[kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants - fears

Tue Apr 23 11:22:26 EAT 2013

Bernard's email confirms my thoughts. Within four years in high school he mastered how to use the computers and is now writing software for companies across Africa! Now imagine replicating this with thousands of high school students...in four years this country will be reading amazing stories. And what's more, we will be tackling unemployment issues at the same time to some good extent.

Now, don't get me wrong- I fully support the fact that kids should be given a similar chance. However, my take is that next year it should be piloted to get it right. Instead of giving all the 800,000 primary children laptops, pilot 200,000 and give the rest to high school students. Go through the curve for the primary children to see what challenges lie there. Once addressed, roll out further the following year. Meanwhile, you will be having some thousands of high school students already on the way to maximising their potential.

Regards,

Gilda Odera

On Apr 22, 2013, at 2:57 PM, "Bitange Ndemo" <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:

> Bernard,
> Please watch these two clips.
> 
> 
> http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_build_a_school_in_the_cloud.html
> 
> http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms.html
> 
> The current pedagogy is under threat.  It is time for a paradigm shift in
> education.
> 
> Ndemo.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> 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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> 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.