Private primary schools to get JKUAT tablets

Standard one pupils of Kosawo Primary School in Kisumu county while testing the Digital Literacy Learning tablets during its launch at the institution on October 28 2016. PIC BY COLLINS ODUOR

Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT) has launched a digital device targeted at private primary schools.

The tablet comes in a move aimed at expanding the distribution of devices used in the digital learning programme (DLP).

The new devices that will be distributed under the Taifa brand will see the schools also get access to digital content currently being used by their counterparts in public schools.

“We have completed the assembly of devices that were meant for the primary schools and now we are at the stage of providing maintenance, which will be conducted over the next four years,” said JKUAT Vice-Chancellor Mabel Imbuga.

The tablets are equipped with 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and run on Windows 10 operating system.

“We now intend to do the same for private primary schools that were not subsidised under the digital learning programme but still need the devices,” said Prof Imbuga.

JKUAT and Moi University led two consortia in scooping the Sh17 billion tender to produce, supply and install digital learning hardware and software for all public primary schools.

Content

Earlier this year, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) approved 1,360 publications in digital format that are currently being used in Standard One.

“Private primary schools will also be linked to the same KICD content that their counterparts receive in public schools to ensure that the benefit is accessible to everyone,” said Prof Imbuga.

Other players working with JKUAT include the KCB and Cooperative banks that arranged the financing, and technology providers Intel and Microsoft that provided the technical support.

The move by JKUAT comes on the back of the completion of a second assembly plant at Moi University with support from Portuguese firm JP-IK.

The assembly plant has the capacity to produce 1,250 devices in each 8-hour shift and is currently working to assemble tablets for the remaining 26 counties.

“The assembly lines are working in full capacity and all three shifts are rolling to ensure that we meet the Government deadline,” said Prof Imbuga.

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