County Partners With Startups to Offer Robotics Training in Nairobi Schools

In a landmark public-private push to future-proof learners, Nairobi City County has partnered with 12 Kenyan edtech startups—including BRCK Education, Tunapanda Institute, and Angaza Labs—to roll out RoboClass: a hands-on robotics and coding curriculum in 50 public primary and secondary schools. Funded by a KSh 420 million grant from the World Bank’s Digital Jobs for Youth project, the initiative equips schools with locally assembled robot kits (based on Arduino and Raspberry Pi), teacher training, and quarterly hackathons. We’re not importing robots—we’re building them with learners, said Education CECM Prof. Abdi during the launch at Mukuru Integrated School. Each school receives 10 robot kits, a mobile lab cart, and mentorship from startup engineers. Grade 6–8 pupils will design solutions for local challenges—e.g., smart dustbins for waste segregation or irrigation sensors for school gardens. Teachers underwent 3-week certification at Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Early pilot at Kayole One Primary saw a 65% rise in girls’ interest in STEM. Full rollout begins January 2026; 100 more schools targeted by mid-year.