Due to the proliferation of tech hubs and incubators in Nairobi Kenya over the last few years, it has been dubbed the home to Africa’s Silicon Valley or the Silicon Savannah. With increased government support and new innovation labs at schools like GEMS Cambridge International School (GCIS), the city will continue to lead the African tech space.

Recently the school launched the LEGO Education Innovation Studio, which is designed to provide a focus point for innovation and creativity in schools. The Innovation Studio which was acquired at the cost of $55,000 provides a complete learning solution for schools while stimulating creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving and team-working skills. It is based on a hands-on learning approach aimed to actively engage students in their learning process.

Being the first institution to introduce the globally acclaimed education program into Kenya, the school was praised by Dr. Fred Matiang’I, the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry for Information, Communication and Technology, Kenya. “As  technology  defines  the  future  of  the  world’s  economy,  it  is  imperative  that  as  a  nation, we  nurture  and  train  at  an  early age, innovators  and  critical  thinkers  that  will  leapfrog  our  ambitions  to  be  a  middle  income  economy,” he said during the launch.

The phrase ‘catch them young’ is perfectly suited for what GCIS is up to. No doubt, the new LEGO Education Innovation Studio which targets Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) curriculum, will enable the pupils become creative and active learners, which will help mould them into future tech innovators. Dr. Fred Matiang’I added that the ministry is keen on creating a pool of future qualified human resources that will not only implement, but also champion innovative change in the country. That is why initiatives like that of GCIS is welcomed and encouraged.

The school’s principal Mr. David McLaughlin stated that the schools investment in the Innovation  Studio  is  a  true  commitment  to its goal of providing  quality  education  in  Kenya. “We  anticipate  that  our  students  will  be  more  passionate  about  learning  and  more  importantly,  their  social  skills,  creative  thinking  and  problem  solving  will  be  tapped  into.”

Developed in 1980, the LEGO Education program has spanned over 35 years in working with teachers and educational specialists to provide solutions and resources used in the classroom to bring subjects to life and make learning fun.