REA Chairman Dr. Simon Gicharu with primary school pupils in Mombasa. [Photo/KNA]
The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) says over 24,000 public primary schools have been fully connected to electricity to enhance information and communications technology uptake in schools across the country.
REA Chairman Dr. Simon Gicharu said the board has now embarked on a supervision tour of schools in the regions to check on the progress of the Sh30 billion project started by the national government in 2013.
Dr. Gicharu said REA is cognizant of the fact that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) revolution is the next big thing in the education sector.
‘The government’s power connection initiative will help the learning institutions in the utilization of technology and tech resources,’ he said.
He added that the authority has installed solar power as a source of lighting for schools in areas with no national power grid.
Dr. Gicharu who spoke to the press in Kilifi County when he led REA board of directors on an inspection of schools in the coastal county declared the school electrification project a ‘great success’.