How Digital Learning Is Transforming ECDE Classrooms in Murang’a

At Ng’araria Primary School in Murang’a County, the familiar sounds of an early childhood classroom are increasingly being accompanied by the glow of digital learning devices, as young learners count numbers, pronounce new words, solve simple problems and explore concepts through interactive lessons.

The shift reflects a wider transformation taking place in Kenya’s Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE), where technology is increasingly being used alongside traditional teaching methods to strengthen foundational literacy, numeracy, creativity and problem-solving skills under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework.

Through a partnership involving EIDU, the national government and county governments, digital learning tools are being introduced into ECDE classrooms, giving teachers access to interactive content designed to make lessons more engaging while allowing learners to interact with concepts in ways that complement classroom instruction.

In Murang’a, the programme has been rolled out across 250 ECDE centres supported by more than 1,100 teachers, according to Murang’a County ECDE Director Catherine Mwaura.

Mwaura says the digital approach is helping strengthen foundational learning, language development and creativity among young learners, with the programme’s content approved by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).

At Ng’araria Primary School, ECDE teacher Beth Ruguru Kimani has experienced the changes firsthand, describing the technology as an additional tool that has transformed how she introduces and explains concepts to young learners.

She says interactive lessons have made some concepts easier for children to understand while also reducing the amount of time teachers spend preparing classroom materials.

“The learners find the lessons interesting and practical. More children are willing to attend class because they enjoy learning,” Kimani says.

For the teacher, the technology has also changed her own approach to lesson preparation, encouraging her to become more creative and innovative when developing activities for her learners.

Headteacher James Gitau Chege says Ng’araria Primary School has used the digital learning programme for the past three years, giving learners early exposure to technology while supporting teaching approaches aligned with CBE.

The school currently has 127 children enrolled in PP1 and PP2, with Chege describing the programme as a significant change in the way young learners interact with educational content.

He, however, says sustained government investment will be important if digital learning is to be maintained and expanded to more schools, particularly as counties seek to strengthen the quality of early childhood education.

The impact of the programme is also being noticed beyond the classroom.

Parents Janet Mukami and Caroline Njoroge say they have observed changes in their children’s pronunciation, spelling, logical thinking and general enthusiasm for school since the introduction of digital learning.

They say the interactive nature of the lessons has made learning more enjoyable while giving children greater confidence to participate in classroom activities and practise what they have learnt at home.

The model is not simply about placing digital devices in classrooms. Its broader objective is to strengthen the connection between teachers, learners and educational content by giving teachers tools that can reinforce lessons through interactive exercises, repetition and structured activities.

Digital platforms can also help teachers identify areas where individual learners may require additional support, although technology remains a complement to teacher-led instruction, interaction, play and other activities that are central to early childhood development.

EIDU Deputy Head of Operations Moses Onjolo says the organisation is seeking to expand its reach as part of efforts to address learning poverty in Kenya, with an ambition to move from its current presence in 32 counties to all 47 counties.

According to EIDU, its platform currently supports approximately 790,000 learners across Kenya, while 47,445 devices have been distributed to schools through partnerships involving government and development partners.

“The next frontier is sustainability: strengthening government ownership, expanding relevant learning content, supporting teachers and ensuring equitable access, particularly in underserved communities,” Onjolo says.

The experience at Ng’araria Primary School comes as Kenya continues to implement reforms under the CBE framework, placing greater emphasis on practical skills, creativity, problem-solving and the individual abilities of learners.

For ECDE teachers, parents and education officials, the growing use of digital tools represents an opportunity to make foundational learning more interactive while giving children skills that will become increasingly important as they progress through the education system.

But the long-term success of digital learning will depend not only on the number of devices reaching classrooms, but also on the quality of content, teacher support, reliable infrastructure, government ownership and equitable access.

The experience in Murang’a offers an early glimpse of what technology can bring to ECDE classrooms, but the bigger test will be whether these innovations can produce lasting improvements in literacy, numeracy and other foundational learning outcomes for children across Kenya, regardless of where they live or the resources available to their schools.