Dear Nyaguthii Chege, I hope you are doing well. First, thank you so much for attending Penda Kujua‘s Book Club last month. I was among the attendees. I enjoyed your presence and learnt a lot from your contribution to the discussion. Secondly, thank you so much for carrying on with the legacy of Prof. Wangari… Continue reading Letter to Nyaguthii Chege of The Green Belt Movement
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Reimagining Education: Role of Math
The Ministry of Education (MOE) recently announced that mathematics will no longer be compulsory for learners transitioning to senior secondary school under the new competency-based curriculum (CBC). This comes against a backdrop of a plethora of challenges emanating from the implementation of the new curriculum, among them insufficient instructors for the new pathways, most notably… Continue reading Reimagining Education: Role of Math
Policy Framework for ODEL in Universities
In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission for University Education (CUE), the body responsible for regulating and accrediting universities’ academic programs, released a self-assessment report for Open, Distance, and E-learning (ODEL) programs to be followed by universities in an effort to expand access to university education while at the same time… Continue reading Policy Framework for ODEL in Universities
Cultivating Kenya’s Next Literary Giants
Ngugi wa Thiong’o
Rethinking Assignments in the Age of AI
Earlier today, I got a complaint from an educational program officer that junior and senior secondary school students are using ChatGPT to do school assignments. This is the exact phrase: “…they DIRECTLY feed a question and write down the answer…” At first, I thought the students’ learning appetite was quite high (JSS students often rely… Continue reading Rethinking Assignments in the Age of AI
Building a Career in the Digital Economy
Kenya’s digital economy has received a lot of praise in the media, most recently emanating from the political class. President William Ruto’s infamous “Finya computer, weka dollar kwa mfuko” during the launch of an ICT hub in Tongaren, Bungoma County caused uproars among the netizens, who fundamentally questioned the literal meaning of the President’s comments.… Continue reading Building a Career in the Digital Economy
Implications of AI Hallucinations on Education
ChatGPT, the leading generative AI offering, still experiences a lot of hallucinations. An AI hallucination refers to the occasions when AI generates false or misleading information that appears reasonable but is not based on facts. This past week, I have been intentionally conversing with the generative AI tool to experience its strengths and weaknesses. During… Continue reading Implications of AI Hallucinations on Education
Reminiscing on Cashing Out My Rap Music
I fell in love with rap music more than a decade ago, during my sophomore year in high school. But, unfortunately, it was not my first love. I grew up in the countryside and my music taste was shaped by my grandma through her radio at the time. I left for the city upon finishing… Continue reading Reminiscing on Cashing Out My Rap Music
My Year in Books – 2024
I set a goal to read 10 books this year. I have missed this by 2. But I may miss the goal by only one because I’m enjoying Benjamin Franklin’s biography by Walter Isaacson. I started reading Franklin’s biography about 2 years ago. It’s a long but enjoyable read. Benjamin Franklin is, as one of… Continue reading My Year in Books – 2024
Role of Education in the Gen Z Revolution
Following the recent occurrences in our country, having spent a considerable amount of time in discussions with my fellow friends, education’s role stood out for me as one of the reasons why the Gen Zs have achieved significant success in making the incumbent government work in accordance with the law – particularly in listening to… Continue reading Role of Education in the Gen Z Revolution