The government has announced plans to roll out the laptop project in the first quarter of 2014. FILE/CFM.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 31 – The Government on Tuesday said it will spend Sh24 billion to buy 1.2 million laptops to be delivered in primary schools in the first quarter of 2014.
Speaking when he released the 2013 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations on Tuesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof Jacob Kaimenyi said the government in undertaking a procurement process in which it hopes to save Sh8 billion, after rejecting the Sh32 billion price quoted by suppliers in the initial tender.
“I want to assure my brothers and sisters that the government is fully committed to the provision of 1.2 million laptops. They will be delivered to schools in the first quarter of 2014,” he pledged.
Kaimenyi explained that a lot of ground work had been done to ensure the full implementation of the ICT implementation pledge made by the Jubilee government.
He said, an ICT training curriculum for teachers was launched in August to pave way for training teachers before the programme is rolled out.
The Cabinet Secretary also announced that plans are at an advanced stage in developing content that will be used in the new lap top project implementation.
“I wish to inform Kenyans that digital content has already been developed in readiness for the launch of the laptop programme,” Kaimenyi said.
In consideration of its complexity, Kaimenyi further noted that equity in distribution of the laptops will be key to ensure no schools are discriminated.
“The government aims at providing laptops on a 1:1 ratio to ensure equitable access countrywide,” he said.
He announced that soon there will be site visits to companies that have been shortlisted to supply the laptops to determine their capability.
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