This archive report was first published on 6 January 2022.
Kenya Revives Free Laptops Project for University Students ¶
On January 6, 2022, Education Principal Secretary for University Education and Research, Amb Simon Nabukwesi, announced the revival of the free laptop project in Bungoma County.
The project aims to provide laptops to first-year university students, with the goal of enhancing their computer literacy skills. Nabukwesi stated that the mode of teaching at the university was changing, with a shift towards virtual platforms, making it essential for students to have access to laptops.
According to Nabukwesi, the project would be timely as many students were missing out on scholarship opportunities due to their lack of computer literacy skills. He cited the example of Bungoma County, where only one student applied for the Commonwealth Scholarship Program, despite the Ministry advertising the opportunity online.
The revelation of the Nabukwesi is reminiscent of President Uhuru Kenyatta's promise in 2013 to provide free laptops for Grade One students. However, the project was not rolled out during the better part of his first term, with the government opting to purchase tablets for the students instead.
At the time, the project received criticism from both the political class and education stakeholders, who argued that the government should have prioritized building computer laboratories in schools.
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