Education has always been an equaliser and a key to unlocking individual and communal success, especially for those in the remote parts of the country.

With the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) heavily reliant on electronic learning, access to a telecommunication network and a connection to the information superhighway is now a critical component in the journey to literacy.

For students and teachers at Gotu Primary School deep in Isiolo County, life before the arrival of the network was tough as Teacher Maina recalls.

“I was posted to this school on 21st July 2015, and it was tough. There was no network. There was insecurity due to the battle for scarce resources. Since the network was availed, we have witnessed a huge change in our lives and in education.”

To get to Gotu Primary school from Archers Post in Isiolo, you drive through the Shaba National Reserve, through dusty, rocky, wild terrain back dropped by ranges. There are sightings of elephants, monkeys, and antelopes as River Ewaso Nyiro trickles past.

Being so close to nature means being very far from the comforts and necessities of modernity. The world has gone digital, and education has also followed globally.

With the advent of the new curriculum and rise of e-learning in Kenya, children in areas where there is no network risk being left behind.

Teacher Vincent Maina has witnessed firsthand the huge difference that availability of the network has made to his young students.

“The first time I was able to Google and show the students things online, they were so happy. The curiosity and drive to learn was so high. Remember we are deep in the countryside. So, when a student can access e-learning here, they are overjoyed.”

The benefits from the network extend beyond the classroom and into the administrative work that teachers do. Teachers in Kenya are assessed on their performance by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), through an evaluation mechanism dubbed TPAD.

“Before the network we would be forced to travel 100km to Isiolo to fulfill the TPAD requirements in a cyber. Now that is ancient history as I just use my phone and get it done while here in Gotu,” explains Teacher Maina.

The ease of communication and ability to send money to their families has also improved the familial relationships for the teachers. This results in happier teachers which has a positive impact on the provision of education.

The network in Gotu has been availed through the Universal Service Fund (USF) project that is a collaborative effort between Communication Authority of Kenya and Safaricom.

For the engineers involved in the USF project, the changes in how education is availed due to the network availability are a source of pride and joy.

“I want kids in the North of Kenya to have a similar future as the one I want my kids to have. I want them to get connected to the outside world. I want them to have exposure,” says Robert Wanderi, a System Engineer at Safaricom.