Open and Distance Learning and Information and Communication Technologies - Implications for Formal and Non-Formal Education: A Kenyan Case

Abstract

The female population in Kenya was reported at 50.05% in 2011, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Despite this slightly higher percentage over males, women in Kenya are not well represented in education and training compared to their male counterparts (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, 2012). The need to empower girls and women through education is vital in order to comply with the Bill of Rights (Constitution of Kenya, 2010). The Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Open and Distance Learning (ODL) are two of the initiatives that seek to achieve gender parity in education in Kenya. This paper seeks to do the following with regard to girls’ and women’s education in Kenya: a) establish the implications of ICT and ODL; b) examine the current policies that support the use of ICTs; c) assess the objectives and strategies to facilitate the widespread use of ICTs; d) assess the Implementation of policy objectives and strategies in support of ICTs and ODL ; e) identify priority areas for implementation of ODL initiatives for women and girls’ education in Kenya; f) state lessons drawn from the ICT and ODL initiatives; and g) propose strategies for addressing the challenges for implementation of ODL and ICT. The literature provides very informative findings in support of ICT and ODL for female education. A number of policies and initiatives are operating in Kenya to ensure ICT and ODL are maximized for both genders. However, these policies and initiatives have not fully achieved the objectives for which ICT and ODL ought to be implemented. The needs of girls and women should be factored into a curriculum development strategy concerning ICT and ODL