Chinese-made smart classrooms to benefit Kenyan university

A state-of-the-art digital audiovisual smart classroom donated by China was inaugurated at Kenya's Moi University on Friday. The smart classroom, together with a similar one that was launched earlier this month, are the first of their kind in the university, located in western Kenya's Eldoret. These are expected to significantly bolster the university's capacity to deliver high-quality education, promote interactive learning and better prepare students for challenges of the modern world.

Donated by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government and Donghua University in Shanghai, the smart classrooms are also the most advanced ones in Kenya.

Isaac Kosgey, vice-chancellor of Moi University, said the classrooms will go a long way in advancing the university's capacity to expand its open and distant learning program.

"This classroom gives us an opportunity to expand our infrastructure for learning, training and researching. Through this technology, we will be able to complement yesterday's classroom, which requires lecturers and students to be physically present," Kosgey said at the launch ceremony.

Equipment for the two classrooms, all made in China, arrived in Kenya's Mombasa port in July. Installation of the first smart classroom was completed on Dec 7, according to the Confucius Institute of Moi University.

In an online address to the launch ceremony, Chen Ge, vice-president of Donghua University, said the digital classrooms will elevate the cooperation between the two universities in the field of technology by helping Moi University become more efficient in its open and distant learning program.

He added that the donation reflects China's willingness to widen cooperation with Kenya in the field of education and help the education sector in Kenya by resolving its challenges while taking advantage of opportunities presented by technology.

"The completion of the two smart classrooms is just the beginning. They will be brand new platforms for knowledge exchange," he said. "Through this platform, students and teachers from China and Africa will be able to conduct convenient and efficient interactions and cooperate across geographical boundaries."

Fan Xiuhua, director of the Confucius Institute of Moi University, said the facilities involved in the smart classroom are as advanced as those used in universities in China, which will greatly improve education and talent cultivation in the university.

"Digital education has become an important area of cooperation between China and Kenya, as digitalization promotes equality in education," she said. "Such smart classrooms will facilitate remote education and cultural exchanges."

Speaking after undergoing training on how to handle the equipment, Jared Ingare, a senior technician in information technology and communications at Moi University, said the launch of the smart classrooms is the beginning of a new phase in the University, especially in the adoption of modern technology.

Ingare added that the system will solve many of the challenges that have been faced in digital learning programs such as poor internet connection and limited features and options.

Medlyne Achieng, a third-year student at the university's School of Public Health, said the challenges faced with the old e-learning system included poor display, weak connectivity and missed classes due to technical issues. She said by enabling lecturers and students to interact remotely, the new system will allow them to save time as well as recover the time lost due to connectivity issues.

The fact that everything can be recorded and reviewed later will also solve the problem of missing classes, she said.

otiato@chinadaily.com.cn