[kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants

Wed Apr 10 18:36:02 EAT 2013

I am of the school of thought that we should give them with such preloaded
software and ability for them to interconnect and see what happens. I
understand such blind actions are very risky and this will involve billions
of dollars but shouldn't the government be the biggest experimenter?
What is the other option? Create a boring curriculum which will be outdated
the day it is commissioned or encourage exploration and discovery.
I dare say I learnt lots more tinkering and reading interesting books on my
own than any teachers taught me in class. I am not saying their efforts
were useless but the resources outside the classroom will always outweigh
the ones inside.

On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 6:06 PM, Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi at gmail.com> wrote:

> But just to throw a spanner in the works. Let me ask, why are we providing
> laptops to class 1 kids?
>
> We might end up providing the laptops then wonder what next.
>
> Is it to teach IT literacy, to provide kids with a tool to explore,
> delivery of syllabus ?
>
> We need to define a problem then come up with the use case.
> On 10 Apr 2013 17:42, "Walubengo J" <jwalu at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>
>> @Ikua,
>>
>> Indeed it is never too early for ICTs. As the tweeting class, all our
>> Kids have these gadgets at home and its largely beneficial.
>>
>> But trust me, the 'private' experience takes a whole new shape when done
>> nationally and on a public basis. Other than the well known economic
>> concept of the 'tragedy of the commons' there are those are other
>> challenges I highlighted earlier.  These risks/challenges are 10 times
>> lower under our high school system when compared to our primary school
>> system. Our high schools already have curricula beyond IT (Harry H?),
>> theres already a small but emerging community of ICT high school teachers
>> and quite a good group of high schools already have substantial  Computer
>> Lab Management experience.
>>
>> As a risk management consultant, @Ikua, you will agree with me that this
>> project has a better chance of success and bigger social dividends if it
>> kicked off at high school level rather than at primary level. After all, by
>> the time these standard 1s get to high school, they will get this free
>> device/ict ystem extremely mature. And as these form1s get to University,
>> we shall be ready to graduate the true knowlege workers in just another
>> 8yrs rather than in the next 20yrs- when std1s graduate.
>>
>> So guys, am not fighting the idea, am just increasing its chance of
>> success by suggesting changes to its point of entry within our educational
>> system.
>>
>> walu.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 2:36 PM AST (Arabian) Evans Ikua wrote:
>>
>> >A good place to start would be to get the laptops installed with Qimo for
>> >Kids.
>> >
>> >Qimo is a desktop operating system designed for kids. Based on the open
>> >source Ubuntu Linux <http://www.ubuntu.com/> desktop, Qimo comes
>> >pre-installed with educational games for children aged 3 and up. Qimo’s
>> >interface has been designed to be intuitive and easy to use, providing
>> >large icons for all installed games, so that even the youngest users have
>> >no trouble selecting the activity they want.
>> >My kids use it and the one in class 1 has really improved his grades
>> >because of its educational games that improve memory, language and maths
>> >skills, not mention that his keyboarding and mouse skills are very good.
>> >For those who think class 1 is too early, he started using this about 2
>> >years ago. and i wish I had discovered it earlier.
>> >
>> >Also, I hope and pray that my tax money will not be used to pay for any
>> >software that we do not need at all.
>> >
>> >
>> >On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 1:28 PM, Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >> +1 Harry!
>> >>
>> >> As you can see on literacy (*age 15 and over can read and write*) here:
>> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_literacy_rate ,
>> Kenya
>> >> is one of the leading countries in Africa but still a distant from
>> getting
>> >> it to the best level.
>> >>
>> >> There is no world map indicating IT literacy by country
>> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_literacy, we should support this
>> >> move by the new government so that come 2030, we shall be leading on
>> this
>> >> space.
>> >>
>> >> We should begin now.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 11:49 AM, Harry Hare <
>> >> harry at africanedevelopment.org> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Hey Walu et al,
>> >>
>> >> I do not expect the President to have answers to your questions below.
>> >> You know the workings in government, what has been made is a high level
>> >> policy pronouncement now it will be unto the technocrats like yourself
>> to
>> >> craft a working strategy and plan for this to work.
>> >>
>> >> I expect that a team within the Ministry (may be include KIE and the
>> ICT
>> >> Integration Unit) will be set up to work on the detail of how to
>> deliver
>> >> this policy. And on your point "1", shouldn't we be targeting IT for
>> >> Eduction and not IT education? Why would yu need an IT curriculum for
>> class
>> >> one?
>> >>
>> >> Kindest Regards
>> >>
>> >> Harry Hare
>> >>
>> >> Director  |  African eDevelopment Resource Centre
>> >> PO Box 49475 00100 | Nairobi, Kenya
>> >> Tel +254 20 4041646  |  Cel +254 725 650044
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> From: Owino Jakakaeta <mpodhiambo at yahoo.com>
>> >> Reply-To: Owino Jakakaeta <mpodhiambo at yahoo.com>
>> >> Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:24:38 -0700 (PDT)
>> >> To: Cio_Magazine Hare <harry at africanedevelopment.org>
>> >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>> >>
>> >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants
>> >>
>> >> 50 + 1 @ walu
>> >>
>> >> Owino Jakakaeta
>> >> Life is too SHORT to eat Green BANANAS!
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>   ------------------------------
>> >> *From:* Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com>
>> >> *To:* "mpodhiambo at yahoo.com" <mpodhiambo at yahoo.com>
>> >> *Cc:* kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>> >> *Sent:* Tuesday, April 9, 2013 10:40 PM
>> >> *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> @Yawe,
>> >>
>> >> I was on travel (not to SA :-) but caught up with our two new
>> >> Principals.  Great speeches. But if there's someone already in the new
>> >> Presidents kitchen cabinet plse pass the following news.  Just drop the
>> >> laptop business or at least modify it because of the following reasons.
>> >>
>> >> 1. Curriculum.
>> >> Ok. So the kids have laptops next year. What to do with them? Play
>> games,
>> >> watch porn? In other words do we have an IT curriculum for these
>> youngsters
>> >> or we believe they will automatically become Bill Gates once we throw
>> >> gadgets at them.?
>> >>
>> >> 2. IT Teachers.
>> >> Assuming we cobble together some curriculum before next year. How soon
>> >> can we get out primary teachers upto speed on the same? Do we have a
>> ToT
>> >> program in place. ToT= Training of Trainers for the non-academics.
>> >>
>> >> 3. Examinations.
>> >> It is known that Kenyans learn ONLY when it is examinable. Indeed
>> >> teachers make space in their timetables if they know the unit is
>> >> examinable. Otherwise you can as well do your IT lessons at home as
>> your
>> >> hobby since the lesson will NOT be scheduled at the expense of say
>> >> Mathematics which is examinable. So is the KNEC ready with this exam?
>> >>
>> >> 4. Security/Theft.
>> >> If folks can still IEBC laptops from secure strongrooms, what about
>> >> laptops hanging either in staffrooms or  on standard 1 pupils?  What
>> about
>> >> a poor parent who opts to trade in the laptop in favour of cash to use
>> for
>> >> other purposes? This is not far fetched since even the largely
>> successful
>> >> Wezesha Laptop initiative were University students got subsidized
>> Laptops
>> >> and quite a number sold them off at market price.
>> >>
>> >> 5. Maintenance\Disposal program.
>> >> Usually laptops are rarely maintained. Just dump them after 3-4yrs. So
>> we
>> >> need to think efficient disposal mechanism for 1million+ gadgets across
>> >> rural and urban Kenya. Worse still those Kids will now be in standard
>> 4 and
>> >> so our buget for laptops will double -both for Sdt1s and the Std4s.
>> >>
>> >> But I have a simple solution for our new digital President. Just traget
>> >> Form1s and perharps forget Laptops and adopt Networked
>> >> PCs. The ecosytem described above is more mature to take on this great
>> >> idea. Our Primary schools will just drain this initiative with little
>> >> returns to the taxpayer.
>> >>
>> >> walu.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ------------------------------
>> >> On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 7:56 AM AST (Arabian) robert yawe wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >Hi,
>> >> >
>> >> >I like the confirmation by the President - sworn and his deputy on the
>> >> issue of laptops for class 1 students from next year, it is
>> commendable and
>> >> quite easily achievable but as ICT experts are laptops the ideal items
>> or
>> >> would low power touchscreen tablets be more practical and appropriate?
>> >> However .com that the two principles are I suspect that they might not
>> be
>> >> up to speed on devices.
>> >> >
>> >> >Here again for the umpteenth time the opportunity for us to become
>> >> relevant presents itself, shall we take action or sit back to carry
>> out a
>> >> forensic analysis when only 80% of the students get the devices?
>> >> >
>> >> >Regards
>> >> >
>> >> >PS.  A new dispensation, a new dedication and new vigor
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >Robert Yawe
>> >> >KAY System Technologies Ltd
>> >> >Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>> >> >P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>> >> >Kenya
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>> >>
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>> >>
>> >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> >> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
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>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/harry%40africanedevelopment.orgTheKenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for
>> >> people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> >> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> >> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>> >> development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of
>> acceptable
>> >> behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times
>> and
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>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/dmuthoni%40gmail.com
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> >> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> >> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> >> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>> development.
>> >>
>> >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>> >> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and
>> bandwidth,
>> >> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy,
>> do
>> >> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Muthoni
>> >>
>> >> My Blog: http://rugongo.blogspot.com/
>> >> --------------------------------------------
>> >> Mahatma Gandhi once said:-
>> >>
>> >> First they ignore you,
>> >> Then they laugh at you,
>> >> Then they fight you,
>> >> AND THEN YOU WIN!!!
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/ikua.evans%40gmail.com
>> >>
>> >> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> >> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> >> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> >> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
>> development.
>> >>
>> >> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>> >> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and
>> bandwidth,
>> >> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy,
>> do
>> >> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >--
>> >*----------------------------------------------------
>> >Kind Regards,
>> >Evans Ikua,*
>> >lanetconsulting.com,
>> >lpi-eastafrica.org,
>> >ict-innovation.fossfa.net,
>> >Skype: @ikuae
>> >Cell: +254-722-955831
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/dmbuvi%40gmail.com
>>
>>
>> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
>> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
>> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
>> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>>
>> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
>> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
>> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
>> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
> Unsubscribe or change your options at
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>
> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>

-- 
Regards,

Mark Mwangi

markmwangi.me.ke
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