Kenya Flags Off Laptops and Smart Boards to 10,382 Junior Secondary Schools

The government has begun distributing laptops and interactive smart boards to junior secondary schools across the country, with the rollout covering all 10,382 public institutions at that level.

The flag-off ceremony took place at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) in Nairobi on June 9, 2026. Each school will receive one teacher laptop and one 65-inch interactive smart board through a phased national distribution exercise.

The initiative is being implemented by the ICT Authority under the Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Project (KDEAP), with funding support from the World Bank. It is designed to support the delivery of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, which replaced the older 8-4-4 system and places greater emphasis on practical skills and applied learning.

Speaking at the launch, Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke said the programme goes beyond hardware. "Today, we are not merely flagging off devices. We are investing in human capital, digital skills and the future prosperity of our children. We want our learners not to merely consume technology, but to create it, innovate through it, and apply it to solving challenges facing their communities and our nation," he said.

ICT Authority Chief Executive Jessy Maruti and World Bank representatives were among officials present at the ceremony. The World Bank's representative noted that the devices would make lessons more visual and interactive, while supporting digital literacy from an early age.

Dagoretti South Member of Parliament John Kiarie, who chairs the National Assembly Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, described the rollout as a strategic investment in Kenya's long-term competitiveness.

The government has framed inclusion as a core objective, with officials pointing to parallel investments in broadband connectivity, digital hubs, and skills development programmes to ensure learners in remote areas benefit equally.

Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, who flagged off the first consignment, said the initiative is part of a broader plan to establish smart classrooms in all junior schools and raise the quality of teaching through technology.

The KDEAP programme sits within Kenya's wider Digital Masterplan, which targets a technology-ready workforce as the country looks to expand its digital economy. With over 10,000 schools in scope, the logistics of the rollout will be closely watched as distribution moves beyond Nairobi into counties with more challenging last-mile infrastructure.