The free laptops for Class One students promised by President Uhuru Kenyatta in his election manifesto will be delivered by November this year, according to the government.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Science and Technology Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi told a breakfast meeting in preparation for the Connected Kenya Summit the Jubilee government guaranteed strong support for technology for the betterment of the nation, according to Citizen.
“As the government prepares to deliver the laptops by November this year, the education stakeholders should be engaged in preparing of the digital content ready to welcome the project,” said Kaimenyi, adding plans had been put in place by the government to ensure proper implementation of the project.
“The Jubilee government made a promise to introduce technology in our schools as early as possible and expose our children to it and this is already gaining roots,” he said.
Meanwhile, teachers are calling upon the government to conduct basic computer training of teachers for efficient service delivery to pupils using modern technology.
Citizen reports Nyeri Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) chairman Patrick Karinga said about 80 per cent of teachers in the country are computer illiterate.
“It is unfortunate that the information technology curriculum will kick off next year, while most of our teachers are not trained on how to use the gadgets,” he said.
Mutahi Kahiga, the Nyeri KNUT Executive Secretary, welcomed the project but complained about the scarcity of teachers in schools.
“The computer programme is a good populist idea, but it will be too costly and also comes at a time when our schools are faced with a shortage of at least 80,000 teachers,” he said.
“We are urging the government to employ at least one teacher for every school, and the pressure in these institutions will ease.”
