Airtel targets one million students with free Internet

Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi. PHOTO | FILE 

By OKUTTAH MARK

Airtel is aiming to connect one million students to the Internet in a programme that has so far benefited over 120,000 learners in 151 institutions across the country.

The company is offering the service through its Free Internet for Schools initiative that it says is designed to benefit millions of students.  

Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi  said the programme provides free data to students through free Wi-Fi devices in institutions that they have identified.

“The Internet has fast become a critical tool that can be used to leverage key information by students and teachers.”  

“The aim of this programme is to give students access to free 24 hours Internet, enabling them to access the unlimited amount of educational material and information available online hence broadening their learning and entrepreneurial skills at an early stage in life,” Mr El Yousssefi said in an interview with the Business Daily.     

The programme has been rolled out in Homa Bay, Mt Elgon, Malindi, Isiolo, Nyeri and Kajiado.

The schools  should be in regions where there is an Airtel 2G/3G network and must also have computing devices. They must be able to work with Airtel’s partners and the Government of Kenya, the company said.

Mr El Youssefi said students currently depend on the education material available on different online platforms with the help of their teachers.

However, the firm plans to collaborate with content providers as well as the government through the ministry of Education to ensure that the project continues to have a greater impact.  

Other than the free Internet programme, Airtel has collaborated with the British Council and Microsoft on the Badiliko programme where it provides Internet connectivity to 20 schools across the country.

Hubs

The British Council has been working with teachers in 20 schools in Kenya which act as ambassadors— running and training teachers and students on how to use the hubs.  

Hundreds of teachers and students have gone a mile further to sensitise other schools on the importance of having digital hubs in at their institutions.

“We believe that they have stories to help, which will help us to build on the strengths and work on the challenges that they face as far as the hubs are concerned in working on a long-term plan of the Badiliko project,” Airtel said in a statement.