By Wakhungu Andanje
A top-performing public primary school in Malava sub-county, St. Teresa’s Isanjiro Primary School, has introduced a new digital learning application as part of its efforts to improve academic performance. The school has adopted the Zeraki Learning App to enhance learning efficiency and boost its overall results.
Speaking to the press, the school’s management team, including two deputy headteachers and a senior teacher representing the headteacher, Sister Caroline Wanjala, assured parents that funds collected for organizing the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) celebrations, before the Ministry of Education disbanded such events, had been put to good use.
Parents had contributed a total of Ksh. 287,000 to fund a prize-giving ceremony aimed at recognizing top-performing students and motivating teachers; they agreed to redirect the money toward the introduction of the Zeraki Learning app. This decision made St. Teresa’s Isanjiro the first primary school in the sub-county to adopt this digital learning platform.
The school’s deputy headteacher in charge of academics, Angela Chepchumba, expressed her appreciation for the introduction of the application, noting that it will significantly enhance both the school’s performance and learning efficiency. She highlighted that the app has digitally connected teachers, parents, and students through mobile technology, allowing parents to access their children’s report cards via their phones, eliminating the need for annual purchases of physical report books.
“The introduction of the Zeraki Learning app is one of our biggest milestones in improving our learning process. It has not only enhanced efficiency and strengthened the connection between parents and their learners, but it has also elevated the school’s academic standing. As teachers, it has also reduced our paperwork,” said Chepchumba.
She explained that after the government’s directive to scrap prize-giving ceremonies, the parents, who had made the tradition a way to appreciate teachers and students, had to decide how to best use the collected funds. They ultimately chose the Zeraki app, as it benefits all students by allowing parents and teachers to track progress, access report cards, and enhance communication through the platform.
Senior teacher Madam Greta Musungu reflected on the school’s outstanding performance in the 2023 KCPE exams, where it emerged as the top public primary school in the sub-county. This success motivated the parents to initially plan a prize-giving ceremony, but following the ministry’s directive, they instead voted to introduce the Zeraki app. The app will be used for continuous assessments, improved communication between the school and parents, online tuition, and tracking students’ progress.
Deputy Headteacher for Administration, Sister Margaret, praised the introduction of the app, calling it a significant boost to digital literacy. She thanked the parents for their support and expressed confidence that the initiative would help the school achieve even better results in this year’s end-of-year exams.
