Learners at Kongoni Primary School in Mwaktau, Taita Taveta County, are set to benefit from enhanced digital learning and environmental education, following the launch of a new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory, aimed at nurturing young conservation champions.
The ICT lab, equipped with 21 computers, was unveiled during celebrations to mark World Environment Day under the Young Conservation Heroes project, being implemented by the African Wildlife Foundation in partnership with Wildlife Clubs of Kenya.
Speaking during the launch, Taita Taveta County Executive Committee Member for Water, Sanitation, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Grantone Mwandawiro, said integrating technology with conservation education would help equip children with practical skills while strengthening environmental awareness at the grassroots level.
Mwandawiro noted that exposing learners to digital tools at an early age would not only improve ICT literacy but also enable them to actively participate in climate action and biodiversity conservation initiatives.
“Teaching children at the community level to take efforts towards reversing the effects of climate change builds a strong foundation for instilling a sense of environmental stewardship,” he said.
He added that the initiative would help learners use technology to access environmental information, conduct research, and develop innovative solutions to conservation challenges affecting their communities.
Country Director of the African Wildlife Foundation, Nancy Githaiga, urged students and teachers to maximize the use of the facility to promote environmental literacy and conservation advocacy within the school and the wider community.
“Let us ensure the school becomes a model institution on conservation matters. I urge learners to become conservation ambassadors and ensure a cleaner, greener planet for generations to come,” she said.
AWF Senior Conservation Education Officer, Margaret Mereiyan, said the project seeks to transform learners from passive recipients of information into active environmental stewards through the integration of ICT and conservation learning.
Mereiyan said the programme also aims at creating a holistic transformation of the school environment through structural and technical support that enhances both digital and environmental education.
The ICT lab is expected to improve access to digital learning opportunities for pupils in the rural area, while inspiring greater youth participation in environmental conservation efforts.
By Arnold Linga Masila
