016.

A total of 100 including 80 learning institutions and secondary schools across the country have benefitted from the DStv Education Bouquet through the MultiChoice Resource Centre program which avails to students free channels with educational content to enhance their learning experience.

The program, which is implemented through the partnership between MultiChoice and the Ministries of Education and that of Information and Communication Technology, seeks to not only provide access to education and information in secondary schools in the rural areas but also bridge the digital divide and increase excitement in both learning and teaching.

Speaking during the launch of an additional three resource centre programs in Mukurweini Constituency in Nyeri County, MultiChoice Investments Holdings Regional Director for East Africa, Mr.  Stephen Isaboke said his company was committed to improving the quality of education in Kenya through the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) as well as through leveraging the educational content on the DStv channels.

“The DStv Education Bouquet offer learners channels with education content at absolutely no cost. The bouquet uses the audio visual impact of television to support teaching and learning in schools and we have given the institutions a TV set, decoder and a smart card,” said Mr. Isaboke.

Rutune Secondary School, Ngamwa High School and Gikondi High School are the latest beneficiaries of the programme which has already been rolled out in Meru, Nairobi, Narok and Mombasa Counties among others.

Speaking during the commissioning of the resource centres at Rutune Secondary School, Mukurweini Member of Parliament, Kabando Wa Kabando, commended MultiChoice Kenya for pioneering digital learning in Kenyan secondary schools and took the opportunity to urge the private sector to continue assisting the government in its mission to see learning in the country was modernized.

“This project will help boost education performance in schools as learners get exposed to real life examples and concepts of what they are learning in class, for example through watching documentaries on National Geographic. Since this technology brought by DStv combines education with entertainment it will help the children understand and enjoy what they are being taught,” said Hon. Kabando Wa Kabando.

The DStv education bouquet comprises of eight premium channels, namely; The History Channel, Mindset Learn, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, BBC World and BBC Knowledge.

“I believe that television can be used to bring abstract ideas to life, making it a powerful medium to aid in teaching and learning in education institutions. In addition, we have managed to train 70 teachers across the country, thereby, imparting relevant skills on how best to integrate audio visual technology in a class-room environment,” explained Mr. Isaboke.

Makueni Girls, situated in Eastern Province is one of the schools that have benefited from the MultiChoice Resource Centre program. The school’s principal, Ms. Joyce Hombe has applauded the gesture from MultiChoice Kenya saying that the equipments will aid the students and teachers to perform beyond expectations.

“We are very grateful for being one of the beneficiaries of the DStv Education bouquet and this will provide extra motivation to our students and teachers to work towards the school’s goals and objectives of becoming a centre of academic excellence in the region,” said Hombe.

The initiative is a partnership between MultiChoice Kenya and the Ministries of Education and Information and Communication that seeks to promote the quality of education and development goal through the use of ICT.