Global digitization is shaking up many nations in Africa, and for this reason Kenyan kids are on the brink of a technology major scoop. The country is seeking to live up to its status as the technology hub of East Africa by providing laptop computers to primary school pupils. This is actually one of what could turn out to be the legacy of the new administration.
There are a lot of other digitization plans underway in the country which includes adoption of digital television broadcast system to take over from the traditional terrestrial television broadcast system. This shift is not only expected to create room for more TV channels, but also create employments for millions of unemployed youths in the country.
Already the country is considered the ICT giant of the East African region. The country is also constructing a digital city called Konza that sits just a few kilometers is from the capital Nairobi. Therefore, providing laptop for pupils in primary school does not seem far fetched.
The new government promised in its manifesto to turn Kenya from an analogue system to a digital system. The promise included giving mini computers to pupils in all the public primary schools. The number of targeted beneficiaries is about 800,000.
This ambitious laptop project has attracted international and local ICT providers who are seeking for the tender to supply the devices. This is a multibillion shilling project that would be carried out each year as schools admit fresh Standard One pupils. The whole school ICT project is expected to create job opportunities for many unemployed people directly and indirectly.
It is important to note that the types of laptop computers to be supplied are solar powered. This deliberately so given that the country is still not wholly connected with electricity. Therefore, solar powered devices would be still usable in the rural villages where electricity is not available. As if to facilitate proper electricity connectivity, a project dubbed rural electrification is being rolled out in most of the rural set up that are yet to be connected to the national grid.
There is another downside to this laptop for primary schools project. Majority of tutors in public primary schools are hardly computer literate. This poses a challenge on how the project would meet its object with such an ill-equipped human resource, and besides an unreliable human resource, there is also the problem of teacher shortage.
The problem of teacher shortage could sabotage this ambitious project given that it has been one of the bones of contention between teachers and government in the country. In several occasions teachers have abandoned classrooms to protest unfair workload. It therefore follows that while the laptop project for the Kenyan kids in public primary schools has feasible benefits, grumbling among tutors might hurt its success.
There are a lot of other digitization plans underway in the country which includes adoption of digital television broadcast system to take over from the traditional terrestrial television broadcast system. This shift is not only expected to create room for more TV channels, but also create employments for millions of unemployed youths in the country.
Already the country is considered the ICT giant of the East African region. The country is also constructing a digital city called Konza that sits just a few kilometers is from the capital Nairobi. Therefore, providing laptop for pupils in primary school does not seem far fetched.
The new government promised in its manifesto to turn Kenya from an analogue system to a digital system. The promise included giving mini computers to pupils in all the public primary schools. The number of targeted beneficiaries is about 800,000.
This ambitious laptop project has attracted international and local ICT providers who are seeking for the tender to supply the devices. This is a multibillion shilling project that would be carried out each year as schools admit fresh Standard One pupils. The whole school ICT project is expected to create job opportunities for many unemployed people directly and indirectly.
It is important to note that the types of laptop computers to be supplied are solar powered. This deliberately so given that the country is still not wholly connected with electricity. Therefore, solar powered devices would be still usable in the rural villages where electricity is not available. As if to facilitate proper electricity connectivity, a project dubbed rural electrification is being rolled out in most of the rural set up that are yet to be connected to the national grid.
There is another downside to this laptop for primary schools project. Majority of tutors in public primary schools are hardly computer literate. This poses a challenge on how the project would meet its object with such an ill-equipped human resource, and besides an unreliable human resource, there is also the problem of teacher shortage.
The problem of teacher shortage could sabotage this ambitious project given that it has been one of the bones of contention between teachers and government in the country. In several occasions teachers have abandoned classrooms to protest unfair workload. It therefore follows that while the laptop project for the Kenyan kids in public primary schools has feasible benefits, grumbling among tutors might hurt its success.
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