<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>EnezaChats | Eneza Education</title> <atom:link href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/category/enezachats/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com</link> <description>Spreading Education Everywhere</description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2020 21:58:24 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5</generator> <image> <url>https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cropped-03_KP_icon-32x32.jpg</url> <title>EnezaChats | Eneza Education</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>When Education Meets Tech</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/11/07/when-education-meets-tech/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/11/07/when-education-meets-tech/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter Baraka]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2020 21:58:24 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Education in Kenya]]></category> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[#EnezaChat]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Balanced Curriculum]]></category> <category><![CDATA[edtech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[education in kenya]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enezaeducation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Shupavu291]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://enezaeducation.com/?p=11437</guid> <description><![CDATA[Edtech has the power to elevate and improve learning outcomes for students by offering various digital alternatives to delivering education. There have been interventions in the past such as radio ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/11/07/when-education-meets-tech/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Edtech has the power to elevate and improve learning outcomes for students by offering various digital alternatives to delivering education. There have been interventions in the past such as radio and Tv to supplement what learners get in the classroom but the rise of edtech companies in the last few years has seen education stakeholders put more focus on creating availability of edtech products as they seem to have a positive impact on learning.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">COVID-19 has not only seen the demand for edtech resources increase but also, it has given an opportunity to educators to explore and adopt other ways of learning. Parents, teachers and learners that had not been exposed to edtech tools have now gained access to digital skills that in future will be required to succeed in the labour market.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As schools closed down a few months ago, we zero rated our learning platforms from May 31st to September 30th in partnership with Safaricom to help learners keep up with their studies at home. The stats on content consumed by learners during this period has been very impressive. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As of October 31st, 2,212,802 learners had accessed learning materials on our platform; Shupavu291 with learners using the platform an average of 3 times a week. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the many challenges that learners experience while at home, our data shows that learning can still take place if the learners have access to tools that are within their reach. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A report carried out by GSMA showed that 91% of households in Sub-Saharan Africa have access at least to any phone however any basic it is. For us, this is a great opportunity we leverage on as you only need to have a phone that can send and receive messages to consume our content.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Learners in primary and secondary are able to access comprehensive revision materials in all subjects; from lessons, revision papers and Wikipedia on SMS once they sign up on Shupavu291.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although challenges like internet access, lack of electricity and price may hinder the progress of edtech companies being made around the continent, the current education crisis has shown that if the right investments are made towards digital education, individualized learning which greatly improves learning outcomes can be achieved.</span></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/11/07/when-education-meets-tech/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Are Students Learning in the Face of COVID19?</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/08/14/are-students-learning-in-the-face-of-covid19/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/08/14/are-students-learning-in-the-face-of-covid19/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter Baraka]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2020 14:38:48 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Edtech Posts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Education in Kenya]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eneza's response to COVID-19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://enezaeducation.com/?p=11330</guid> <description><![CDATA[After the Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday, July 7th that the 2020 school calendar would be forfeited and that students would be repeating classes come January 2021, the negative ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/08/14/are-students-learning-in-the-face-of-covid19/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday, July 7th that the 2020 school calendar would be forfeited and that students would be repeating classes come January 2021, the negative impact of this decision on the education system has been and continues to be massive. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted learning for more than 1.5 billion students worldwide with over 18 million of those students being from Kenya.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the economic effects of COVID-19 already taking its toll on the population, teachers, parents and learners have now been forced to figure out how to compensate for the lost academic year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There have been different interventions by both government and the private sector to ensure learning continuity by providing alternative learning materials after schools were closed to curb the spread of the deadly virus. Some of the available resources include; radio and television programmes, cloud content, mobile learning etc.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Community based learning programmes have also been introduced that will see the use of public spaces like halls by teachers and learners to continue with their studies. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As much as school closures have disrupted learning for all students in the country, this impact is felt severely by disadvantaged boys and girls and their families especially those from informal urban settlements, hard to reach rural areas and refugee camps.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Learning will continue to be greatly interrupted as long there are no clear guidelines as to when classroom doors will open. For disadvantaged families who rely solely on their children being in school to get an education, they lag behind as most of them do not have access to revision materials and internet enabled devices they can use to learn.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Also, parents do not have the expertise to facilitate their children’s learning at home and this is even worse for those parents with limited access to resources for their children to learn and also those that have limited literacy skills.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For the learners, it is possible that some of them may lose interest in learning when they think of repeating classes in January 2021. It is also going to be difficult for parents to pay school fees for the new calendar year given that there have been layoffs throughout most organisations due to the harsh economic conditions caused by the virus.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At Eneza we partnered with Safaricom PLC to provide access to Shupavu291 SMS based learning for free from April 2nd to August 31st 2020. This has enabled over 1.85 million learners access curriculum aligned lessons, revision papers and also ask questions to teachers via the Ask a Teacher platform. The high number of questions asked to teachers shows that students are still keen on continuing with learning even with the uncertainty of when schools will reopen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Given that the number COVID-19 infections continue to rise at an alarming rate and no signs of a vaccine being discovered soon, there is an urgent need to support all players involved in the education sector; from teachers, parents, learners and innovators to make sure that our children do not lose interest in their education. </span></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/08/14/are-students-learning-in-the-face-of-covid19/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Creating Equal Access to Revision Materials for all Students and Candidates in Kenya Through Shupavu291 Revision Papers</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/07/12/creating-equal-access-to-revision-materials-for-all-students-and-candidates-in-kenya-through-shupavu291-revision-papers/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/07/12/creating-equal-access-to-revision-materials-for-all-students-and-candidates-in-kenya-through-shupavu291-revision-papers/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter Baraka]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2020 20:20:23 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Cool Edtech Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Edtech Posts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Education in Kenya]]></category> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Remember]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Revision Papers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[#EnezaChat]]></category> <category><![CDATA[edtech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[education in kenya]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eneza Education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mobile Learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Shupavu291]]></category> <category><![CDATA[technology]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://enezaeducation.com/?p=11269</guid> <description><![CDATA[In Kenya, the academic achievement of primary and secondary students is assessed through the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (K.C.S.E) This examination which ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/07/12/creating-equal-access-to-revision-materials-for-all-students-and-candidates-in-kenya-through-shupavu291-revision-papers/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Kenya, the academic achievement of primary and secondary students is assessed through the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (K.C.S.E) </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This examination which is offered by the Kenya National Examination Council (K.N.E.C – an organ of the Ministry of Education) is administered to primary school and secondary school students at the end class 8 and form 4 respectively; is crucial as it decides whether the learner makes the step forward or not.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Those in primary, doing well in the examination guarantees them a spot at the best national and county schools in the country and for secondary students, a student needs to score a mean grade of C+ to be admitted into the public universities.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For students to be able to perform well in these examinations, proper preparation ought to have taken place before they sit for the examinations. Good preparation not only ensures that students are less stressed and better prepared but also are likely much better to perform well</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unfortunately, for learners coming from disadvantaged households, this is not the case. High costs of revision materials is the main challenge that students and their parents encounter in their bid to get ready for these important examinations . The average cost of a revision booklet is Ksh 500.</span></p> <p><a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/kenya-extreme-inequality-numbers"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> As the gap between the rich and poor continues to widen</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, students whose parents are not able to afford to buy them revision books end up missing on preparing well for examinations. As a result, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">stress and anxiety</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are usually what the students go through in exam rooms hence bad performance.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the ways that we are trying to prepare learners for exams is the curation of yearly and termly revision papers available for students learning on our SMS and Web platforms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once you sign up on our Shupavu291, we have a feature named Revision papers; that enables students to access unlimited revision papers both for primary and secondary levels. Our main objectives when creating the papers are to: prepare learners for upcoming exams, evaluate what the learners have learnt and to prepare candidates for national exams.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Shupavu291 past papers, learners can access all revision papers for all class levels making it easier to revise topics that they are not confident about at their own pace. Learners receive feedback to each and every question in bit sized explanations when they answer correctly or wrongly to a question.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">On top of revision papers, learners can access lessons and quizzes, offline Wikipedia </span>and can also ask questions to our teachers through the Ask a Teacher platform.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is no better feeling for students</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> than being prepared for upcoming exams, especially when they know they’ve put in the work. Constant revision means much less stress and anxiety, plus it allows students to study at their own pace rather than exhausting themselves with all-nighters a week before the big day.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To access Shupavu291 past pacers reply with REVISE to 20851 or visit </span><a href="http://www.mwalimoo.com/m/start"><span style="font-weight: 400;">http://www.mwalimoo.com/m/start</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for ShupavuWeb revision papers.</span></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/07/12/creating-equal-access-to-revision-materials-for-all-students-and-candidates-in-kenya-through-shupavu291-revision-papers/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Using Shupavu291’s Ask A Teacher Platform While Learning at Home</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/06/27/using-shupavu291s-ask-a-teacher-platform-while-learning-at-home/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/06/27/using-shupavu291s-ask-a-teacher-platform-while-learning-at-home/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter Baraka]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2020 07:24:49 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Education in Kenya]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eneza's response to COVID-19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Testimonials]]></category> <category><![CDATA[#EnezaChat]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Balanced Curriculum]]></category> <category><![CDATA[edtech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enezaeducation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mlearning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Shupavu291]]></category> <category><![CDATA[technology]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://enezaeducation.com/?p=11255</guid> <description><![CDATA[In April we partnered with Safaricom PLC to provide free revision materials for learners in primary and secondary on SMS and Web. This has seen a high increase in the ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/06/27/using-shupavu291s-ask-a-teacher-platform-while-learning-at-home/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In April we partnered with Safaricom PLC to provide free revision materials for learners in primary and secondary on SMS and Web. This has seen a high increase in the number of learners accessing content and also the number of lessons being consumed on the platform.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the free period we have been able to reach over one million learners across the country with an average of 300,000 active learners per day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> One of the interesting things that we noticed was a huge spike in the number of questions that were being asked by learners on our interactive Ask a Teacher that enables students to ask questions and receive feedback from our teachers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our teachers were receiving an average of 3,000 questions a day in January and have been receiving an average of 20k questions a day since we launched the free service.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We spoke to some of the most active learners using Ask a Teacher feature to find out why it is an important revision tool while they are at home.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lucy, a form 1 student from Gatero Day Secondary school, subscribed to Shupavu291 after schools were closed down in March. “There are topics that we had not been taught in school before we closed. Anytime I am reading a new topic and do not understand anything, I go Ask a Teacher on Shupavu291 and the teachers help me.” said Lucy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I like learning new vocabulary to develop good language skills. Since I do not have a dictionary, I love to use the Ask a teacher feature because I get very detailed explanations to the questions similar to that of the dictionary. Also I can be able to search a topic on Shupavu291 and get revision notes and questions which are helping keep up with my studies.” said Amos a form 3 student from Lodwar boys who has been using Shupavu291 since he was in class 8.</span></p> <p> </p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/06/27/using-shupavu291s-ask-a-teacher-platform-while-learning-at-home/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Working With Teachers</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/06/06/working-with-teachers/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/06/06/working-with-teachers/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter Baraka]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2020 10:47:33 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Edtech Posts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teachers making a difference with Eneza]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Testimonials]]></category> <category><![CDATA[#EnezaChat]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Balanced Curriculum]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Chemsha Bongo Na Shupavu291]]></category> <category><![CDATA[edtech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[enezaeducation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mobile Learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mwalimoo]]></category> <category><![CDATA[teaching strategies]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://enezaeducation.com/?p=11243</guid> <description><![CDATA[Since our inception, we have been working with teachers in various capacities. From content creators to content editors and ‘Ask a Teacher’ respondents for our unique student- teacher interaction feature. ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/06/06/working-with-teachers/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since our inception, we have been working with teachers in various capacities. From content creators to content editors and ‘Ask a Teacher’ respondents for our unique student- teacher interaction feature. The feature enables students to ask difficult academic questions and they get responses on a first come first serve basis.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Working with the teachers ensures that we are always curating and providing quality revision content to learners that use Shupavu291 for individualized and personalized learning.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As an Edtech company, one of our key stakeholders continue to be practicing teachers who are playing a key role in our mission to make 50 million learners smarter in Africa through use of mobile technology. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We work with teachers from both primary and secondary levels. These teachers have been at the forefront in referring learners to Shupavu291 apart from the various marketing campaigns we do.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Teachers have been used to the conventional way of teaching; that is standing in front of a classroom with a chalk or a whiteboard marker with 40 minutes to engrave knowledge and set their students up for success in life.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are those who also provide private tutoring to students and homeschooling but at the moment, none of these activities can happen due to the novel Covid-19 pandemic. Governments across the world have had to close down learning institutions to curb the spread of the virus.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><a href="https://en.unesco.org/news/teacher-task-force-calls-support-63-million-teachers-touched-covid-19-crisis"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UNESCO</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">close to 63 million primary and secondary teachers have been affected by school closures in 165 countries due to the Covid-19. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We managed to talk to some of the teachers that we work with to find out how they are coping with not being in class and on how having a technology that works for all is key during this stay at home period. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What l love about Eneza Education is that it has given students and adults learners in Kenya a platform to learn , affordably and it is very accessible. Irrespective of their background or whether they have smartphones or not they are treated in equal measure.” said Violet Mwakazi, one of our teachers working as an Ask a Teacher respondent.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> “Honestly, it’s emotionally draining not being able to have a clear timeline as to when schools will reopen. I am so worried for my pupils and especially my candidates, who apparently not all are able to access phones or other resources to continue learning.” Added Violet.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the schools are closed, it is interesting to find out that teachers are still in communication with their students through the different social media platforms. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charles Odiwor has been working with Eneza since 2014 and has been busy answering students’ questions through our Ask a Teacher feature and sending assignments and revision materials to his students on Whatsapp groups and Facebook messenger. He however notices that it is only benefiting students with access to smartphones and some of the students are being left out.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On working with Eneza, “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Working with Eneza in content creation involves a lot of reading and research on topics one is working on, thus providing learners with comprehensive content to help them when taking quizzes on Shupavu291. Eneza has helped me build my digital skills by working online, typing, being up to date with my emails, google sheets, etc. Through Shupavu291, I believe I have served hundreds or thousands of students whom I could not serve by just teaching in class. I have also been able to interact with other teachers from different schools working at Eneza.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Life looks a little different from what has been normal. Staying indoors the whole day without interacting much, especially with my students, personally seems to me like a turn-around on everything that has been my norm. I feel students too are missing a lot and are probably worried if things are ever coming back to normal soon. Thanks to Eneza Education for giving access to revision materials through Shupavu291. I believe it will go a long way to help students cope with the current situation.” said Charles on the current crisis being faced by the educational system due to COVID-19 pandemic.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We are really proud of the teachers who worked with us to develop content and the ones engaging learners on Ask A Teacher. To all the teachers doing the best they can to support learners during this period, we really appreciate you. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To register your learners to Shupavu291 ask them to dial *291# on a Safaricom line or visit </span><a href="http://mwalimoo.com/m/start"><span style="font-weight: 400;">http://mwalimoo.com/m/start</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for ShupavuWeb</span></p> <p> </p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/06/06/working-with-teachers/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>What Our Customers Say About Us</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/05/31/what-our-customers-say-about-us/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/05/31/what-our-customers-say-about-us/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter Baraka]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2020 19:51:13 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Education in Kenya]]></category> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Gallery]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Image]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Testimonials]]></category> <category><![CDATA[edtech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Education for All]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mlearning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Shupavu291]]></category> <category><![CDATA[TechForGood]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://enezaeducation.com/?p=11216</guid> <description><![CDATA[A while back, Omidyar Network sponsored an independent lean data survey (by Acumen Lean Data), seeking feedback from 2,000 Eneza learners and parents on how Shupavu291 improves learning outcomes. We ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/05/31/what-our-customers-say-about-us/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A while back, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Omidyar Network sponsored an independent lean data survey (by Acumen Lean Data), seeking feedback from 2,000 Eneza learners and parents on how Shupavu291 improves learning outcomes. We got some useful insights about Eneza that you might be interested to know! Scroll down the PDF to r</span>ead more…[pdf id=11235] <p> </p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2020/05/31/what-our-customers-say-about-us/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Kenya without plastic bags</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2017/08/25/kenya-without-plastic-bags/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2017/08/25/kenya-without-plastic-bags/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Juliet]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 25 Aug 2017 11:32:58 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Juliet Otieno]]></category> <category><![CDATA[NEMA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Plastics Ban]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Plastics Economy]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://enezaeducation.com/?p=9527</guid> <description><![CDATA[It is now official that plastic carrier bags will be a thing of the past come Monday 28th August, 2017. The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has been sending people ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2017/08/25/kenya-without-plastic-bags/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_9530" style="width: 605px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Plastic-bags-environment.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-9530" class=" wp-image-9530" src="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Plastic-bags-environment-300x185.jpg" alt="" width="595" height="367" srcset="https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Plastic-bags-environment-300x185.jpg 300w, https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Plastic-bags-environment-100x62.jpg 100w, https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Plastic-bags-environment.jpg 650w" sizes="(max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-9530" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="http://www.care2.com/causes/kenya-becomes-the-latest-african-country-to-ban-plastic-bags.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Image credit</a>, <a href="https://www.berrybreeze.com/5-reasons-your-city-should-ban-wasteful-plastic-grocery-bags/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">featured image</a>.</p></div> <p>It is now official that plastic carrier bags will be a thing of the past come Monday 28th August, 2017. The National Environmental Management Authority <a href="http://www.nema.go.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102&Itemid=120" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(NEMA) </a>has been sending people text messages to prepare them for the upcoming ban. As the ban nears, it is interesting to ponder what this looks like for our country.</p> <ul> <li>Remember back in school when some students would use plastic bags to carry books? Yes, there were some children who came from families that prioritized buying the bare necessities like food, clothing and shelter. Backpacks then qualified as wants in the hierarchy of needs.</li> <li>Every time we go to a ‘mama mboga’ vegetable vendor in the estate, we are looking for convenience. We know the one who washes our vegetables the cleanest and cuts them the thinnest. Our favorite plastic bags used for the wet ready-made vegetables will now be a thing of the past. It will be interesting to observe the alternatives that people will turn to in their absence. In essence, we will feel the pinch for the first month, then get alternatives soon after.</li> <li>Ever heard of the ‘Kadogo’ economy? Well, let me school you a little. There are some hoods that are used to buying everything in small quantities. From sugar, flour and even cooking fat. The people that, as cliche as it may sound- live on less than a dollar a day. Most of the shops operating in these hoods rely heavily on small plastic bags that they use to measure a little of everything, sufficient for that one meal.</li> <li>If you have been in Kenya lately, you must by now be familiar with the overnight celebrity- Githeri man, who by just standing on line to vote, holding a snack of maize and beans in a transparent plastic bag, his fortunes changed. That was a good comic relief for Kenyans and a grass to grace story- I have digressed. My point is plastic bags are used by small scale food vendors in mostly, the informal settlements. It will also be very interesting to see how this plays out.</li> <li>The examples I have outlined above, are from the lower part of the economic pyramid. This is not t imply that only poor people will be affected by the ban. Now, to balance that narrative, at the supermarkets, the main packaging material is plastic bags. Outlets like Nakumatt have started facing out plastics with bio-degradable options.</li> <li>That also includes the greatest benefactors of the plastics trade. The manufacturers of plastic bags. According to <a href="https://qz.com/1021610/unlike-rwanda-kenya-has-very-little-hope-of-banning-plastic-bags/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quartz</a>, there are have over 30 plastic bag manufacturers with a combined investment worth of over $77.3 million (Kenyan shillings 5.8 billion). This industry employs up to 9000 people, both directly or indirectly.</li> </ul> <p>Rwanda was successful in their ban on plastic bags in 2008, earning them the title of ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhd00jkxd0I" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the cleanest city in Africa’</a>. The environment conservation would be the greatest benefit from this ban. Such is life, always full of paradoxes. One thing leads to pros and cons in equal measure. Banning the plastic bags will provide a reprieve for the environment, yet it also means loss of livelihoods. What do you think is a lesser evil in your view. Let’s engage in the comments.</p> <p>Don’t forget to take the lessons and quizzes on environment on our <a href="http://bit.ly/2mbGDEl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mobile web</a> learning platform.</p> <p>Some comic relief: Maybe this is a time to start being creative. Avoid the <a href="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2001244427/sh4m-or-jail-term-of-four-years-if-found-with-plastic-bag-after-august-28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2 Million shillings fine or jail term. </a></p> <div class="x-video player" data-x-element-mejs><div class="x-video-inner"><video class="x-mejs x-wp-video-shortcode advanced-controls" id="video-9527-1" width="384" height="352" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/WhatsApp-Video-2017-08-25-at-11.47.51.mp4?_=1" /></video></div></div> <p> </p> <p><strong>About the author</strong></p> <p>Juliet Otieno is the Brand and Social Media Lead at Eneza Education. She is trained in journalism and Public Relations and is a <a href="http://mwanadada.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blogger</a> who likes to play with words.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2017/08/25/kenya-without-plastic-bags/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <enclosure url="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/WhatsApp-Video-2017-08-25-at-11.47.51.mp4" length="714209" type="video/mp4" /> </item> <item> <title>Election in Africa is a Culture.</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2017/04/26/election-in-africa-is-a-culture/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2017/04/26/election-in-africa-is-a-culture/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Juliet]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 26 Apr 2017 10:48:57 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[African Elections]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category> <category><![CDATA[education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Election Culture]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Elections]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Polly Okaron]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://enezaeducation.com/?p=9335</guid> <description><![CDATA[Editor’s note: Education plays a major role in our daily lives. Even how we react during electioneering period. Polly Okaron writes an opinion piece on the culture called election. The ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2017/04/26/election-in-africa-is-a-culture/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Editor’s note: Education plays a major role in our daily lives. Even how we react during electioneering period. Polly Okaron writes an opinion piece on the culture called election. The question I pose is does one’s educational level influence the decisions during election? If so then why does polarization occur during every election cycle? Enjoy the read as you ponder these questions and let’s have a discussion in the comments section.</p> <div id="attachment_9337" style="width: 659px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/042612-global-black-history-south-african-vote-light.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-9337" class=" wp-image-9337" src="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/042612-global-black-history-south-african-vote-light-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="649" height="366" srcset="https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/042612-global-black-history-south-african-vote-light-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/042612-global-black-history-south-african-vote-light-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/042612-global-black-history-south-african-vote-light-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/042612-global-black-history-south-african-vote-light.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 649px) 100vw, 649px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-9337" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="https://www.opinion-internationale.com/en/2014/05/07/7th-of-may-presidential-elections-south-africa-at-the-crossroads_25155.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Image credits</a> <a href="http://gozamos.com/2016/11/know-your-rights-15-things-to-know-about-voting-this-election/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Featured image</a></p></div> <p>Culture is that which is passed down from one generation to another. One thing that makes the masses stop thinking with their brains and start reacting with their emotions, is the election. It is with closeness that you would discover the following trends in Africa:</p> <p>1. The nation comes to a stand still 2 years before the elections a few events to say the least.<br /> 2. Investors keep off from banking into the economy. In the banking sector, customers literally stop taking loans because of the unpredictability of the economy.<br /> 3. The times are usually characterized by high emotional voltage that many end up relocating to their native homes where they are accepted and safe.<br /> 4. A cloud of uncertainty and fear hovers upon these nations, leading to irrational suspicion of among each other.</p> <blockquote><p>Electoral culture in Africa is a mindset from external factors that the masses can regulate.</p></blockquote> <p>Various narratives are set by influential entities such as leaders and to some extent the media, which the masses believe and take every step as led. This I can liken to the ‘Sheep being led to the slaughter without questioning’ This is the gullibility of the African masses during the election period.</p> <p>These entities set agendas of tribal, political or religious intolerance, peace or violence, verbally thereby leading to spontaneous reactions from the masses. It is after the interracial, inter-religious, inter-tribal existence that we’re usually and repeatedly reminded of the ‘otherness’ among us.</p> <p>After the elections it is a tradition that the losing and the winning team come and dine together leaving the masses more confused and emotionally unstable.</p> <p>I know this time tomorrow will for sure come when:</p> <ul> <li>We have awakened nationalists that are able to dictate their reactions without any influence despite what the media and leaders say.</li> <li>People will vote and go home to wait for results later to accept the results.</li> <li>The common citizen will go about their daily businesses in search of daily bread during the campaign and after.</li> <li>Learn from historical events which have occurred and endeavoring to make better experiences.</li> <li>The leaders we chose will be our own decision and not the opinions of our informants.When the masses are led in the right way, they never stray. We are a reflection of our leaders. The most that matters to a citizen is what they will eat!</li> </ul> <p>Cross posted with permission from <a href="https://pollyexpressions.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/election-in-africa-is-a-culture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Polly Expressions</a>.</p> <p><strong>About the author</strong></p> <p><em>Polly Okaron is our Quality Assurance lead. A teacher by profession, Polly is passionate about children empowerment through education. With more than 1,900,000 users, Eneza plans to expand to 50 million by 2022. </em></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2017/04/26/election-in-africa-is-a-culture/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>How Technology can Empower Teachers</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2016/10/07/how-technology-can-empower-teachers/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2016/10/07/how-technology-can-empower-teachers/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Juliet]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 07 Oct 2016 12:22:37 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Cool Edtech Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eneza Media]]></category> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Carolyne Wanjiku]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cool EdTech Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[edtech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mobile Learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tech4Teachers]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://enezaeducation.com/?p=7775</guid> <description><![CDATA[During our school days the only technology I knew was our small great wall television which produced black and white pictures. We used to fight to sit next to the ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2016/10/07/how-technology-can-empower-teachers/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_7781" style="width: 536px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/mobile_devices_2.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-7781" class=" wp-image-7781" src="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/mobile_devices_2-300x195.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of securedgenetworks.com" width="526" height="342" srcset="https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/mobile_devices_2-300x195.jpg 300w, https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/mobile_devices_2.jpg 557w" sizes="(max-width: 526px) 100vw, 526px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-7781" class="wp-caption-text">Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/Technology-in-the-Classroom-Full-of-Choices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">securedgenetworks.com</a></p></div> <p>During our school days the only technology I knew was our small great wall television which produced black and white pictures. We used to fight to sit next to the TV every day after school. When I got to high school, the mobile phones were introduced. Anyone who had a cellphone then was respected. We would queue all night just to make a call from the few phones available.</p> <p>As a teacher, I can say that the impact technology has had is big. I can confidently say that, Technology Changes Teaching. Teachers no longer have to carry the weight of a large number of books everywhere, no more buying a dozen books and pens and spend sleepless nights taking down notes for the students. You can now do your research online, save a whole term’s lessons and activities, save lesson plans and schemes of work.</p> <p>Apart from lifting the weight of the teaching materials, it also saves the energy and time spent on having to write and write lots of notes on the chalkboard. Thanks to being able to project notes (from the laptops and other devices). If that’s not a HUGE plus for you then it was for me. Who want to go home with a sore arm due to all the writing? Those days are gone when classroom teaching only meant blackboards, chalks, diagrams, maps and so on.</p> <p>Not forgetting to mention how easy and fast communication to parents and students plus my colleagues has been made. I send the parents’ emails on meetings, their students’ performance and activities, newsletters, just to mention a few. I have improved my communication skills by using technology.</p> <p>Talk of being a genius! Now teachers can access any information through the internet. No more trying to ignore student’s tough questions or throwing the questions back to them. We now have the solutions at our finger tips. Google should be any teacher’s best friend. It never fails you.</p> <p>Technology and media have positively impacted the field of teaching. Use of animation, videos, multimedia aids has transformed traditional learning methods by making it more engaging, fun and entertaining. Combining various educational tools, audio/visual stimulus and animations, e-learning modules appeal to students with different learning styles. Some students do not respond to classroom learning which has often been termed as ‘boring’. Such students are effectively lured into studying through digital tools which provide a perfect blend of fun and learning.</p> <p>Most importantly, it is known that students with special needs do not respond to normal classroom environment. Keeping them in mind, a number of mobile applications have come up to facilitate and enable them with digital educational aids.</p> <p>M-learning or mobile learning is another form of modern education. A large number of mobile applications have already become popular means of education because of their innovative take on traditional learning methods. For starters, sign in into our mwalimoo.m web up and experience education at a whole new level. You will get the advantage of live chatting with our teachers to assist you with educational problems. Go to <a href="http://www.mwalimoo.com/m/start" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this link</a> http://www.mwalimoo.com/m/start to register.</p> <p>If you are a teacher yet to experience the use of technology, you are being left out. Allowing yourself the opportunity to do something new and using technology as the tool can open up a cave of treasures that hooks the attention of your students and once you have that, it can lead them anywhere.</p> <p><strong>About the author</strong></p> <p>Carolyne Wanjiku is our marketing intern. She holds a Bachelor of Education, and has a background in teaching Maths and Science to primary school Students.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2016/10/07/how-technology-can-empower-teachers/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Education’s contribution to peace building</title> <link>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2016/09/23/educations-contribution-to-peace-building/</link> <comments>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2016/09/23/educations-contribution-to-peace-building/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Juliet]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 23 Sep 2016 10:26:27 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Eneza Media]]></category> <category><![CDATA[EnezaChats]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Carolyne Wanjiku]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Civilization]]></category> <category><![CDATA[International Day of Peace]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Peace Education]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://enezaeducation.com/?p=7683</guid> <description><![CDATA[Education has a very large impact when it comes to peace building. Education and civilization has so far fostered the concept of peace world wide. Many a times, conflicts are ... <a href="https://www.enezaeducation.com/2016/09/23/educations-contribution-to-peace-building/" class="more-link">Read More</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_7684" style="width: 456px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Peace-in-School.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-7684" class="wp-image-7684" src="https://enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Peace-in-School-300x200.jpg" alt="peace-in-school" width="446" height="297" srcset="https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Peace-in-School-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Peace-in-School-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.enezaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Peace-in-School.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 446px) 100vw, 446px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-7684" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2015/06/youth-as-a-force-for-peace/397127/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Image courtesy</a></p></div> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Education has a very large impact when it comes to peace building. Education and civilization has so far fostered the concept of peace world wide. Many a times, conflicts are caused by national crises which tend to affect a large number of people. These include:</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">1)Poverty</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">2)Hunger</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">3)Diminishing natural resources</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">4)Water scarcity</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">5)Unemployment</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">6) Racism</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">7)Xenophobia, among others, </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">These crises pose challenges for peace and create fertile grounds for conflict.<br /> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Education contributes in the peace building process in the following ways:</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">i) Education leads to employment which helps most people to be able to get jobs and be able to fed for themselves, hence eradicating poverty.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">ii) The fact that students from different ethnic groups and races, live and learn under the same conditions, they get to interact. This brings forth understanding of different cultures. Thus people get to respect each other, not only in schools but outside too, and eradicate racism.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">iii)<b> </b>The introduction of peace education in schools. Learning peace education is the process of acquiring the <i>values</i>, the <i>knowledge</i> and developing the <i>attitudes, skills, and behaviors</i> to live in harmony with oneself, with others, and with the natural environment.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #252525; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">iv) In schools students are guided under laws and regulations, which help in ensuring that each student does what is expected of them and also helps build a sense of responsibility. If a student does anything wrong they face the consequences of their actions. Therefore shaping responsible adults who are fully capable of following the rules of the country.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #252525; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">v) Education offers the learners the ability to make rational decisions. In most institutions they have actually started teaching Critical thinking as a common unit for all learners. This helps in ensuring that people get to think and offer responsible approach and solutions when they are faced with crises. This promotes peace as people will tend to resort to better channels of solving disputes instead of opting for violence.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">The educational action for promoting the concept of peace, concerns the content of education and training. Educational resources and material, school and university life, initial and ongoing training for teachers, research, and ongoing training for young people and adults. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">A culture of peace must take root in the classroom from an early age. It must continue to be reflected in the curricula at secondary and tertiary levels. However, the skills for peace and non-violence can only be learned and perfected through practice. Active listening, dialogue, mediation, and cooperative learning are delicate skills to develop. This is education in the widest sense. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">It is a dynamic, long term process: a life-time experience. It means providing both children and adults with an understanding of and respect for universal values and rights. It requires participation at all levels – family, school, places of work, news rooms, play grounds, and the community as well as the nation.<span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span></p> <p><strong>About the author</strong></p> <p><em>Carolyne Wanjiku is our marketing intern. She holds a Bachelor of Education, and has a background in teaching Maths and Science to primary school Students.</em></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.enezaeducation.com/2016/09/23/educations-contribution-to-peace-building/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>