Josphat Rono

04/08/2026

A few years ago, if someone had told me I'd graduate with two bachelor's degrees, I probably wouldn't have believed them.

Today, I received my official transcript and certificate from the University of the People, completing my Bachelor of Computer Science.

Along the way, I also earned a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering from Kirinyaga University. Looking back, the journey wasn't always easy. There were deadlines, late nights, and many moments of balancing classes with building software and working on my own projects.

One thing this journey has taught me is that learning doesn't end after graduation. Technology keeps changing, and as engineers, we have to keep growing with it.

I'm grateful to everyone who supported me along the way and to the University of the People for making higher education accessible.

This is another milestone I'm proud of, and I'm looking forward to what comes next.

On to the next challenge.

25/06/2026

One thing I’ve learned this year is simple: if you’re building a solution, you need to spend time where the are.

This month, I’ve been in schools supporting teachers on the , and having conversations around and classroom technology adoption.

What stood out is that schools are facing different realities, from limited devices to internet access challenges to gaps in skills. But across all of them, one thing is consistent: the willingness to learn.

This is what is shaping our thinking around the .

If internet access is still a challenge, do we rethink -first learning solutions?

If digital skills are still a gap, how do we ensure teachers are trained before introducing new tools?

These are the conversations that matter as we design for real classrooms, not assumptions.

We can’t wait for every challenge to be solved before we start building. We begin with what we have, where we are, and improve along the way.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think is the biggest barrier to digital learning in our schools today?

15/06/2026

is one of those phrases everyone uses, but few people stop to explain what it means for a on a normal school day.

It is not about being a computer expert.

It is about .

Knowing what to do when a lesson needs technology.

Feeling calm enough to try something new.

Having space to practice before standing in front of a class.

That is the gap I keep seeing in .

Not unwilling teachers.

Teachers who want to , but rarely get the time or support to build real confidence step by step.

In one conversation , that showed up clearly.

Teachers were pushing back.

They were asking to learn more.

That stayed with me.

Because it tells me the appetite is already there.

The work is to meet teachers , with patience, practical support, and respect for what they already carry into the classroom every day.

should feel like growth, not pressure.

At , we have been thinking about that deeply.

Not only as a school management platform, but as a in the wider work of helping teachers feel capable, supported, and ready for what CBE asks of them.

There is more we want to do in this space.

Quietly, carefully, with schools and teachers at the centre.

If you are a teacher or school leader, I would love to hear your view:

What would make digital literacy feel easier for you?

15/06/2026

Product updates are great, but sometimes the most important work is just listening. 👂✨

Grateful to every school team in Kenya that opens their doors and shares honest feedback to help us build EduPoa better.

Teachers and admins: What is one thing tech vendors should ask you, but never do?

14/06/2026

A school does not transform because software was installed.

It transforms when the team understands it, trusts it, and uses it every day.

That is what this week’s EduPoa onboarding was about.

We spent time on site with administrators and staff: setup, training, and walking through how EduPoa supports their daily work under CBE, from learner records and school operations to the reporting and admin tasks that often slow teams down.

What we care about is not just launching a system.

It is making sure people leave the session confident, not confused.

The team was engaged.

They asked real questions.

They wanted to know how EduPoa fits their school, not only what buttons to click.

That is the kind of partnership we are building across Kenya.

is for schools that want more than a login.

They want support, clarity, and tools that match how Kenyan schools actually work.

Thank you to the team for the welcome and the trust.

We keep showing up because this work matters.

09/06/2026

We need to talk honestly about the rural digital divide in Kenya.

National headlines make it sound like everyone is connected.

The data tells a different story.

From the 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey:

Urban internet access: 57%
Rural internet access: 25%
Urban computer access: 21%
Rural computer access: 7%
That gap matters for learners, especially in rural schools.

Three problems keep repeating:

Hardware Only 33.9% of secondary schools are equipped for structured computer lessons. Student-to-computer ratio is about 52:1.

Connectivity Many digital tools still need strong internet, but rural pe*******on is below 25%.

Teacher support 75.2% of teachers report difficulty using computers. Only 22.3% feel they have adequate technical support.

So many learners are watching technology, not using it confidently.

That affects their future options, skills, and independence.

If you work in education, which is the biggest challenge in your area?

A) Devices
B) Internet
C) Teacher support
D) All three

Comment A, B, C, or D.

09/06/2026

Something I have been thinking about a lot lately:

Many Kenyan schools have already invested in technology.

Computers. Labs. Internet. Digital platforms. Teacher training.

But digital learning is still not consistent.

Some weeks it works. Some weeks it does not.

That is what many of us now call the digital learning gap.

It is not always about missing devices.

Sometimes the school has the tools, but:

teachers are searching content from many places
lessons fail when internet is slow or off
teacher support is weak after training
learners use different tools in different classes
So the real question is no longer “Do we have tech?”

It is “Can learning continue reliably every school day?”

I believe the next step for schools is continuity, not just connectivity.

We need systems that support teachers, keep learning resources available, and help learners build real digital skills under CBE.

At EduPoa, this is exactly the conversation we are building around.

If you work in a school or support education programs, I would love to hear from you:

What is the biggest challenge in your school right now?

scattered resources
internet problems
teacher confidence/support
inconsistent learner experience
Comment with your number.

28/05/2026

There is a pattern I keep seeing in is this:
In many schools, the biggest barrier is not devices.
It is .
We often assume that once a school has electricity, tablets, and , digital learning will naturally work.

But that is not what classrooms show.
Many teachers avoid live digital lessons, not because they do not care, but because of the risk of public failure:
a frozen screen
a broken link
a login issue in front of 40 learners
That moment can damage confidence quickly.

Research keeps pointing in the same direction: teacher self-efficacy is a major predictor of whether digital tools are actually integrated into teaching.
What stood out to me this week:
→ Teachers can use tools frequently, yet still struggle with meaningful integration
→ Confidence grows when support is continuous, practical, and school-embedded
→ One-off ICT seminars are rarely enough for classroom-level change

I also reviewed newer teacher-confidence findings showing a significant relationship between digital tool utilization and confidence levels.
That means this is not only a tech problem. It is a human-capacity design problem.
Read more: https://shorturl.at/wGY3h

For me, the question is no longer:
“Do schools have devices?”
It is:
“Do teachers feel safe, supported, and ready to teach digitally when learners are watching?”

As we build for , we need to move from infrastructure-only thinking to confidence-first systems:
low-stakes teacher practice time
peer support inside schools
better recovery routines when tech fails
leadership that measures confidence, not just connectivity
That is how becomes real in classrooms.

Teachers often avoid digital lessons because of confidence barriers, not resistance. Research shows self-efficacy strongly shapes classroom integration, and schools need support models beyond devices and one-off ICT seminars.

27/05/2026

Today I reflected on a challenge we do not talk about enough in : teacher confidence.

We often assume that once a school has electricity, devices, and , digital learning will automatically work.
In reality, that is only part of the picture.

I usually think of one important category of schools:
schools with infrastructure, but without confident classroom-level adoption.

These schools are connected. They have devices.
But meaningful digital integration stays low because many educators are under-supported in and practical confidence.

In many classrooms, teachers hesitate to use digital tools in front of learners.
Not because they resist change, but because they fear public failure.

A frozen screen, failed login, or unstable connection can quickly become embarrassment instead of a learning moment.

Recent research points in the same direction: teachers often avoid digital tools due to gaps in knowledge, skills, and confidence.
The encouraging part is this: when teacher capacity is intentionally strengthened, confidence rises, and digital pedagogy improves.

So this is the question I keep asking myself, and I think it matters for everyone building in :

Are we investing enough in teacher confidence and continuous , or are we still assuming infrastructure alone is enough?

As we continue building for , this is a conversation we need to elevate.