April 2013 - KICTANet

School visit
by Mark Elkins 12 Apr '13

12 Apr '13

Today, Thursday 11th April, 2013, I visited the Sunward Park High School, Sonskyn Rd, Sunward Park, Boksburg (Johannesburg). The school has recently embarked on a one tablet per child project. My purpose was to simply visit the place to satisfy my own curiosity. The School is an old Model-C school, teachers are generally white or indian and the lerners are about 90% black. It is by no means a rich school. There are about 1250 children - excluding the matric learners. There are three double story blocks of classrooms and a further block which houses administration and a school hall. Classes are usually just under 40 learners. This school has achieved some interesting goals. They have a very active soccer program with an on-site dormitory for 20 or so learners. I understand the team has travelled around Europe and that a number of the learners are already pre-signed to play at various clubs in Europe. I understand that the Teachers were all equipped with Laptops a year or so ago. The Classrooms all seemed to have VGA projectors and there is a smart white board as well as a traditional blackboard in every classroom. Towards the end of last year, a plan was formulated by a businessman to provide a Wifi access point in every classroom and to provide every learner with either a 7" or 10" Android tablet. There was initial Headmistress and staff buy-in followed by parent buy-in to the project. The Wifi units are switched back to a central server via UTP copper cable. The Server provides the content. There is a localised e-mail server. A Firewall connects just the staff to the public Internet. The Businessman arranged with various publishers to obtain all the learners curriculum in an electronic format. For example, McMillian, one of the primary publisher, has provided a three year licence for half the price of paper based books. There is also a lot of other electronic media available, Wikipidia, Learn channels video content, Mindset Learning material and educational media from more than twenty other sources. I first spoke to the business man and the vice head of the school. Hardware costs were: Server R70,000 Wifi R250,000 Other R50,000 Total R320,000 or just under R300 per student. The E-Media costs are R300 per student per year and the 7” Tablet R1000. The cost thus for the first year is R1600 followed by R300 a year for two years. The usual fee cost for a student was given as R2000 a year using traditional methods - so fees have actually come down by half if you look at a two year cycle. There was some initial theft of tablets in the first day or two. Since then, no theft. After a month, only a handful of students had not purchased tablets so these students were "loaned" devices. About one third of students purchase the 7" tablet, the remainder purchased a more expensive 10" tablet. The choice of device is governed more by security and the ability to hide a smaller tablet than of cost. There have been breakages - Tablets dropped or used in lieu of a book to hit a fellow learner over the head. I then visited some classes. In a "Life Science" classroom, the teacher was presenting a class on the water cycle (sea->evaporation->rain->river). He presented from his laptop via the VGA projector and the students were looking at two equivalent presentations via their Tablets. Some of his comments were: End of class tests are easy, I get instant feedback on whether my teaching is being effective and so can react immediately. I spend more time teaching and less time doing administration and marking. I can teach in short bursts to match the learners attention span rather than give a half hour monologue from the front of the class and instead of spoon feeding them, I get them to research the subject. Its easier to handle learners of different ability, the quick I can give more work to and the slow can continue the work in their own time. He also believed that learners were becoming smarter and more interested in what was being taught. I then entered a History lesson where Martin Luther King was being discussed. The learners (a class of boys, one of the most difficult classes due to the presence of a large proportion of the successful football team) were using the Tablets as book-readers. This teacher also was in full support of the Table. She claimed the boys were much easier to keep in control than before (last year). She indicated that some work has still to be written in text books to comply with the educational department rules but students now have much thinner text books - saving money. I then talked to a small gathering of learners outside who seemed to have a spare lesson. They were Matric learners. As they are leaving at the end of this year, they are not a part of the Tablet program - though about 60% of them have Tablets. One, who has a younger sibling, remarked that she is envious of her sister. Homework seems much easier and more interesting now. Also, she still has to carry a full bag of books where as all the non-matric learners just carry Tablets. All of this crowd had Tablets and do use them unofficially at school. The "experiment" has only been running for three months but the results so far look very promising. I would like to visit the same school in a year. Mark Elkins -- . . ___. .__ Posix Systems - (South) Africa /| /| / /__ mje(a)posix.co.za - Mark J Elkins, Cisco CCIE / |/ |ARK \_/ /__ LKINS Tel: +27 12 807 0590 Cell: +27 82 601 0496

5 5

Re: [kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants
by Paul Roy Owino 12 Apr '13

12 Apr '13

Am happy we are entertaining tablets this is the way to go. I believe we can do local assembly of these tablets further creating jobs for thousands. In anyway if one has a market for over 1million users why shouldn't they setup assembly operation locally? Sent from my Windows Phone ------------------------------ From: robert yawe Sent: 4/11/2013 6:07 PM To: Paul Roy Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants Hi Brian, It seems that we have a consensus that the traditional laptop is not the way to go, touch is critical and rich multimedia. I took the next step and searched for a sub $100 tablet and got very many http://www.ainovo.com/elfii.html, http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/president-launches-low-cost-aakash-2-tabl… is a major issue but I am sure someone out there will offer a workable solution preferably based on solar. We do not need to try and bring manufacturing in initially as the we still cannot get to the economies of scale that China has achieved but KQ could offer free shipping. The critical issue will be what will come pre-installed in device and how do we make sure that the headmasters or teachers do not decide to keep them in safe custody? Definitely a very feature rich drawing and painting program is essential with a photo editor. I believe a local app-store will be another essential component with local developers throwing out applications in the thousands and then leave the rest to the children. regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696 ------------------------------ *From:* Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe(a)gmail.com> *To:* robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> *Sent:* Thursday, 11 April 2013, 11:01 *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants Hi Edith, "Failure" in the context of the OLPC project needs to be clearly defined. I think that what the media have largely trumpeted as a failure was that the goal of coming out with a sub $100 laptop was not achieved. The costs of producing the OLPC devices is higher than $100 per piece. However, the fact that these devices are designed *from the ground up* with children (and learning) in mind has been a huge success in terms of yielding devices that are more appropriately suited to the vagaries of youth, both in terms of ruggedness as well as look and feel. The examples I gave earlier where countries like Uruguay with a tiny population of 3m have rolled out 500,000 over the past 5 years is a resounding success to me. Rather than reinvent the wheel - let us take one that works, modify it to better suit us, and fit it into the right mix of complementary hardware, software and systems to make the overall undertaking a success. Best regards, Brian On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 11:47 PM, Edith Adera <eadera(a)idrc.ca> wrote: Brian,**** ** ** It appears the “one laptop per child” program (OLPC) failed as widely touted, so important to learn lessons from that failure. **** ** ** Edith **** ** ** *From:* kictanet [mailto:kictanet-bounces+eadera= idrc.ca(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke] *On Behalf Of *Brian Munyao Longwe *Sent:* April 10, 2013 9:34 AM *To:* Edith Adera *Cc:* KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants**** ** ** Hi Robert,**** Good points. We actually don't need to look very far. The "One Laptop per Child" program has been on this issue for a while now and has a few models of laptop (including a tablet) that can be offer at a price of +/- $100.**** The OLPC project has already delivered over 200,000 laptops in Rwanda and over 500,000 in Uruguay via government driven programs. Considering these are relatively small countries (7m and 3m total populations respectively). The goal of 1 million laptops per year for std1 entrants is not unnattainable.**** As for content - this is where the opportunity lies. All of the current education materials exist in soft form with the varioius printing presses, it would not take much effort to process these into eBook format and push them onto a digital library along with related material such as story books, dictionaries, encyclopediae etc.**** In addition to the above, there is a huge opportunity to create educational games for all school going ages. Research has shown that children learn much faster when the knowledge is conveyed in a "fun" way.*** * Kazi kwetu?**** Brian**** ** ** On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 7:56 AM, robert yawe <robertyawe(a)yahoo.co.uk> 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**** _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/blongwe%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.**** ** ** _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/robertyawe%40yahoo.co… 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.

2 1

PIVOT East Application Deadline Extended to 22nd April 2013.
by Moses Kemibaro 12 Apr '13

12 Apr '13

Everyone, Good morning. Over the last few weeks, the team from PIVOT East 2013 has been conducting weekly outreach workshop for applicants in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. The last workshop was in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania earlier this week at KINU. Based on the feedback we have received from numerous PIVOT East 2013 applicants after each workshop, it became apparent that more time is needed to prepare their applications. On this basis, we are pleased to announce that we are extending the application deadline for PIVOT East 2013 by one more week from the 15th of April 2013 to the 22nd of April 2013. The additional week will enable PIVOT East 2013 applicants to submit their applications on time, as well as be as complete as possible. In addition, a good number of mobile developers throughout East Africa have only recently become aware of PIVOT East 2013 and as a result the extension of the deadline will assist them in finalising their applications for the competition in good time. Entries for PIVOT East 2013 are being received at http://entries.pivoteast.com Best regards, Moses Kemibaro Producer - PIVOT East 2013 www.pivoteast.com

1 0

Jubilee - Freedom of Information?
by S.M. Muraya 12 Apr '13

12 Apr '13

Where are we with Freedom of Information in Kenya? The Law + Rules + Regulations? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9942442/Police-officer… Will it not improve public services + increase sensitivity :=) In addition to web portals (access to general information) some go.ke orgs have been providing for some years now, we need e-mail addresses for all case officers in central & county governments. This will help in auditing services, communications and delays which are often retaliation or neglect for "not talking properly". Ghost employees should not have e-mail addresses unless.... Beyond email, we move on to CRMs :=) http://www.futuregov.asia/articles/2009/feb/04/crm-citizen-centric-governme…

1 0

Re: [kictanet] School visit
by Paul Roy Owino 12 Apr '13

12 Apr '13

Thanks for sharing this. Great lesson for our upcoming laptop per child project. Sent from my Windows Phone ------------------------------ From: Brian Munyao Longwe Sent: 4/12/2013 2:37 AM To: Paul Roy Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: Re: [kictanet] School visit Hi Mark, Thank you so very much for sharing this with us. What I like the most about this model you have shared is the quasi Public-Private-Partnership where the businessman has taken the risk element, innovated with the publishers, and worked out a way of putting more than 1,000 tablets into the students' hands WITHIN 1 MONTH! 1,000 units a month is godd business for any type of company - if the margins have been designed right and the costs of finance are not too high. Best regards, Brian On Thu, Apr 11, 2013 at 6:01 PM, Mark Elkins <mje(a)posix.co.za> wrote: > Today, Thursday 11th April, 2013, I visited the Sunward Park High > School, Sonskyn Rd, Sunward Park, Boksburg (Johannesburg). The school > has recently embarked on a one tablet per child project. My purpose > was to simply visit the place to satisfy my own curiosity. > > The School is an old Model-C school, teachers are generally white or > indian and the lerners are about 90% black. It is by no means a rich > school. There are about 1250 children - excluding the matric learners. > There are three double story blocks of classrooms and a further block > which houses administration and a school hall. Classes are usually > just under 40 learners. > > This school has achieved some interesting goals. They have a very > active soccer program with an on-site dormitory for 20 or so learners. > I understand the team has travelled around Europe and that a number of > the learners are already pre-signed to play at various clubs in > Europe. > > I understand that the Teachers were all equipped with Laptops a year > or so ago. The Classrooms all seemed to have VGA projectors and there > is a smart white board as well as a traditional blackboard in every > classroom. > > Towards the end of last year, a plan was formulated by a businessman > to provide a Wifi access point in every classroom and to provide every > learner with either a 7" or 10" Android tablet. There was initial > Headmistress and staff buy-in followed by parent buy-in to the > project. The Wifi units are switched back to a central server via UTP > copper cable. The Server provides the content. There is a localised > e-mail server. A Firewall connects just the staff to the public > Internet. > > The Businessman arranged with various publishers to obtain all the > learners curriculum in an electronic format. For example, McMillian, > one of the primary publisher, has provided a three year licence for > half the price of paper based books. There is also a lot of other > electronic media available, Wikipidia, Learn channels video content, > Mindset Learning material and educational media from more than twenty > other sources. > > I first spoke to the business man and the vice head of the school. > > Hardware costs were: > Server R70,000 > Wifi R250,000 > Other R50,000 Total R320,000 or just under R300 per student. > > The E-Media costs are R300 per student per year and the 7” Tablet R1000. > > The cost thus for the first year is R1600 followed by R300 a year for > two years. The usual fee cost for a student was given as R2000 a year > using traditional methods - so fees have actually come down by half if > you look at a two year cycle. > > There was some initial theft of tablets in the first day or two. > Since then, no theft. After a month, only a handful of students had > not purchased tablets so these students were "loaned" devices. About > one third of students purchase the 7" tablet, the remainder purchased > a more expensive 10" tablet. The choice of device is governed more > by security and the ability to hide a smaller tablet than of cost. > There have been breakages - Tablets dropped or used in lieu of a > book to hit a fellow learner over the head. > > I then visited some classes. > > In a "Life Science" classroom, the teacher was presenting a class on > the water cycle (sea->evaporation->rain->river). He presented from > his laptop via the VGA projector and the students were looking at two > equivalent presentations via their Tablets. > > Some of his comments were: > End of class tests are easy, I get instant feedback on whether my > teaching is being effective and so can react immediately. I spend > more time teaching and less time doing administration and marking. I > can teach in short bursts to match the learners attention span rather > than give a half hour monologue from the front of the class and instead > of spoon feeding them, I get them to research the subject. Its > easier to handle learners of different ability, the quick I can give > more work to and the slow can continue the work in their own time. > He also believed that learners were becoming smarter and more interested > in what was being taught. > > I then entered a History lesson where Martin Luther King was being > discussed. The learners (a class of boys, one of the most difficult > classes due to the presence of a large proportion of the successful > football team) were using the Tablets as book-readers. > > This teacher also was in full support of the Table. She claimed the > boys were much easier to keep in control than before (last year). She > indicated that some work has still to be written in text books to > comply with the educational department rules but students now have > much thinner text books - saving money. > > I then talked to a small gathering of learners outside who seemed to > have a spare lesson. They were Matric learners. As they are leaving > at the end of this year, they are not a part of the Tablet program - > though about 60% of them have Tablets. One, who has a younger > sibling, remarked that she is envious of her sister. Homework seems > much easier and more interesting now. Also, she still has to carry a > full bag of books where as all the non-matric learners just carry > Tablets. All of this crowd had Tablets and do use them unofficially at > school. > > The "experiment" has only been running for three months but the > results so far look very promising. I would like to visit the same > school in a year. > > Mark Elkins > > > -- > . . ___. .__ Posix Systems - (South) Africa > /| /| / /__ mje(a)posix.co.za - Mark J Elkins, Cisco CCIE > / |/ |ARK \_/ /__ LKINS Tel: +27 12 807 0590 Cell: +27 82 601 0496 > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/blongwe%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. >

1 0

Obama budget favors Cyber Security
by Brian Munyao Longwe 11 Apr '13

11 Apr '13

Federal spending by USA on cyber security will increase to $13 billion. The funds will be allocated towards Cyber security programs operated by the following agencies: 1. Department of Homeland Security 2. Department of Defense 3. Intelligence Community 4. Department of Commerce 5. Department of Justice Funding also includes amounts allocated for key basic research such as $754 million for National Institute of Standards and Technology laboratories and $500 million to promote innovation and economic growth to fund research and development advances in cybersecurity, explosives detection and chemical/biological response systems. Full article here: http://www.govinfosecurity.com/obama-budget-favors-cybersecurity-a-5673?rf=…

1 0

Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants
by robert yawe 11 Apr '13

11 Apr '13

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

7 10

Re: [kictanet] kictanet Digest, Vol 71, Issue 78
by Ory Okolloh 11 Apr '13

11 Apr '13

Meanwhile away from the "Silicon Savannah" noise, guys are quietly building regional IT businesses and doing big things e.g. Cellulant has impressed me<https://twitter.com/bytebandit/status/322237172604354561/photo/1> . On Thu, Apr 11, 2013 at 4:14 PM, <kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke>wrote: > Send kictanet mailing list submissions to > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > kictanet-request(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > You can reach the person managing the list at > kictanet-owner(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Innovationville: Where all the good money making African > start ups go to die (Andrea Bohnstedt) > 2. Re: Innovationville: Where all the good money making African > start ups go to die (Ali Hussein) > 3. Re: Innovationville: Where all the good money making African > start ups go to die (Agosta Liko) > 4. Re: Fwd: Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants (robert yawe) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:29:34 +0300 > From: Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt(a)ratio-magazine.com> > To: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: [kictanet] Innovationville: Where all the good money making > African start ups go to die > Message-ID: > < > CAFaobUCR1g4kz3Cre3FpCAf4B6qf5RmOAZGtKx5EmufLXg2zFg(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Fun read: > > > http://ventureburn.com/2013/04/innovationville-where-all-good-money-making-… > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:57:21 +0300 > From: Ali Hussein <ali(a)hussein.me.ke> > To: Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt(a)ratio-magazine.com> > Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Innovationville: Where all the good money > making African start ups go to die > Message-ID: <2E4A336C-BAE2-4C64-95BE-AEFD260C20D7(a)hussein.me.ke> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Interesting read Andrea. And of course Africa is no different from most > start up environments..there is the hype and then there is the > business..both feed on each other.. > > Thanks for sharing. > > Ali Hussein > CEO | 3mice interactive media Ltd > Principal | Telemedia Africa Ltd > > +254 773/713 601113 > > "The future belongs to him who knows how to wait." - Russian Proverb > > Sent from my iPad > > On Apr 11, 2013, at 3:29 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt < > andrea.bohnstedt(a)ratio-magazine.com> wrote: > > > Fun read: > > > > > http://ventureburn.com/2013/04/innovationville-where-all-good-money-making-… > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.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. >

1 0

Chipuka Software Developer Certification
by Dorcas Muthoni 11 Apr '13

11 Apr '13

The Chipuka Software Developer Certification (SDC) is a credentialing program developed at Carnegie Mellon University in conjunction with the Kenya Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Board Does anyone know if the Chipuka Software Developer Certification is now part of the exams that IT and Computer Science students are sitting before graduation? More information: http://www.softwaredevelopercertification.com/the-sdc-program -- 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!!!

1 0

Re: [kictanet] Laptops for 2014 class 1 entrants
by Walubengo J 11 Apr '13

11 Apr '13

@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(a)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(a)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(a)yahoo.com> >> Reply-To: Owino Jakakaeta <mpodhiambo(a)yahoo.com> >> Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:24:38 -0700 (PDT) >> To: Cio_Magazine Hare <harry(a)africanedevelopment.org> >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet(a)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(a)yahoo.com> >> *To:* "mpodhiambo(a)yahoo.com" <mpodhiambo(a)yahoo.com> >> *Cc:* kictanet(a)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 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mpodhiambo%40yahoo.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. >> >> >> _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or >> change your options at >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/harry%40africanedevel… 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. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> 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!!! >> >> _______________________________________________ >> kictanet mailing list >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet >> >> Unsubscribe or change your options at >> 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

6 6