One of the key promises of the Jubilee government was to issue laptops to Standard one students in Kenya. In September 2015, the government unveiled the Digital Literacy program brand known as Digi School. Digi School carries various components of the project including provision of devices for both the learners and the teachers as well as capacity development for the various players involved, content development as well as establishment of local assembly for digital devices and related accessories.
Early in the year, the government announced that the consortia of Moi University– JP SA Couto and Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT)- Positivo BGH won the Kshs. 17 Billion tender to supply laptops. The consortia begun conducting a pilot of the project in February targeting 150 schools. The proof of concept phase was set to gauge the ability to deliver, specification of devices as well as their usability. The devices will include 14-inch laptops for teachers, 10 inch tablets for students, while special needs pupils will have 12 inch laptops with brail key boards, head phones and an embosser.
According to the CS ICT, the government plans a massive roll-out of digital learning devices in all primary schools in the country on September 1, 2016. The CS said this when addressing Public Communications Officers (PCOs) from all Government Ministries. “On the 1st of September, all Principal Secretaries and Cabinet Secretaries will launch the laptops to schools countrywide. We will give to them as many schools as possible and PSs and CSs will choose which primary school to launch in”, he said.
This government plans to give all 22,000 schools in Kenya with the devices which number over 1.2 Million. The government also set aside Kshs. 2.6 Billion for the purchase of laptop desks with the pilot for the project taking place in 150 schools. Delivery of the devices is split between the consortia with Moi University supplying 26 counties while JKUAT supplies 21 counties.
