PUBLIC primary schools will receive an additional Sh2.6 billion for infrastructural readiness ahead of laptop delivery.
A total of 150 schools will receive laptops in a pilot programme by March 15.
Education PS Belio Kipsang yesterday said most of the 22,000 schools will receive Sh207,000 each for preparations that include making standard laptop desks.
“Different schools have different needs. We shall soon release the amount to facilitate schools,” he said.
Kipsang was speaking at the KICD, Nairobi, when he handed over class one digital content to the consortium awarded the project to deliver laptops to 150 primary schools for trials.
The team includes Moi University/JP Couto and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology/Positivo BGH.
The ministry had already given Sh1.32 billion to schools for laptop storage facilities called secure rooms.
Kipsang said all 22,000 primary schools are now connected to electricity.
He said 25,000 teachers will be trained how to use the laptops in addition to the 62,000 already trained.
Moi University was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor-Finance David Tuigong.
JKUAT had VC Mabel Imbuga and the curriculum agency CEO Julius Jwan.
ICT Authority CEO Robert Mugo told the consortium the project is the biggest in East and Central Africa.
More than one million laptops will be delivered to primary school pupils, he said.
“The 150 primary schools on trial should receive the devices by March 15,” Mugo said.
Successful completion of the trial deliveries will be followed by the companies forwarding a bill to government.
They will then sign the contract to fully implement delivery to all schools.
The first batch of 600,000 laptops will be delivered to 11,000 schools, starting in June.
In the second phase, another 600,000 laptops will be delivered to 11,000 schools by June next year.
