How laptop pledge has come to naught

By Augustine Oduor

Nairobi, Kenya: As Standard One pupils continue rubbing their hands with glee in anticipation of the fulfillment of President Kenyatta’s laptops promise, the project is yet to become a reality.

It is considered the President’s pet project but one year on, it is still stuck and grounded by twin tender cancelations as a case challenging the process of its implementation is in court.

Even as judges prepare to give a verdict on the multibillion laptops tendering process, a wave of excitement is rife among the 1.2 million children set to benefit.

And this excitement laced with anxiety has cut across teachers and parents even as pressure continues to build on the Government to make real its promise; several months past from the set roll out date.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof Jacob Kaimenyi and Permamnet Secretary Dr Bellio Kipsang have however said that ICT integration is at the heart of the ministry’s targets.

The two officials assured Kenyans that the project would be rolled out to the end and asked not to be judged based on the delayed implementation of the project.

Prof Kaimenyi said it would be unfortunate for people to say the ministry has failed because of the ‘small hiccups’ faced by the laptops tendering process. “I have said that slipping is not falling and we should know that we are not down yet. The laptops project will be up and running to full implementation,” he said.

The CS admitted that the ministry is experiencing a myriad of challenges in rolling out the multi-billion project. “To judge us because of the delay of a few months is not fair. Success takes persistence and proper planning to achieve. We shall overcome,” he said.

Debate is still raging whether laptops for every child is still a viable idea or other cheaper options could be explored to achieve desired results.

Security of gadgets

This comes as little information has so far trickled through with regard to donor support for the initiative as opposed to Narc government’s free education programme.

Various education and ICT experts have proposed that the ministry should consider equipping computer laboratories in every school to cut costs. They say a well-equipped computer room would serve the entire school population and not just Standard One pupils. 

Questions have also been raised over the security of the laptops in schools and of the children expected to use the gadgets.

The Government’s plan to dispose e-waste has also been the subject of debate with some information and communication and technology (ICT) experts saying that Kenya does not have the capacity to recycle some of the metals in computers.

Dr Kipsang however said the ministry has set out plans to have the gadgets assembled locally. Some 20,367 public schools are targeted in the ambitious project and once successfully rolled out, homes around the schools will all be connected to electricity.

Statistics from the ministry indicate that some 11, 065 public primary schools have been connected to the national grid. Another 4,000 will be connected to the grid by June. When the Jubilee government took over, only 2, 037 primary schools had electricity. This translated to only 10 per cent of the total schools. Another 8,147 schools were near the main electricity supply while the remaining 10,184 schools were a distance from the main grid.

In addition, the Government is also set to procure one laptop per school to be used by the teachers.