Public schools unprepared for laptops as launch date approaches this term

Schools are not ready for the laptops despite government assurances that pupils will get the gadgets before the end of this term.

Most of the over 20,000 public primary schools still lack basic infrastructure ahead of its launch.

Pupils in some rural schools are learning under trees and in dilapidated classrooms without electricity.

Some teachers in far-flung areas have also admitted that they have never seen laptops.

Free laptops for all Standard One pupils this year was one of Jubilee Government’s flagship promises in campaigns last year. This is yet to happen.

LOWEST BIDS

The Education ministry has had to float the tender for the supply of the laptops twice.

Currently, the ministry has sent experts to China and India to conduct due diligence on the lowest bidder.

India’s Olive Telecom is the lowest bidder after quoting Sh22 billion, followed by Hewlett Packard with a Sh23 billion bid.

China’s Haire is third with a Sh24 billion quote, Sh2 billion more than the Indian company’s.

Tender divided into three

Some of the firms have forwarded suggestions to have the tender divided into three to accommodate the two other bidders to speed up delivery of the 1.2 million laptops.

In West Pokot County, a teacher at Kaptuken Primary School confessed that he had never seen a laptop.

“I don’t know how I will help my pupils because I have never seen a laptop,” said Mr Losili Loktari, but he added that he, at least, has seen a computer.

Pupils at the school would marvel at a mobile phone, without knowing what it was or what it is used for.

In Kilifi County, the government has been asked to build modern classrooms in rural areas.

Kenya National Union of Teachers Malindi sub-county chairlady Kadzo Unda also called on the government to improve existing schools and build new ones.

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi said the government had developed a policy on integration of ICT in teaching and learning. Last October, the ministry trained 150 master trainers at Kenya Education Management Institute.

The master trainers will in turn train 3,000 trainers of trainers, who by the end of this month, should have trained over 60,000 teachers.

Three teachers would then be distributed to each of the 20,000 public primary schools in the country.

The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development has developed digital content for all classes in primary schools and digitised content in seven subjects for Class 1–3.

There has been a test run for pre-loading the laptops.

The laptops would be distributed to 20,367 public primary schools.

The Rural Electrification Authority has connected 11,065 public primary schools to the national grid. An additional 1,650 schools are expected to be connected by the end of this month while 130 schools will have solar power.

The Ministry will be giving out money to build stores for securing the laptops and accessories.

ABOVE BUDGET

An international tender was advertised on August 2, 2013 for 1.3 million laptops, 20,367 projectors and 20,367 printers for the schools.

A total of 126 firms bought the bid document out of which only 20 returned the tender bids. After evaluation, only three met the technical specifications.

Evaluation of the bid by the ministry’s technical team revealed that the bid ranged from Sh23,000 per laptop to Sh28,000.

The total cost of 1.3 million laptops of the lowest evaluated bidder was Sh32 billion, against a budget of Sh12 billion.

This was way above the Ministry’s budget, with a deficit of Sh20 billion.

Prof Kaimenyi has noted that the ministry understands the urgency but procurement must ensure economy, efficiency, transparency and accountability.