By Conan Businge

PUPILS in government-aided schools are to begin using computers. The computers, provided by the Government, are aimed at improving the quality of education.

The project will be piloted in the next financial year and rolled out in all government-aided primary schools.

The low-cost laptops each worth $250 (about sh522,500), will be supplied by the association, One Laptop Per Child.

Education state minister Rukutana Mwesigwa said President Yoweri Museveni directed the ministry to begin with a pilot scheme of about 10,000 computers in July.

Meeting a delegation from the US-based One Laptop Per Child last week, Museveni said the Government would support the project.

He noted that the computers would increase pupil’s capacity to learn quickly and sharpen their minds.

Rukutana yesterday said they were still negotiating with donors on whether to begin the project in rural or urban areas.
He said the details of initial recipients would be available soon.

The minister said pupils will benefit from the simplified, durable, water-proof laptops that can last from six to seven years.

“We know that pupils cannot ably use sophiscated laptops. These ones were preferred because they are simplified and loaded with about 10,000 textbooks and important content on our country’s curriculum,” he said.

The project aims at providing educational opportunities for the world’s poorest children.

“The laptops will help children learn in a modern way,” Rukutana said.
The software tools and content are designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning.

They will enable pupils also learn by teaching and assisting other learners.
There are about 8 million pupils in primary schools across the country, 6.8 million of whom are under universal primary education.

Officials at the ministry say they will follow the President’s directive but funds for the project will have to be outsourced from Government and other education partners in the next financial year.

About $2b is required to cover all pupils in the coming years, with each laptop costing $250. Officials at the ministry said the value may reduce, depending on the national procurement body procedures.

The East African Community and the One Laptop Per Child project signed a memorandum of understanding in Kampala, on April 28.

During the meeting in Entebbe, Matthew Keller, a project director in charge of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the major beneficiaries would be primary school children aged between six and 12 years.

The eight millennium development goal focuses on developing a global partnership for development. It makes it imperative for governments to increase internet users by improving computer literacy.

Only one million Ugandans have access to computers, compared to 120 million people in the US, according to statistics from US Census Bureau.

The scrapping of tax on computers has boosted the usage and ownership in Uganda. Prices have reduced from about sh1.6m to sh500,000.

According to the African Studies Centre at the University of Pennsylvania in the US, Kenya, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe have progressed technologically in the sub-Saharan Africa, while Uganda and Tanzania are lagging behind.