[kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants - fears

Mon Apr 22 10:16:10 EAT 2013

Personal experience:

I first saw a computer when I went to FORM 1 at Starehe.

A student named Chris Ochieng joined Starehe a year later. He had grown up
with a computer in his father's house and had learnt at his very young age
how to write software. He would come into the computer room on Saturday
afternoon when we were not allowed to play computer games and all computer
games diskettes were stored away. He would write a game for us and we would
play the game. From him, we learnt a lot more and got the confidence we
needed.

Today both Chris & I write software for some of the leading organizations
across Africa.

When I left Starehe, I couldn't afford going to University due to the fees
needed (I was sponsored at Starehe) BUT I didn't need to because the
knowledge acquired from Starehe gave me a well paying job the afternoon
after my last KCSE paper.  The rest is history.

If anyone doubts the value having children exposed to computers will have on
this Nation, please take it from me, if it was not for computers exposed to
me at Form 1, I would have left Form 4 at Starehe, not had fees to proceed
to campus and therefore languish in poverty - job seeking forever. NOW,
imagine if computers were exposed to me in Std 1..how I wish this was the
case!

With the little acquired from this, my company this year celebrates 20yrs of
existence as a software company and we employ several university graduates -
yet I have never been to a university myself.

Whether Std 1 is the right time or if its Std 4 or Form 1, I wouldn't know
but I know the earlier the better.

Give these children the chance, if the President says we can afford it J 

Kind Regards, 

Bernard Kioko
Chief Executive Officer

Bernsoft Interactive Limited

P.O.Box 15177-00100 Nbi,Kenya

Office:   +254-703-080-080

Mobile: +254-722-540-883

From: kictanet
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+bkioko=bernsoft.com at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf
Of robert yawe
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2013 9:52 AM
To: bkioko at bernsoft.com
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: [kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants - fears

Hi,

I have kept wondering why many people want to delay the introduction of
computers to those either in secondary or even university.

I came across this article which explains the fears many of us are having

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130422020049-8451-the-tech-indu
stry-s-darkest-secret-it-s-all-about-age

You might also want to watch the following presentation I gave at the
University of Nairobi on the issue termed "the professional students
dilemma"

http://youtu.be/9b4BJ7iTOfA

Regards

Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya

Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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