by the way, I'm very happy about the tone of this discussion.

I'm hoping no one brings political issues in this because this isn't one of those threads.

I'm actually reading all the guys including murchr's ideas on this and you never know by the end of this discussion, I may have turned. Or I'll turn him.

So for those bringing jubilee and cord issues here. I would suggest we go to the politics section.

I'm extremely passionate about this because I love my country. I've seen @a4 and murchr are in the same school of thought. We argue because we want to learn more. We are discussing so that we can find a way forward that's the best. Not because we know more or less than anyone else.

I know for a fact that this thread is read by the who's who. So let's not take this to be one of our usual threads and instead bring out arguments that our kids will read and say " enyewe my old man was one stupid mother f***er".

Tomorrow's illiterate will not be the man who can't read; he will be the man who has not learned how to learn - Alvin Toffler.

Children learn more and better when their younger since they are naturally curious.What we truly need is laptops with a database of knowledge and they'll learn to teach themselves.I know this from my own early exposure to computers and by the time I was 9 I was thinking of AI.

This is about the future of Kenya.Almost everything is integrating with IT and we function in a global knowledge economy where the speed to process and integrate information is crucial to the success of nations and citizens alike.We need those skills if Kenya is going to expand its revenue streams beyond agriculture and tourism and find ways to add value to the resources we possess.

Ditto!

Microsoft will train all primary school teachers to enable them implement the computer-to-schools programme which I think is for free, as the software giant sells the laptop software at a cheaper cost. In as much as we may hold our grounds on whichever side we see the laptop project at, it's always important to look at the other side of the coin. That's why I concur with @symbols.

As for Konza, what % is the government contributing towards the Konza City project? Thought it was only 5%. Plus major ICT companies are interested in setting hub there, I should think they've done due diligence, no? Microsoft, Samsung, Huawei, Google, Safaricom, among others. 65km is not far. Naivasha at 98km is further, but we take an hour to reach there. The dual carriage will be extended from Athi River to Konza City, plus we are building a standard gauge railway system. Boreholes will be drilled and Thwake Dam constructed for water supply. Government's involvment is only in infrastructure (roads, etc).Let's not look at things from a short-term point of view of 10 years (it's a phased development so as to spread costs and risks), plus Machakos will be in between Konza and Nairobi, talk of growth in the area if Machakos becomes a City.

@a4architect, I like your arguments on infrastructure and that it would have been better to focus on the likes of Thika, Kajiado, Machakos, etc. Question, based on planning (or not)of these towns, the current inhabitants, housing, etc, what are the cons of setting up a big project like Konza in such towns, if any?

Do you know how much a standard 1 kid uses interms of textbooks....How many even afford the textbooks?

Imagine a scenario where an isiolo kid...who has never owned a textbook has been issued with a laptop worth 8k( I hear thats what the Rwandan govt spends) preloaded with Ebook and Audiobooks. Well I think that would create some kind of equity as opposed to paying teachers and building classrooms...the project will touch the kid directly.Teachers on the other hand dont like working in hardship areas so even if you pay them well most of them will stick to the cities and towns.

On the issue of Konza The govt is creating an economic zone where investors will have a peace of mind...maybe the timing or the execution is wrong but the idea is fantastic.

Imagine you want to start assembling a cash dispenser and you need assembly line,staff quarters and an easy access to the port of Mombasa dont you think Konza would offers the space and the access to carry out the project unlike other towns.

The future of the current generation of class-room teachers are numbered. Classrooms are not a prerequisite for learning but what is important is the content being delivered. I know of a project that delivers education thru Radios and small gadgets preloaded with the learning content and kids learn and perform better than those in bricks and mortar. Rather than spend money on classrooms it would be much more cost effective to devise content to be used for learning.

The fact that teachers are IT Illiterate does not warrant denying children the opportunity to learn using the best technology available. Lets now focus on developing the content that the children can use and we open up an even bigger industry. Today's Chalk and blackboard teacher has no future.

I was following your argument on Konza keenly until now that i have read your thoughts on laptops.
lol... is all i can say..
Peace

Finally, the Ministry of Education has clarified that MOST of the KES15B will be used for infrastructure, i.e schools electrification and connectivity. Thats much better, but i still insist building computer labs/classes would have been more sustainable!

If they have issue a computer to each student, then let it be desk mounted gadgets but not take homes.

it was a matter of time. i think Rwanda does this? at least to some schools?

so twas another quailamid scheme

very sad

who-knows-where-much-hyped-konza-technocity-went-one-year-later