Jubilee dream closer to reality as Standard One laptops arrive

The dream of integrating technology in teaching Standard One pupils draws nearer today when the first batch of tablets arrives.

The plane carrying 5,000 learning devices is expected to touch down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Friday morning with a similar number of tablets expected every week for the next three weeks.

This means by the end of this month, 20,000 tablets will have been imported from China to fulfil the promise President Uhuru Kenyatta made to all primary school children.

Details from the Information and Communication Technology Authority show that from September, the gadgets will come by sea with about 50,000 tablets expected every week.

The development came after the firms picked to implement the digital literacy programme successfully underwent the proof of concept stage that ended last month.

Two public universities were chosen to implement the much-awaited laptops project.

The consortium of Moi University and JP SA Couto was picked to implement the digital learning programme in 26 counties covering two lots.

And the consortium of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Positivo BGH emerged winner to implement the project in lot one schools covering 21 counties.

The two consortia beat six others to win the Sh19 billion tender.