Kenya’s competency based education requires teachers to teach digital literacy to learners, yet many teachers don’t have those skills themselves. Teachers were expected to integrate technology into their teaching, yet lacked the training to do so. The government provided tablets, which ended up locked away in cabinets because teachers didn’t know how to use them. Kenya Connect conducted a survey and found that teachers were skipping coding chapters altogether because they lacked the skills to teach them.
Kenya Connect saw this challenge and asked how these teachers could be trained. We began holding teacher trainings on coding, starting with block-based programming using Scratch, which teachers would then take back and teach to their students. Teachers were always happy to come to our campus for the training. Soon, they were no longer skipping coding chapters, they were teaching them. Teachers were coding. Students were coding too.
Building on this, we established our first three code clubs at Mwaasua CS, Kyaani Cs and Nyaani CS Schools. Things got even more interesting. A few Chromebooks were allocated to each club, and teachers were excited for the extra support to run them. Students were over the moon. We provided technical support by repairing the government tablets at the schools. Just a handful of devices in each school, code club members began holding regular sessions learning a new concept each time, then practising it on their own in between.
In the code clubs, students work in groups, and collaboration is at the heart of how they learn. They learn together. They communicate in the language they understand best. They support each other, teach each other, guide each other, and have fun while doing it all in the spirit of teamwork and peer learning. That’s how code club sessions still run today.
Teacher Winnie from Kyaani CS, a code club champion, runs her club with real enthusiasm. “The teacher technology training I attended at Kenya Connect transformed my teaching journey. I now teach students confidently on computer basics and coding, and we continue to learn together,” she says.
We tested the model, we got the feedback, and refinement happened. And it worked. We grew from 3 clubs to 47, then 76, and now 86 code clubs. What progress, and proof that coding can be fun for everyone involved.Thanks to Raspberry Pi, who provide resources and learning pathways, our code clubs are guided in coding, exploring curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving.
We then began training code club patrons on Python, moving into text-based programming. Teachers are now training students in Python too. Recently, we held a Python teacher training attended by 78 code club patrons. It was interactive and hands-on , teachers were learners and coders all at once, asking questions as they grasped new concepts. Teacher Esther from Itooni CS reflects on her journey as a code club patron: “The Itooni Code Club, which I proudly serve as patron, has grown tremendously since its inception. When the club was first established, many learners were hesitant and even afraid to open and use laptops. Through consistent mentorship, hands-on practice, and continuous encouragement, the learners gradually built their confidence and developed an interest in coding and technology. Over time, they became more comfortable using computers and began exploring digital projects independently, demonstrating remarkable growth in both skills and self-belief.
When you visit my club, you will see the progress. In a recent session, Joy, a Grade 9 learner, confidently led her fellow club members through the process of creating a project, showcasing both leadership and technical skill. At the same time, Kennedy, a Grade 8 learner, successfully carried out the project as instructed, demonstrating the practical skills he has gained through the club. As the patron, my role was mainly to facilitate the session and support the learners as they led and learned from one another. Watching them take ownership of their learning and collaborate so effectively was both inspiring and rewarding, a clear reflection of the Itooni Code Club’s impact on their digital literacy journey.”
It’s success stories like these that drive us to reach even more underserved schools. Imagine walking into a classroom and seeing students excited to build their own computer games and projects ,this is exactly what’s happening right now.
We continue to check in on these clubs, and the results are remarkable. Students are improving at coding, fast. In these clubs, kids aren’t just listening to a teacher teach, they’re working together, solving problems, and creating real things.
When we give teachers the right training, students win. We can’t wait to see what these young coders build next.
