HELB to give Laptops to University Students: By CS Magoha

University students will get laptops from the Higher Education Loans Board, HELB, to aid in online learning. Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha on Thursday, last week, said his ministry is working on a framework to finance the acquisition of e-learning devices for all university students.

“The Ministry is looking into ways of supporting continues online learning for University students by supporting HELB to facilitate them for the acquisition of online learning facilities and resources,” the CS said after meeting education stake holders at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, KICD, in Nairobi.

Magoha said face to face interactions between students and lecturers may not be possible this year as most higher learning institutions are yet to meet the minimum ministry of health guidelines. This, thus, informed the decision to strengthen the universities’ online systems so as to promote E-learning.

“A survey of all Teacher Training Colleges, Universities and TVET institutions has shown that a few of them have put in place necessary measures to comply with Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 protocols that can guarantee safety of staff and learners once they reopen,” Magoha reported.

The CS and other top ministry officials have been touring different learning institutions to access their levels of preparedness ahead of reopening in January, 2021.

Photo: Education CS Prof George Magoha when he visited Maseno University. He reiterated that many Universities are not ready for reopening in the context of the health guidelines on covid-19. He asked the institutions to adopt Online learning prior to face to face sessions in January 2021.

Universities will now continue executing their services online, for the remainder of the year. Upcoming first years’ orientation in September, other academic activities, the administration of examinations and graduations are some of the services that will now be offered online.

Dedan Kimathi, Egerton and Riara universities are some of the institutions that have carried out successful virtual graduations. On Friday Magoha attended a virtual graduation ceremony at Egerton University.

HELB has already opened its portal for the newly placed first years to submit their 2020/2021 loan applications, online.