Each pupil joining class one in 2014 will get a laptop, but it will be owned and stored in school. FILE
What you need to know:
11,065 learning institutions to be connected to power by January 2014.
Each pupil joining class one in 2014 will get a laptop, but it will be owned and stored in school.
Mobile laboratories will be constructed in schools during the second and third year of the laptops project implementation.
The government plans to supply electricity in all primary schools by January as it moves to implement the laptops programme.
The Energy ministry is carrying out a survey to lay ground for the connection of 11,065 primary schools to the power grid. The ministry has also advertised for procurement of solar power for 130 schools.
Aden Duale, Majority Leader in the National Assembly, told Parliament that only 1,650 schools are connected to the national grid, but measures are being taken to ensure that all primary learning institutions have power by next year.
“The Ministry of Education will carry out comprehensive classroom renovations in schools with poor infrastructure and construct new ones where there is none,” he said while issuing a statement sought by Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire.
Mr Bosire wanted the government to provide a status and progress report on the implementation of the laptop project.
Each pupil joining class one in 2014 will get a laptop, but it will be owned and stored in school. The computers will also be available to other learners, Mr Duale said.
He said mobile laboratories will be constructed in schools during the second and third year of the laptops project implementation.
“This will guarantee equity and quality for all classes. The Cabinet on August 13 approved the structures to oversee implementation and fast-tracking of the programme,” he said.
A Cabinet committee was selected to provide overall leadership and policy direction. A national steering committee comprising principal secretaries (PS) from various ministries was constituted to provide oversight, coordinate resource mobilisation and inter-agency forums.
“An ICT technical implementation team consisting of technical officers from ministries and academia who will develop content, logistics, finance and procurement is in place. They will be supported by the project implementation secretariat,” Mr Duale said.
He said the secretariat will provide operational logistics for implementation of the project championed by the Jubilee government.
The government has been sensitising various stakeholders, including school heads and teachers unions on the ICT implementation.
On digitisation of the content to be taught in schools, Mr Duale said the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development has finalised on mathematics for classes four to seven. Class one content has been developed and is ready for loading on the laptops.
