AI Training Empowers STEM Teachers

A nationwide retooling programme for teachers in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has commenced in Nairobi, marking a major step in preparations for the transition of the first cohort of Competency-Based Education (CBE) learners to the senior level in January.

The training targets senior school teachers, particularly Heads of Departments in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), to enable them to effectively manage the STEM pathway and cascade their knowledge to junior teachers.

Speaking during the launch at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the training is a key milestone in preparing teachers to effectively implement the CBE curriculum.

“As learners begin their examinations, teachers are also undergoing training so that they can deliver CBE in a more solid way, and this activity is especially important for STEM,” he said.

Dr. Bitok noted that the government expects all schools across the country, totaling 9,550 institutions, to have STEM as the first learning pathway.

He added that the retooling exercise will ensure teachers are well-prepared to manage the STEM pathway as the pioneer CBE class of 1.29 million learners transitions to Grade 10, the first level in Senior school.

The learners are currently sitting the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), the first since the roll-out of the CBE.

“We have invited our teachers to come and be retooled on AI so that by January, they will be ready to manage the STEM pathway,” said Dr Bitok.

He noted the Ministry of Education is on course on matters of transition, and that the workshop is part of a series of activities to prepare teachers for the upcoming changes.

“I am confident that by January, all teachers will have been trained on AI and prepared accordingly,” he said.

The workshop, which focuses on integrating technology and AI in teaching, is a collaboration between the Ministry of Education, CEMASTEA, and technology partners including Intel Corporation and Simba AI.

Intel and Simba AI representative Mark Mutunga, underscored the importance of AI in advancing the CBE framework and enhancing teachers’ capacity to support learners.

“The use of AI is vital in the transition of learners to higher levels, especially for the pioneer class of CBE, as technology, particularly in the STEM domain, pays a critical role,” he said.

He noted it would be disadvantageous for the country to be an island when technology is advancing globally, hence the need for adopting.

“Teachers must be equipped to support learners who are already familiar with these technologies,” he said.

Mutunga added that Intel and Simba AI are supporting the Ministry through CEMASTEA by building teachers’ capacity in AI integration.

So far, some 25 25 master trainers have been trained at CEMASTEA and these  will cascade AI knowledge to other teachers nationwide.

Intel has donated laptops to support this effort, ensuring teachers have the necessary tools to apply AI in lesson planning and classroom delivery.