Government to give schools laptops from September 1, 2016

folarin okunola

August 15, 2016 3:15 PM

The Kenyan government is planning a massive roll-out of digital learning devices in all primary schools in the country starting from September 1, 2016.

Kenyan students with tabs

One of the key promises of the current Kenyan government was to issue laptops to Standard One students in Kenya. In September 2015, the government unveiled the Digital Literacy Program which it tagged

Digi School includes various components of the government's project including the provision of devices for both the students and the teachers. It also includes capacity development for the various stakeholders involved, content development and establishment of a local assembly for digital devices and related accessories.

Earlier in 2016, the Kenyan government announced that the consortia of Moi University - JP SA Cuoto and Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT) - Positivo BGH had won the Kshs. 17 Billion tender to supply laptops.

Soon after the consortia started the pilot phase of the project in February with a target of 150 schools. Next was the proof of concept phase to gauge the ability to deliver, specifications of devices and their usability.

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Some of the devices included 14-inch laptops for teachers, 10-inch tablets for students, while special needs students get 12-inch laptops with braille keyboards, head phones and embosser.

According to Techweez, the Kenyan government is planning a massive roll-out of digital learning devices in all primary schools in the country starting from September 1, 2016.

“On the 1st of September, all Principal Secretaries and Cabinet Secretaries will launch the laptops to schools countrywide. We will give to them as many schools as possible and PSs and CSs will choose which primary school to launch in," said the Kenyan commissioner for ICT, according to the Techweez report.

The report also reveals that the government plans to give all 22,000 schools in Kenya about 1.2 million devices.

The Uhuru Kenyatta-led government has also set aside Kshs. 2.6 billion for the purchase of laptop desks with the pilot phase of the project hitting 150 schools.

folarin okunola