Digital Literacy Program Allocated KES 13.4Bn in 2016 Budget

The National Treasury has allocated Ksh 13.4Billion for the Digital Literacy Program (Laptop Project) for the 2016/17 Fiscal Year to enhance quality and relevant education for all Kenyans.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich while tabling the budget estimates on Wednesday before the National Assembly said that the funds will  be used in the development of digital content, building capacity of teachers and rolling out computer laboratories for primary schools throughout the country.

“As we speak, the laptop idea has already become a reality for 11,500 pupils across the country,” he said as he quoted feedback from the public on the impact of the pilot laptops project that begun fromFebruary 22, for a period of 12 weeks.

“A 10-year-old boy by the name Maina from Roysambu Primary School said: “I can’t wait to learn new things and play educative games on the laptops”. Further, his Head Teacher, a Ms. Sarah Nyota added, “ It is not only the pupils who are enthusiastic at Roysambu, parents are giving it their full backing and are donating laptops to help expand the pool of computers so all 1,700 students get a chance to use them. Some parents even helped build the storage facility and charging units for the laptops. The world out there is moving fast and we cannot, as a country, afford to remain behind in terms of technology.”

Rotich said with the impact, excitement and expectations of the program, the remaining schools will get their lap tops in the FY 2016/17.

During the State of the Nation speech this year, President Uhuru Kenyatta said that the Jubilee government flagship project of providing laptops to schools, which has been elusive since 2013, will be realized this year.

President Kenyatta stated the learning devices were being subjected to tests, admitting that the project had taken time, but he assured Kenyans that the government was working on the infrastructure necessary to realize the goal.

He had said that over 1 million class one pupils will have access to a digital learning device, and appropriate curricula, adding that 60,000 teachers had already been trained to support the digital learning experience.

He reiterated the same during Madaraka Day, stating, By August this year, we will have over 600,000 pupils learning with tablets and laptops, with another 600,000 to follow by December.”

The project is being implemented in line with connecting power to schools.

Moi University and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in February this year won the Sh17 billion laptop tender to supply the laptops.

Following the laptop Programme, Sh.4.5 has been allocated for Recruitment and promotion of teachers. This is because more teachers have to be recruited for the purposes of equipping pupils with the skills required.

The project is being implemented through a multi-agency approach that consists of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Industrialization Ministry, Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, The National Treasury and the Office of the Attorney General.

Safaricom has offered to give free Internet both in the pilot stage and after full implementation.