ABSTRACT
Since the 1990s Kenya has been plagued by persistently low primary education outcomes. In the early 2000s, having identified the need to improve education services to increase global competitiveness, Kenyan politicians and policymakers began pursuing education system reform. Between 2003 and 2013, institutional and policy reforms led to an increase in enrolment of nearly 30%. In 2013, the government shifted its focus to enhancing education quality. However, traditional approaches to increasing quality take significant time to plan, implement and realise results. In an attempt to fast-track improvements, Kenya pursued two large-scale education technology (EdTech) programmes. The Digital Literacy Programme aimed to provide laptops to all primary students in Kenya. The Tusome programme used tablets to enhance teacher coaching and oversight. Lessons learned from these programmes reinforce that EdTech is not a silver bullet that can quickly solve complex education challenges. Amongst other lessons, the Kenyan experience highlights how equipping programme participants with the capacity to use EdTech, building trust in EdTech amongst stakeholders, and implementing accountability systems are critical to ensuring the success of EdTech programmes.
