Kenya to provide 1.2 million laptops to primary school students
Kenya's government campaign to give 1.2 million tablets or laptops to Class One pupils entering their first year of primary school is set to start with Cabinet Secretaries and Permanent Secretaries personally delivering the first consignments to schools around the country in the coming weeks. The devices are for teachers and pupils and come with Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD)-approved content. The move follows a successful pilot phase which has seen more than 22,000 schools connected to the grid to facilitate the programme, which was originally launched in 2013. All the tablets are expected to be distributed by December.

The Government will on Friday kick-start the delivery of digital learning devices to Class One pupils countrywide.PHOTO: COURTESY

The Government will on Friday kick-start the delivery of digital learning devices to Class One pupils countrywide.

The massive rollout plan will see all Cabinet Secretaries and Permanent Secretaries lead the distribution to 60 schools over the next one month.

The plan, we have learnt, is advised by the need to fast-track the Jubilee government flagship project that has been elusive since 2013, with a total of 1.2 million devices expected to be delivered to all the 23,951 public primary schools by December this year.

The devices include laptops for teachers and tablets for pupils, which are fitted with Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD)-approved content. Content for Class One and Two is available in five subjects.

According to a schedule by the ICT Authority and Digischool-the key implementers of the project-the rollout will kick off on Friday when ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru will deliver laptops to Ortum Boys School in West Pokot County.

Devolution CS Mwangi Kiunjuri will on the same day unveil the program at Kapkikorwet Primary School in Bomet County.

According to the schedule Tourism CS Najib Balala will unveil the program at Ucekeini Primary School in Gatundu, Kiambu County, Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery at Kathangari Primary School in Embu and Treasury CS Henry Rotich at Kyandula Primary School in Kitui while Foreign Affairs CS Amb Amina Mohamed will officiate the delivery at Mbwajumwali Primary school in Lamu County.

Other Cabinet Secretaries will deliver the tablets and laptops as follows: Dan Kazungu, Mining (Sero Primary School, Homabay), Prof Jacob Kaimenyi, Lands (Koibem Primary School, Nandi), Eugene Wamalwa, Water (Elgeyo Saw Mill Primary School in Elgeyo Marakwet and Gatunyu Priamry School in Murang’a County), Adan Mohamed, Industrialization (Ramaika R.C Primary School, Bungoma), Willy Bett, Agriculture (Essong’olo Primary School, Vihiga), Dr Cleopa Mailu, Health (Mwandisha Primary School, Taita Taveta), Phyllis Kandie, East African Affairs (Makutano DEB, Makueni), Dr Fred Matiang’i, Education (Bofu Pri School, Kwale) James Macharia, Transport (Maryango Primary School, Kilifi), Amb Raychelle Omamo, defense (Kiboino Primary School, Baringo), Hassan Wario, Sports (Doldol Primary School, Laikipia), Judi Wakhungu, Environment (Karen ‘C’ Primary School, Nairobi) and Charles Keter, Baragoi Primary School, Samburu).

The program is already running in 150 primary schools across the 47 counties, which cumulatively received over 12,000 digital devices last May as part of the pilot phase.

To facilitate the use of the electric gadgets, over 22,237 schools have so far been connected to the power grid, with the Ministry of Energy in the final stages of connecting the few remaining schools. Over 66,000 teachers have already been trained on how to use the devices for teaching and learning purposes.

Kenya Airways shipped in a total of 20,000 devices in the course of August while another 100,000 arrived from China through the Port of Mombasa last week. More consignments are expected to continuously arrive until the implementation is completed.