Latest news with #JohnTanuiCBS
Globe and Mail
17-03-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Kenya DigiSchool Connectivity Project Enables Online Learning for Deaf Children
, /CNW/ -- Huawei, UNESCO, and government partners officially announced the completion of Phase II of the Kenya DigiSchool Connectivity Project, which connected 21 schools to the Internet, including 6 schools for children with special educational needs. Aligned with the government's Digital Superhighway Agenda and the commitment to connect all Kenyan schools to the Internet, the DigiSchool project is a partnership between Kenya's Ministry of Education, Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, Kenya Power (KPLC), UNESCO, and Huawei TECH4ALL. The announcement event, which took place at Machakos Primary School for the Deaf on March 14 , was officiated by Eng. John Tanui CBS, Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy in Kenya . The school is one of the schools for deaf children that was connected to the nation's high-speed fiber broadband network under the second phase of the project. "We are here at Machakos Primary School for the Deaf to ensure that the school is connected to the national fiber so that they can learn better and contribute to improved learning outcomes. Since visual access is key for the deaf, the package also includes a video conferencing solution," said Eng. John Tanui CBS, Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy. "As government, we acknowledge the support of the private sector players in delivering such a life-changing program at Machakos Primary School for the Deaf. Indeed, this is a huge undertaking that needs strategic collaboration with partners like Huawei and UNESCO. It is our hope that we will continue to transform lives and livelihoods together, as we further the digital inclusion agenda." The video conferencing equipment enables Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) to provide remote support for school administrators, teachers, and learners at deaf schools, enhancing teaching capacity at the schools and improving access to various services. "With these solutions, connectivity is improving the efficiency of education management. It is helping head teachers access management systems online. It is improving access to education resources online – whether videos, curriculum, or experts. And connectivity in the classroom is making learning more interesting, fun, and effective. In schools catering for special educational needs, connectivity is helping experts provide assessment and rehabilitation services remotely," said Stephen Zhang , Deputy CEO for Huawei Kenya. During the announcement event, attendees experienced first-hand how children use the Internet in class and the potential benefits of online video calls between learners and KISE experts. "UNESCO stands ready to continue to work with the government of Kenya, Huawei, and all other stakeholders to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, as stated in Sustainable Development Goal 4 and the aspirations of the National Education Sector Strategic Plan," said Louise Haxthausen , Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa . Under its long-term digital inclusion initiative TECH4ALL, Huawei has supported the DigiSchool Connectivity Project since the launch of Phase I, and is responsible for technical assessments, solution design, provision of the equipment, and project management. Connecting to the government's fiber-optic network NOFBI, Huawei's rapidly deployable all-optical access and FTTR-B solutions enable high-quality, all-optical Wi-Fi connections and a high-speed network experience for online courses and live video classes in the target schools. Phase 1 of the DigiSchool project connected 13 schools to the Internet, benefiting 6,000 students and teachers. An evaluation of Phase I found that: 98% of learners said that the Internet meets their educational needs. 84% reported that the Internet makes learning more exciting. 71% said that online resources make complex ideas easier to understand. About TECH4ALL TECH4ALL is Huawei's long-term digital inclusion initiative and action plan. Enabled by innovative technologies and partnerships, TECH4ALL is designed to enable inclusion and sustainability in the digital world.
Associated Press
10-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Huawei Calls to Expand Open Innovation and Collaboration to Prevent New Digital Divide
BARCELONA, Spain, March 10, 2025 /CNW/ -- At the Huawei ICT Sustainability Roundtable held at MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei called on policymakers and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry stakeholders to expand open innovation and collaboration to ensure that a new digital divide does not emerge due to rapid advances in AI over the past few years. In his opening address, Huawei Rotating Chairman Ken Hu emphasized that digital technologies and partnerships are helping to drive sustainable change for people and the planet, citing examples from Huawei's TECH4ALL program. Nevertheless, Hu stressed that governments and the ICT industry must expand collaborative platforms to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital world. 'As AI makes the world more intelligent, we are likely to see a new digital divide. We need to pay attention to this and work together to bridge the gap,' said Ken Hu, Rotating Chairman for Huawei. 'We need policymakers to build more inclusive institutional frameworks and more tech companies to embrace open innovation. We need to work together to build more open platforms for collaboration.' To explore how this is being approached in practice, the ICT Sustainability Roundtable brought together global experts and Huawei TECH4ALL partners to showcase how collaborative digital inclusion projects can equip underserved communities with the skills needed to embrace the digital world. Representing the Kenyan government, Eng. John Tanui CBS emphasized how working with partners such as Huawei align with Kenya Vision 2030 by driving digital economic development through digital infrastructure rollout, digitized government services, and digital skills training for remote and rural communities. For example, the Huawei TECH4ALL DigiTruck - a mobile classroom mounted on the back of a truck - has provided training for nearly 6,000 Kenyan youth since 2019. 'In Kenya, we believe no one should be left behind. That's why Huawei is a strategic partner in upscaling digital skills through initiatives like TECH4ALL, which we leverage to drive digital inclusion,' said Eng John Tanui CBS, Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy for Kenya. 'With mobile DigiTrucks, we have been able to train young people on smartphone functionality, online risks, responsible Internet use, and securing online accounts and resources for learning.' The 2024 DigiTruck Digital Literacy Skills Program Evaluation Report released by the Kenyan government shows that 93% of DigiTruck trainees improved their work capabilities due to the training. The report also reveals higher employment rates among former trainees, alongside significantly increased Internet use for business activities such as e-commerce. Kenya DigiTruck project partner GSMA also highlighted the value of the DigiTruck's mobility in reaching extremely remote communities. Universal Service Fund Pakistan (USF) explored how collaboration with the Pakistani government, Huawei, and ITU-D is transforming rural villages through TECH4ALL Smart Village Pakistan projects, which bring connectivity, e-education, and e-health initiatives to local communities coupled with digital skills training. UNESCO and Spain's University of Alicante focused on global digital skills development, including collaboration with Huawei ICT Academy to develop the next generation of ICT talent. In the area of nature conservation, International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) introduced how ICT is redefining nature conservation through the IUCN-Huawei TECH4ALL Tech4Nature global partnership, which has supported 13 flagship projects in 11 countries with innovative tech solutions for protected areas. A commonality among all of the projects explored at the roundtable is the emphasis on technological innovation and cross-sector partnerships, an approach that is crucial for leveraging the power of ICT to enable an inclusive and sustainable digital world. About TECH4ALL TECH4ALL is Huawei's long-term digital inclusion initiative and action plan. Enabled by innovative technologies and partnerships, TECH4ALL is designed to enable inclusion and sustainability in the digital world.
