Leaders from Nep hail e-learning solution to address teachers crisis

NAIROBI—Since the mass transfer of teachers by the Teachers Service Commission earlier this year, a hunt for alternative was on until last week when an option presented itself.

Andinoor Ali Mahdi, a celebrated app creator who solves educational gaps and challenges among pastoral communities in Kenya, developed an app and section of local leaders are somewhat at ease.

Chalk-2-click is an educational technological solution and mentorship programs aimed at improving the learning and performance for primary and Secondary students through digital content learning and revision. 

“The aim of this program is to improve education and fill the teacher shortage gap. By using technology, we seek to improve teaching and learning processes and therefore improve the performance of the students,” Abdinoor told Kulan Post during an interview at his office at the CBD in Nairobi.

On Tuesday, he presented his new creation to the governor of Wajir Mohamed Abdi. The following day, the governor invited him to an investor conference to celebrate the concept of Chalk-2-Click, hailing as the future of solution to the education crisis in the region.

“We have also invited our young innovator, Mr. Abdinoor Ali Mahdi, who has come up with timely innovations on e-learning so as to provide a solution to teachers’ crisis as well as an investor who partnered with the County to set up the first Water Desalination System in the entire ASAL,” Governor Mohamed said during his speech to the investors.

Abdinoor previously created “M-Lugha” an app that solved the venacular-to-English challenge among pupils in lower primary.

While explaining his new app, Abdinoor stated that the aim of the program “is to improve education and fill the teacher shortage gap.”

He added: “By using technology, we seek to improve teaching and learning processes and therefore improve the performance of the students.”

Daud Hirmoge, a former practicing teacher in Nothern Kenya commended the new app, calling on leaders to invest in the technological solution.

“Excellent! Please invest in this Edtech Solution from our own son Abdinoor Ali Mahdy. This is the first step towards revolutionizing our poor education,” Daud said on a post to his Facebook.

The Frontier counties have been performing dismally in the national examinations for a very long time now. Although some stakeholders have attributed the poor performance on mass exodus of teachers as a results of insecurity, there are those who feel that this factor alone cannot be the main factor to the poor performance. 

Non – local teachers,  especially those teaching near the border areas have been targeted by Somalia based Al-Shabaab. Well before the birth of Al -Shabaab and militia groups, the results of students from these majorly pastoral communities has not been promising either.

”With this digital program in place, the students will have plenty of digital learning materials and personalized learning through collaboration and group sessions.

“Digital learning is replacing traditional educational methods more and more each day. With how rapidly classrooms are changing, it is best to forget methods you may remember from when you were in school and start thinking about newer teaching and learning techniques based on digital learning tools and technologies,” Abdinoor added.

He maintains that digital learning has the power to bring a classroom to life with adequate features that benefit both the teachers and students. These platforms work well with students to master content. They also prepare them with the technical knowledge and skills needed for the future courses and carriers.