On 24 May, VVOB organised an end-of-programmes event for the Healthy Learning and ICT Integration in Education programmes. More than 100 people from various ministries and partners joined us in reflecting on the achievements and discussing the way forward.
As the collaboration between the Ministry of Education and VVOB Kenya is coming to an end, we did not mourn, but celebrated.
During two days (April 23th and 24th 2013), more than 6O representatives of the 163 Healthy Learning schools in Kenya shared their experiences and told us about their plans for the future.
Healthy Learning has printed the booklet 'Quality Education in Kenyan Primary Schools'. It summarises the successes in the Healthy Learning Projects in our model schools in arid and semi-arid areas since 2008. We thank ICRAF for making this possible.
Isinya district which is implementing the Healthy Learning Programme (HLP) held an education day on 6th July 2012. The annual event recognized schools that had excelled academically and in extracurricular activities such as drama, sport and music in the district in 2011.
The Healthy Learning Programme recently partnered with the British Council to train 25 head teachers in School Leadership. These included 12 head teachers from Healthy Learning (HL) Schools and 2 education field officers. The 3 day training took place from 18th – 20th June 2012 in Nakuru. VVOB staff also attended the training.
The Healthy Learning Programme has made a major milestone by incorporating 133 new schools by 1st July 2012, bringing the total to 163 schools.
Early 2012, ten photographers set out on a journey. Their mission was extremely challenging; to grasp the impact of VVOB's education programmes on the everyday lives of children and youngsters. The result is an impressive and colourful range of interpretations, perspectives and ideas.
A team of six from the VVOB board of directors visited two Healthy Learning schools on 7th March in Narok North district. This was part of a week-long visit to Kenya between 4th and 11th March 2012 aimed at familiarizing the team with the Kenya programs of Healthy Learning and ICT Integration in Education.
Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) has been named as the organisation with the most entrepreneurial approach to education in Kenya in the Educating Africa Pan-African Awards for Entrepreneurship in Education.
The 'Young People, Farming and Food Conference' organised a media competition in Africa. An article about the Healthy Learning Programme in Kenya, won the silver medal. The competition was looking for articles from across the continent that combine the themes 'youth', 'agriculture' and 'food'.
VVOB will be turning 30 years in 2012. To celebrate this occasion VVOB is launching an 'Active Teaching and Learning' competition for teachers and lecturers in all VVOB partner countries and Flanders.
Mrs Hilde Herssens joined the Healthy Learning Team, on 3 October 2011, when they visited schools in Kathiani and Machakos Districts during her mission to Kenya. She interacted with (more than 70) parents, teachers from 15 Healthy Learning schools from four districts as well as with district and national education officers.
H.E. Bart Ouvry, the Belgian Ambassador to Kenya and the Ministry of Finance's Desk Officer for Belgium, Mr Orwa, visited the National ICT Innovation and Integration Centre on 25 October 2011. Prof George Godia, Education Secretary, hosted the delegation which also included other officials of the Ministry of Finance.
Teachers, parents and district officials from various Healthy Learning schools and districts came together on 3rd to 5th October 2011 to share lessons from phase I (2008 - 2010) and forge a way forward for phase II (2011 - 2013) of the Healthy Learning programme.
The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation (VVOB Kenya) held a schools’ tree planting award ceremony at the Karura Education Centre on 16th September 2011.
The National ICT Innovation and Integration Centre (NI3C) supported by the VVOB Kenya ICT Integration in Education programme was officially launched on the 10th August 2011 in a colourful ceremony officiated by the Minister of Education, Prof. Dr. Sam Ongeri.
This week marks the end of my internship at VVOB Kenya. A practical internship is an essential part of my final year in B. Sc. Information Sciences. I got to hear about this internship from a friend and I applied. I was glad when a few days after attending the interview I was called to join the VVOB ICT Integration Programme team for a period of three months.
On 6 July 2011, Ngong Boys & Girls Primary school in Kajiado North District (about 30 kms South of Nairobi) received two refurbished PCs and screens and a printer from the VVOB Kenya office. The occasion was attended by all class 8 students and teachers, the school committee and the district’s Assistant Education Officer.
Thirteen trainers from the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) participated in a four day practical training on “digital storytelling”.
On 5th May 2011, delegates taking part in the 13th annual Global Child Nutrition Forum (GCNF) hosted in Nairobi - Kenya from 3rd – 7th May visited 2 Healthy Learning schools in Kajiado District.
On 28 March 2011, Prof James Legilisho Ole Kiyiapi, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education, made a site visit to the National ICT Integration and Innovation Centre at the Kenya Science Campus along Ngong Road.
_0.kl.jpg "Participants at the HL Info Centre")
More than fifteen professional and administrative staff members of the Ministry of Education (from the School Health, Nutrition and Meals Unit, Quality Assurance Directorate and others) and VVOB gathered at the Healthy Learning Information Centre on 3 March 2011 for training on how to access available Healthy Learning reference materials.
VVOB Kenya programmes of Healthy Learning, ICT Integration in Education and School Links have received a boost following the arrival of 2 interns from Belgium.
The Healthy Learning team was in Narok North district from the 8th to 11th February for a workshop with managers of the programme at the district level.
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) aired interviews with Healthy Learning programme beneficiaries in the field. This radio programme is embedded below.
An E-readiness survey organized by the Ministry of Education ICT Integration team in partnership with VVOB is currently underway in Kenya.
The exercise that begun on 27th October 2010 is expected to go on until 26th November 2010. A total of 40 data collectors under the guidance of 7 supervisors and 3 technical ICT Personnel are currently spread out countrywide.
Preparations for the formation of a National ICT Innovation and Integration Centre at Kenya Science are now on course. A team of consultants have been appointed and began the coordination of the set up and different activities at the centre. The setup preparations are scheduled to run till December 2010.
It is 8.35 am, a sunny Tuesday morning. No sign of life at Jevanjee Gardens, Moi Avenue. Half an hour later, the Starehe Boys Band arrives in their attractive uniform and glittering instruments, and the eyes of the teachers who had been assembling hesitatingly, now shine.
