Kenya orders 1.1m tablets from China

[RV Pundit]

As you scourge the internet looking for negative articles and research on laptop for kids, Longhorn publishers are shifting from printed books to digital books.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Longhorn-targets-schools-digital-plan-with-e-learning-bookstore/539550-3414464-dbbk86/index.html

[Kadudu]

BTW, Bwana Pundit. Take some time and visit San Francisco. You will notice why that area has a high concentration of ICT industry. It is not that the area has a lot of PCs or tablets, but the creative and investment enviroment.
If the distribution of tablets to schools would create hundreds of Bill Gates, then countries like S. Korea, Finland and Singapore would now be having millions of Bill Gates.

[gout]

Can't wait for the digital content to hit River Road. This is a game changer- the era of parents having to buy books worth Kshs. 10,000 for class 1 kids is gone.

Some Longhorn kid books on youtube already

Have noticed the last connectivity project is already leading to a electrical shops and electricians (kids learning by apprenticeship) boom in rural areas. So many opportunities and unintended consequences

[MOON Ki]

As you scourge the internet looking for negative articles and research on laptop for kids, Longhorn publishers are shifting from printed books to digital books.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Longhorn-targets-schools-digital-plan-with-e-learning-bookstore/539550-3414464-dbbk86/index.html

And so?   Longhorn is a Kenyan company that has seen a way to make money out of this.   What's special about that?   In other areas, in global publishing, Longhorn is an unheard-of little gnat.

[RV Pundit]

And we are discussing kenya education. Kenya kids are not going to take on global publishing now..but in 2030s..they'll be ranked highly...thanks to reading thousands of relevant longhorn local content...easily and cheaply through the tablets. Something many of us could only dream about growing up in 80s...with shared books.

And so?   Longhorn is a Kenyan company that has seen a way to make money out of this.   What's special about that?   In other areas, in global publishing, Longhorn is an unheard-of little gnat.

[RV Pundit]

Precisely. And someone need a research paper to see if this will or not work when it commonsensical. This project has already succeeded in electrifying primary schools...from 10,000 in 2013..to 24,000 now..that is breathtaking. Next is to take internet broadband to every school.

Can't wait for the digital content to hit River Road. This is a game changer- the era of parents having to buy books worth Kshs. 10,000 for class 1 kids is gone.

Some Longhorn kid books on youtube already

Have noticed the last connectivity project is already leading to a electrical shops and electricians (kids learning by apprenticeship) boom in rural areas. So many opportunities and unintended consequences

[RV Pundit]

Each household in San Franscico probably has computer, several tablets, laptops and all devices a kid in turkana can only dream about. You're comparing kids in developed world with the best teachers, books, computers and facilities...with kenya kid without any. Imagine arming him with a tablet.

The impact cannot be the same. Don't bother reading Moonki research papers.

BTW, Bwana Pundit. Take some time and visit San Francisco. You will notice why that area has a high concentration of ICT industry. It is not that the area has a lot of PCs or tablets, but the creative and investment enviroment.
If the distribution of tablets to schools would create hundreds of Bill Gates, then countries like S. Korea, Finland and Singapore would now be having millions of Bill Gates.

[MOON Ki]

Precisely. And someone need a research paper to see if this will or not work when it commonsensical. This project has already succeed in electrifying primary schools...from 10,000 in 2013..to 24,000 now..that is breathtaking. Next is to take internet broadband to every school.

Have noticed the last connectivity project is already leading to a electrical shops and electricians (kids learning by apprenticeship) boom in rural areas. So many opportunities and unintended consequences

Sorry, you two don't seem to know which is the horse, which is the cart, and which of the two should go in front.   The Last Mile Connectivity project has been about getting electricity to all Kenyans, especially the ones in rural areas.   The infrastructure put in place for that project has made it easier to put electricity into schools.  It is not that electrifying schools for the laptop project has brought electricity to those who would otherwise not have it.   

[RV Pundit]

Hehehe, you spend too much time trying to find negative articles about kenya to know what is going on. Last Mile is ran by KPLC funded by WB/ADB I think. Schools & Market electrification is by REA (Rural Electrification Authority) funded by rural access levy from each unit of consumed power. They are not the same thing. Last mile is in fact taking advantage of transformer by REA to spread power to household 600ms from it.

So this laptop thing has already set stage for universal electricity coverage..in 2022 or about.

Sorry, you two don't seem to know which is the horse, which is the cart, and which of the two should go in front.   The Last Mile Connectivity project has been about getting electricity to all Kenyans, especially the ones in rural areas.   The infrastructure put in place for that project has made it easier to put electricity into schools.  It is not that electrifying schools for the laptop project has brought electricity to those who would otherwise not have it.   

[MOON Ki]

Hehehe, you spend too much time trying to find negative articles about kenya to know what is going on. Last Mile is ran by KPLC funded by WB/ADB I think. Schools & Market electrification is by REA (Rural Electrification Authority) funded by rural access levy from each unit of consumed power. They are not the same thing.   Last mile is in fact taking advantage of transformer by REA to spread power to household 600ms from it.

According to the funders, REA is included in the Last Mile project:

In order to rationalize the connectivity work by Kenya Power, REA will henceforth be included in low voltage extension work under the Last Mile Connectivity project.

http://www.afdb.org/en/projects-and-operations/project-portfolio/project/p-ke-fa0-010/

(Of course, the basic point is that it is not the laptops project that has brought about all the electrification outside schools.)

[RV Pundit]

Last Mile started recently (this year I think) and REA had already supplied power to more than 18,000 from base of 10,000 in 2013 by the start of 2015. I am not sure how many school Last Mile has connected but I'd wager that 95% of the more than 14,000 schools have been connected thank to Laptop project. Therefore Laptop project is already a roaring success.

(Of course, the basic point is that it is not the laptops project that has brought about all the electrification outside schools.)

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

I see nothing wrong with the basic idea of giving out tablets loaded with educational material.   The fundamental issue, as I see it, is that there are scarce resources to be allocated, and people should therefore consider what is the best possible allocation.

So, the first question is whether educational material on a digital device is somehow better or cheaper than educational material in print form.     In particular, have the long-term costs been considered in Kenya? (I am not aware that there has even been an attempt to look beyond Year 1.).    On such, Toyama notes that

The most common error in computing costs is to assume that hardware and software are the dominant costs of technology. In reality, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for information technology is comfortably several times the cost of hardware, with a range of 5-10x being a good rule of thumb. Beyond hardware, necessary costs include costs of distribution, maintenance, power infrastructure, teacher training, repair and replacement, and curriculum integration

I sense that we differ mostly in nuance.  When I say it's not a bad idea, I am not elevating it above fundamentals.  But rather that given the alternative...

Fundamentals are certainly more important.  Toyama is right.  A good teacher trumps technology - if I am learning something new, I want to do it at the feet of an expert. 

But Toyama is talking about a situation where rational ideas and questions are generally welcome, discussed and entertained.  Not one dominated by sloganeering and kula nyama.  Policy documents only nice for powerpoint presentations.  You have to respect the politics in place.

I also think that, in spite of my personal preference, an argument can be made that digital is better than analogue. 

- The sheer volume and variety of information. 
- It can be interactive.
- Multiple ways you can manipulate it. 
- Staying up to date with the latest developments. 
- Environmentally friendly.

Yes it has associated costs.  And because that won't be discussed and compared to that politically non-existent ideal alternative, that constitutes a real question mark for me.  I don't know how the 17 billion is broken down.

The second problem I see is that this, being a con, is not being sold as just "educational materials on a tablet".  Rather, there are all sorts of claims about how this will transform Kenya---knowledge economy, services, blah blah blah---how parents will have their kids turn out to be Bill Gates/Zuckerberg (each bring in US$ 10 billion per year), etc.    And people actually buy and believe this stuff!   It is actually near-tragic, given that the people buying the con are those most in need of basics and fundamentals that will actually make a difference.

Toyama also states that:

Pro-Technology Rhetoric 1: 21st-century skills require 21st-century technologies. The modern world uses e-mail, PowerPoint, and filing systems. Computers teach you those skills.

Reality:Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic

Indeed, as a matter of fact, an observation of ICT over two decades (or even just a decade) shows at least  two things:

(a) the field changes quite rapidly, and
(b) (more significantly) the end result of these changes are that people actually need to know less about computers in order to make effective use of them.

So the idea being peddled by supporters of this program---that giving laptops/tablets to kids in Std. 1 is somehow preparing them for a technological world 20 years from now---is simple-minded idiocy (on the part of the True Believers).   What exactly are the kids do with these tablets that will make them "21st Century" types? As has been noted, simply saying "oh, this is modern technology, and therefore!" is not good enough.   (Ref: Toyama's comment on Silicon Valley's "upper crust" working to keep these things away from their kids.)

A kid that starts off using gadgets at an early age will have some smarts over how to use them compared to one not similarly exposed.  They will learn to type earlier.  Maybe use emails and other software products.  They will be comfortable working in an environment that requires the use of technological gadgets.  That is an advantage. 

Will that turn him/her into  a Bill Gates/Zuckerberg?  Bill Gates had a pretty good grasp of the workings of compilers, operating systems and microchips in his teens - is this something you pick up from typing or using emails?  No.  He had obviously learned about these things somewhere and more importantly from people who knew - even if not at university. 

You could argue technology today allows access to similar information and you'd be right.  But you have to know what you don't know and need to know in order for it to be useful - you need the relevant education.  To borrow Toyama, a driver does not an automotive engineer/salesman/entrepreneur make.

There is an advantage, even if it's not what it's touted to be by the sloganeers.  They could argue that it promotes acquisition of 21st century skills because it improves access to education.  That is a more sensible argument.  It might help if they take a look their own vision statement http://digischool.icta.go.ke/about/vision/.

With regards to Silicon Valley's upper crust - they have options.  You can surely see the advantage of volumes of educational material over nothing.  On the other hand, the kids who go to the richer schools, even in Kenya, need to be kept away from gadgets - go out into the woods, play a sport etc.

And bad ideas simply lead to other bad ideas: universities will now get into the business of assembling tablets and laptops!, university IT graduates will now get jobs on assembly lines!   

I don't know what to make of this.  I lack information to make any informed opinion on universities assembling things.  Do I think Kenya should be assembling laptops, computers, tablets, phones?  Yes - there is a huge market for them.  Is this the way to go about it?  I probably would opt for the grovelling option.

I would consider the Peru example not so much an indictment of the program as a conclusion that it is generally neutral.  Even then there are some caveats as shown below.  Does it mean the conclusion may be better than neutral if they had setup the gadgets with relevant educational material?

This was considered in the study, and the report briefly looks the possibility of

software aligned with Math and Language curriculum ... computer programs that diagnose student's skills in sub-areas and adjusts contents and contents and exercises in order to focus on where the student shows weaknesses.

The authors think that there is "the possibility of positive effects of substantial magnitude" but state that the evidence for that is "not overwhelmingly positive".   A statement buried in the footnote adds to that:

Still, there is no evidence showing the long lasting academic benefits of this type of software.

The authors then state that the alternative to such dubious software is to focus on specific software and a "strong component on teacher professional development".   (See also studies on the even more ambitious Uruguay programme---Plan Ceibal---and conclusions on the role of teachers.)   And further down in the report there is this:

However, to improve learning in Math and Language, there is a need for high-quality instruction.   

Generally in agreement.  The technology ought to facilitate teaching/learning.  Which from the little we can see officially is also the purpose of this initiative in Kenya.  I hope they can roll it out smoothly, even if I lack faith in how seriously they have thought this through.

On:

There would even appear to be some cognitive gains.

Yes, there are.   But, as I have noted above, under-5 stunting is a serious problem in Kenya, with irreversible damage to cognitive abilities; to my mind, ensuring that kids start school with fully functional brains is better than hoping that tablets will somehow undo what cannot be undone.

You'll never catch me disagreeing with that.

Also, with the "positive gains in cognitive skills" and with consideration of possible improvements in other areas, the Peruvian report has this:

Still, governments should consider alternative uses of public funds before implementing large-scale technology in education programs.  In particular, in poor countries where teachers' salaries are low, the opportunity costs of implementing (capital-intensive) technology programs may be substantial compared with alternative labor-intensive education interventions including reductions in class size and professional development.

Is there any evidence that GoK has seriously looked into such matters?

But if one is to judge the program purely on the basis of its goals, you can still agree that it is not ill-advised, even when there are other more pressing issues.  They can be treated as orthogonal issues - more-so where they are likely to remain a constant, for various annoying reasons, with or without the program. 

My view is that they are ill-advised precisely because there are more pressing issues.   In theory, these can be treated as "orthogonal issues"; but, in practice, limitations in resources means that the nominal "independence" in "orthogonal" doesn't really exist.    Before high-tech, Kenyans school kids are more in need of proper basic nutrition, clean water (think of the numerous easily-preventable diseases that keep kids out of school and incapable of learning), walls, roofs, toilets (look at the effects of shit-borne diseases), shoes etc to keep away jiggers, and so on and so forth.   What we have here is just yet another example of the misplaced priorities that have bedeviled the continent for the last 50+ years.

Good points.  But like Toyama's, they do not anticipate a government headed by Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto.

[MOON Ki]

But Toyama is talking about a situation where rational ideas and questions are generally welcome, discussed and entertained.  Not one dominated by sloganeering and kula nyama.  Policy documents only nice for powerpoint presentations.  You have to respect the politics in place.

In that sense, the idea is "not bad".     But in that case quite a few things in Kenya are also "not bad".   

I also think that, in spite of my personal preference, an argument can be made that digital is better than analogue. 

- The sheer volume and variety of information. 
- It can be interactive.
- Multiple ways you can manipulate it. 
- Staying up to date with the latest developments. 
- Environmentally friendly.

I agree with that ... somewhat ... depending on what "better" means and how it shows up in learning.  But the argument is not that having the devices is, of itself, a crappy idea.  Rather, it is one of when, how, at what cost ... they get introduced.

A kid that starts off using gadgets at an early age will have some smarts over how to use them compared to one not similarly exposed.  They will learn to type earlier.  Maybe use emails and other software products.  They will be comfortable working in an environment that requires the use of technological gadgets.  That is an advantage.

True, although one may argue about the extent of the "advantage" and how long it takes to acquire such skills ... except for those whose business is computing,  an effective use of a computing gadget is to supplement stuff (knowledge, skills, ... from elsewhere).   

More  importantly, Toyama's essential argument is that typing, email, etc. properly come into play only after the basics (reading and writing) have been dealt with; laptops are no good to the illiterate.  Just from the "skills" angle, would these kids really be worse off if they started using these devices near the end of primary school or even halfway through it?

You could argue technology today allows access to similar information and you'd be right There is an advantage, even if it's not what it's touted to be by the sloganeers.  They could argue that it promotes acquisition of 21st century skills because it improves access to education. 

That would certainly be a better argument than "we will have all these Bill Gates".  Internet as access to information ... but on the rest, what are "21st Century Skills"?   I would also argue that "access to education" and "access to information" are quite different things ... that for school-kids getting "education" out of "information" requires an additional something ... like a decent teacher.   (Take a look at Uruguay's Plan Ceibal and its evaluations.)

With regards to Silicon Valley's upper crust - they have options.  You can surely see the advantage of volumes of educational material over nothing.  On the other hand, the kids who go to the richer schools, even in Kenya, need to be kept away from gadgets - go out into the woods, play a sport etc.

True.    But that example is mainly given as a counter to the one about "these devices are critical because that is the way the technological world is going and we can't possibly have our kids left behind blah blah blah ....".    I.e. if they are so critical, why are their leading producers keeping them away from their own kids.     And such a counter is necessary given the way these programs tend to be oversold---just look at the Kenyan case.

I don't know what to make of this.  I lack information to make any informed opinion on universities assembling things.  Do I think Kenya should be assembling laptops, computers, tablets, phones?  Yes - there is a huge market for them.  Is this the way to go about it?  I probably would opt for the grovelling option.

Indeed.   And I'm all for it, as one would expect from my views on manufacturing etc.   But universities taking the lead?  University IT graduates labouring on assembly lines?    Instead of such funny ideas, if this really is a long-term project, then the government should look into get serious commercial types leading it.   

The technology ought to facilitate teaching/learning.  Which from the little we can see officially is also the purpose of this initiative in Kenya.  I hope they can roll it out smoothly, even if I lack faith in how seriously they have thought this through.

I too hope it can be rolled out smoothly, and, as I have pointed out already, in general I'm OK with such things .. digital empowerment, world library at one's fingertips, etc.  But (other than "priorities") one of my main concerns has to do with the way this is being sold: The parents who are in the worst possible position to determine the worth of these things----those know little about computers, who are not going to look at studies on the effectiveness, who are more likely to choose laptops over de-worming pills----are the ones to who "your kid will be Bill Gates" story is being sold.   

The education of children is a significant issue for parents all over the world and perhaps more so in the poorer parts of the the world.     The very least we could have hear is an output of truthful and realistic information and an honest public discussion.   

Most seriously: This laptops business is yet just another striking example of where Kenya is today: it is near-impossible to have any sort of reasonable discussion on anything that is truly significant to the future of the country.    The starting point for some people is that "Jubilee is doing it; therefore, by definition, it must be great".   (We need not even consider the kula nyama aspect.)  The proof that all is well?   An endless supply of the wildest sort of fantasy and fiction: Some Std. 1 kids have been given tablets, so Kenya is now a "global leader, pace setter and ICT hub", thousands of Bill Gatess sucking their thumbs as they wait to start making billions, etc.

Yes, Kenya will stumble along, GDP will rise, etc. etc. etc.   But to get this country to where it should be, and in a reasonable time, there should be something resembling a reasonable discussion on what our fundamental problems are and how we can solve them.     

When we wonder a good chunk of Asia has left us behind and the rest is about to leave us in the dust, I'm always reminded of---and I always repeat---a question I got from a Japanese friend: What policies, plans, and actions are  there to lift the masses out of poverty?

[MOON Ki]

Last Mile started recently (this year I think) and REA had already supplied power to more than 18,000 from base of 10,000 in 2013 by the start of 2015. I am not sure how many school Last Mile has connected but I'd wager that 95% of the more than 14,000 schools have been connected thank to Laptop project. Therefore Laptop project is already a roaring success.

Connecting schools to electricity was never a goal for the project, and it is in fact possible to do that without getting any laptops involved.  So that should hardly be a criteria for success.   One should always try to distinguish between what is "essential" and what is "accidental".   

Also: 

Households within 600 meters of the transformers installed by the Rural Electrification Authority in its mandate to connect all public facilities will also be connected under the Last Mile Project at a cost of Shs.15, 000.

http://www.kplc.co.ke/tag/content/projects/projects

Since the mandate is to connect all public facilities , there is even less of a case for the already-weak "laptops" argument.    The best that one may say is that some public facilities (primary schools) are being connected at a faster rate than others (who will get connected even without laptop projects).  Indeed, it appears that even after the "laptops connections" ((primary schools) are done, there are even more "public facilities" to be done, and the people providing the money have their targets and deadlines.

[RV Pundit]

I guess the nearly 5,000 primary schools now supplied and wired with solar in places like turkana and northern kenya  where on-grid supply is not practical are part of this "forced" project with targets and deadline by donors?  Part of this laptop project entailed connecting all the 24,000 primary schoools with electricity to charge these devices - which include projectors/printers/  and this is already a roaring success.Of course the electrification of rural kenya under Jubilee has also been a roaring success.. I am told in 2013..we had 3M connected household...and now the number is 5-6M. That is doubling of household connected to power in 3 yrs. And hopefully we can achieve the vision of universal electricity coverage by 2022...which seem to be the tipping point when kenya will vroom to developed world in very few short years.

Kenya definitely turned the corner in 2006...and is nearly reaching the tipping point!

Since the mandate is to connect all public facilities , there is even less of a case for the already-weak "laptops" argument.    The best that one may say is that some public facilities (primary schools) are being connected at a faster rate than others (who will get connected even without laptop projects).  Indeed, it appears that even after the "laptops connections" ((primary schools) are done, there are even more "public facilities" to be done, and the people providing the money have their targets and deadlines.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

I too hope it can be rolled out smoothly, and, as I have pointed out already, in general I'm OK with such things .. digital empowerment, world library at one's fingertips, etc.  But (other than "priorities") one of my main concerns has to do with the way this is being sold: The parents who are in the worst possible position to determine the worth of these things----those know little about computers, who are not going to look at studies on the effectiveness, who are more likely to choose laptops over de-worming pills----are the ones to who "your kid will be Bill Gates" story is being sold.   

The education of children is a significant issue for parents all over the world and perhaps more so in the poorer parts of the the world.     The very least we could have hear is an output of truthful and realistic information and an honest public discussion. 

Yep.  It's a common misconception, not restricted to the computer illiterate.  People, even the educated, forget just how much work goes into getting educated at a basic level.  Exposure to technology is important.  But useless without a sound education.  The emphasis should be made that education is what they are trying to facilitate. 

Reducing it to gadgets dumbs down the thought process.  Short-circuits actual thinking.  The issue becomes reduced to propaganda.  When it comes time to review the success of the program, they can simply point to the number of laptops(tablets) provided.  The other stuff such as evaluating the pros and cons to learning, ROI etc is just too much work for these guys.

Most seriously: This laptops business is yet just another striking example of where Kenya is today: it is near-impossible to have any sort of reasonable discussion on anything that is truly significant to the future of the country.    The starting point for some people is that "Jubilee is doing it; therefore, by definition, it must be great".   (We need not even consider the kula nyama aspect.)  The proof that all is well?   An endless supply of the wildest sort of fantasy and fiction: Some Std. 1 kids have been given tablets, so Kenya is now a "global leader, pace setter and ICT hub", thousands of Bill Gatess sucking their thumbs as they wait to start making billions, etc.

Yes, Kenya will stumble along, GDP will rise, etc. etc. etc.   But to get this country to where it should be, and in a reasonable time, there should be something resembling a reasonable discussion on what our fundamental problems are and how we can solve them.     

When we wonder a good chunk of Asia has left us behind and the rest is about to leave us in the dust, I'm always reminded of---and I always repeat---a question I got from a Japanese friend: What policies, plans, and actions are  there to lift the masses out of poverty?

One area the jubilant has unquestionably excelled in is theft of public resources.  They put the final nail in any kind of oversight.  You don't even hear fake murmurs of concern on that issue anymore.  On that basis, it's almost a certainty this is a kula-nyama project first and foremost, the benefits or lack thereof notwithstanding.

[MOON Ki]

People, even the educated, forget just how much work goes into getting educated at a basic level.  Exposure to technology is important.  But useless without a sound education.  The emphasis should be made that education is what they are trying to facilitate. 

The OECD report I mentioned earlier has a finding that I think is relevant to a place like Kenya as well, especially given the notion that these things will somehow create a level playing field.    What they found out is that even after everyone gets a computer and the "digital divide" is accounted for, the kids who were badly off to start with ("disadvantaged", "low socio-economic group", etc.) are no better off and that the gaps that existed before remain.    They conclude that

To reduce inequalities in the ability to benefit from digital tools, countries need to improve equity in education first.   Ensuring that every child attains a base level of proficiency in reading and mathemtics will do more to create  opportunities in a digital world than can be achieved by expanding or subsidising access to high tech devices and digital services.   

[MOON Ki]

I guess the nearly 5,000 primary schools now supplied and wired with solar in places like turkana and northern kenya  where on-grid supply is not practical are part of this "forced" project with targets and deadline by donors?  Part of this laptop project entailed connecting all the 24,000 primary schoools with electricity to charge these devices - which include projectors/printers/  and this is already a roaring success.

As I have pointed out, KPLC's REA obligations under  the Last Mile Programme ae to connect all public facilities, and it is certainly doing well with some public facilities.  Merely connecting primary schools to electricity is not what the laptops project is about,  or supposed to be about, or should be about; even the confused propaganda from GoK (cabinet secretaries, permanent secretaries, etc.) is mostly touting different things.   Reflect on my point about "essential" vs. "accidental". Perhaps your own self-confusing example might help you there:

Of course the electrification of rural kenya under Jubilee has also been a roaring success.. I am told in 2013..we had 3M connected household...and now the number is 5-6M. That is doubling of household connected to power in 3 yrs. And hopefully we can achieve the vision of universal electricity coverage by 2022...

Presumably all that has been done without also dishing out laptops or tablets to the millions of households.

I think there is a very good chance that, overall, that program will be a success: the people providing the money appear to be keeping a sharp eye on things.

which seem to be the tipping point when kenya will vroom to developed world in very few short years.

Yes.  Just like the "many examples of countries that have moved to developed world by focusing solely on services.   Right?

Kenya definitely turned the corner in 2006...and is nearly reaching the tipping point!

Put down that bottle, take a nap, and come back later.

[RVtitem]

http://hechingerreport.org/how-finland-broke-every-rule-and-created-a-top-school-system/

[RV Pundit]

Reading the usual predictable negativo comments here is always somewhat amusing -the more kenya moves ahead the more they find grouses. Kenya already invest about 20% of it's GDP/tax on education. Probably the best you can find in Africa. Our neigbours are barely doing 10%. And kenya education system is the envy many in SSA or Peru or Latin America. We are ranked top 40 in quality of education worldwide....while ranking 100 or about in most of the indicator. Kenya labour/service sector is competitive because all successive gov have truly invested in education. This 17B is nothing compared to nearly 300-400B we invest in public education..leave alone private education annually...and Laptop annually 20B or about investment.. is a short in the arm that kenya need to move from top 40 to top 20(OECD/developed world level) in quality of education. We already largely sorted out access/quantity of education with 95% of kids in primary schools, secondary transition rate of 80% plus and university education on sterioid. All we need do to now is to improve the quality of education.  This the new investment in education indattion to the ones infrastructure (about 20% of GDP - need to move to 40% like Ethiopia) is what excite me about Kenya. We are talking about delivering 10,000Km roads of bitumen standard roads in 3-4yrs. While we spend 50 yrs plus to build 14,000kms. We are electrifying at supersonic speed. Breath taking stuff.