Workers at the Digital Literacy Programme (DLP) device assembly plant at Moi University Rivatex in Eldoret. [Photo/twitter]
Information Communication and Technology Authority (ICTA) Ag. CEO Mr. Robert Mugo together with Moi University Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Laban Ayiro on Tuesday led the inspection of the Digital Literacy Programme (DLP) device assembly plant at Moi University Rivatex in Eldoret.
The assembly plant, a joint venture between Moi University and Portuguese firm JP-IK, has a capacity to produces 1,250 devices in one shift of 8 hours. Moi university has been tasked with assembling tablets for primary schools in 26 counties.
“The assembly plant has a full production potential of assembling over 3,750 gadgets per day. We are exploring the expansion of its production capacity by increasing the number of production lines,” said Prof. Laban Ayiro, Vice Chancellor Moi University.
During the inspection, Mr. Mugo asked for more collaboration between research institutions such as government and industries to actualize innovation. A new study puts Kenya at position 86 worldwide ahead of Nigeria, Egypt and Ghana, which have previously ranked higher with internet readiness being an indicator of a country’s ability to implement and take full advantage of ICT.
Mr. Mugo added that the launch of locally assembled laptops a year ago was significant because it strengthened the Taifa brand, which will soon be a market leader in Kenya and beyond.
The Government of Kenya through the ministry of ICT has been implementing the Digital Literacy Programme using a multi-agency approach that consists of ministries and state agencies.
The Programme is being implemented in all the 23,951 public primary schools in Kenya targeting to deliver over 1.2 million devices thereby setting Kenya on course towards a tech-savvy generation.
"We have trained 80,000 teachers across all primary schools for this programme. We have also ensured that each school is connected to electricity and so far more than 96% of public primary schools have been connected. DLP is revolutionizing the process of learning in this country and putting our children to be at par with their global counterparts,"Mr. Mugo
“Through this program, our children are ready to face the challenges of the modern world regardless of where they are in this country,” added Mr. Mugo
Local assembly of the Digital Literacy Programme devices has been running at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) as the government undertakes to distribute an initial 1.2 million laptops to over 23,000 primary schools before the end of the year.
The devices which include laptops for teachers and tablets for children are loaded with Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development-approved content for Class One to Three in five subjects.