Official calls for protection of children from online bullying

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has said there is need to protect children from harmful content as Internet connectivity is enhanced in schools.

While acknowledging that Internet connectivity creates better and more effective ways of learning by ensuring availability of more electronic books, interactive content and virtual learning materials, it also comes with risks and dangers.

The PS challenged Internet service providers, regulators and technology experts to find ways in which children are protected.

“Let us get ways that we will be able to protect our children from being exposed to sites that are not good for them,” said Kipsang.

He said technology is a double-edged sword saying that there is urgent need to get ways in which the young ones are protected, even as he urged all stakeholders to be supportive in not only ensuring child online protection is optimized but also allow continuous use of affordable internet.

He made the remarks when he launched a report, ‘Internet connectivity to schools’ which documents experiences and lessons learnt from digischool project in Kenya.

The project was undertaken in 13 schools connected to the Internet through National Optic Fibre Network Backbone Infrastructure (NOFBI).