Technology for education (Tech4Ed) has the potential to accelerate system transformation and improve learning at scale. As part of our ongoing blog series on Tech4Ed, this post explores one of the six pillars of digital transformation in education: content and solutions.

To fully realize the potential of digital transformation, technology and digital content must align with pedagogical approaches that enhance foundational literacy and numeracy, socio-emotional learning and the wider range of skills that equip students for the 21^st century.

In response to the urgent need to bridge educational gaps, governments are working with partners to harness technology to amplify the impact of proven pedagogical approaches to such as targeting teaching by learning level rather than age or grade and supporting teachers with structured pedagogy.

As in the cases of Kenya and Rwanda, the strategic deployment of technology is already addressing barriers to improved access and learning for all children.

How Kenya is integrating technology for more effective learning

GPE has been a committed ally in Kenya’s journey toward an equitable and inclusive education system.

In 2023, GPE deepened its commitment with $116.6 million in grants to bridge regional gaps, champion girls’ education and enhance the efficiency of education delivery systems.

By supporting Kenya’s rollout of the competency-based curriculum under the GPE 2025 strategic plan, the partnership is preparing learners to succeed in a dynamic, skills-driven future.

The government of Kenya has aligned the use of technology with pedagogical principles and wider system-level reforms to build an ecosystem that empowers teachers and students to grow and thrive:

• The National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Policy in Kenya emphasizes the importance of aligning the use of digital content and tools with the national curriculum to set the foundations for an education ecosystem where technology and pedagogy work hand in hand.
• Under the competency-based curriculum, digital tools create interactive, hands-on learning experiences that help students develop academic knowledge and life skills like problem solving and critical thinking. With this focus on real-world applications and experiential learning, Kenya is shaping an education system that prepares students not just to learn but to lead in a digital world.
• Through initiatives like the Digital Literacy Program, the government has trained teachers in using technology to deliver curriculum content, facilitate interactive lessons and assess student learning.
• Data analytics are used to measure student progress and adapt learning content to address students' diverse learning needs, ensuring that each student receives the appropriate level of challenge and support.

The government of Kenya has also partnered with private sector companies and nongovernmental organizations to scale digital transformation.

Collaborations with companies like Microsoft and Intel have led to the provision of digital devices, educational content and teacher training to schools that might otherwise lack these resources.

Meanwhile, eight county governments have partnered with the German-based organization EIDU to introduce digital personalized learning in pre-primary and primary schools using low-cost Android devices.

The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development reviewed and approved the platform to ensure it met curriculum standards. The program led to significant learning gains that are equivalent to an additional 0.89 years of learning in numeracy and 0.84 years of learning in literacy.

By focusing on content and pedagogical alignment, Kenya's Tech4Ed initiatives have not only improved student engagement and learning outcomes but also paved the way for a more inclusive and effective education system.

Kenya’s efforts exemplify how, when used strategically, technology can transform education systems for the better.

How Rwanda is supporting teachers with structured pedagogy

Rwanda is working with GPE and other partners to provide inclusive, quality teaching and learning for all children.

To unlock large-scale change, GPE has provided $31.29 million in grant funding to strengthen enrollment and progression in the early grades, improve foundational literacy and numeracy, and build government capacity to coordinate system transformation.

These efforts are building on ongoing government reforms. For example, the Rwanda Education Quality Improvement Program combined curriculum-aligned, digital teaching and learning materials and ongoing teacher training and support to strengthen the quality of basic education.

The program has reduced teacher absenteeism, contributed to higher student attendance, and increased instructional time.

As in Kenya, public-private partnerships are a key pillar of the government of Rwanda’s strategy for integrating technology in education.

Through the Elimu Soko education marketplace, innovators were invited to propose solutions aligned with the government’s priorities, while the government committed resources to pilot promising solutions with a view to scaling the most cost-effective models.

As a result, the government of Rwanda partnered with Rising Academies to deliver a remedial learning program that aimed to use structured pedagogy to improve foundational literacy and numeracy.

The program provides diagnostic assessments to understand student learning needs, structured lesson plans to guide teachers in selecting appropriate learning activities, and digital tools to support teachers to understand and master structured pedagogical approach.

By the end of the program’s second year, participating schools saw a 13-percentage-point increase in students achieving proficiency in literacy and a 39-percentage-point increase in students achieving proficiency in numeracy.

These results demonstrate how using digital tools to empower teachers can significantly enhance educational outcomes.

Through a comprehensive approach that combines policy development, public-private partnerships and teacher training, Rwanda has created a robust framework for integrating technology into education.

These efforts ensure that digital content is both relevant and effective and supports the development of critical skills in students.

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Learn about the GPE Tech4Ed initiative