Please give University students laptops

Kenya: As far as I am concerned, universities are majorly known for intensive innovation and in-depth research. They are also regarded as hubs and breeding grounds for future scholars where efficient people are manufactured into more effective people through interactive and well-coordinated learning. The degrees awarded have been useful in transforming human lives and nations. Many countries that have prospered invested in youth education while countries lagging behind failed to take cognisance of education. This is a point to qualify a fact that development is a function of education

Thanks to Kenyan government for her upswing role in providing free primary education and subsidised secondary education, programs that have seen many people realizing their dreams. This has seen many students being enrolled in public schools and universities. However, with the wake of globalization and digital phase, many students more so the university cohorts are currently facing many challenges attributed to digital migration. For instance e-learning is the in thing now and therefore a requirement for all university and college students to have access to internet for effective learning. Nonetheless this has not been reciprocated in education more so where majority of students have little or no access to computers. Students’ access to computer is dependent on financial capacity of which many do not have access to.

Joachim and Troy are students pursuing Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering) and Bachelor of Science (Mechanical Engineering) respectively. In these courses, the use of computers are pre-requisites. They hail from humble background with meagre income where poverty is vicious and whistling. These students would find it difficult to do assignments and term papers. There will come a time that they will be required to hand in their project.

All these requirements will call for the need of laptops for effective learning. Joachim and Troy would always see their contemporaries successfully completing their assignments in time thereafter they would plead for their assistance. Here is a case where these students are going to compete in job market with their contemporaries who have a good background in the application of computers.

Suppose three quarters of our bright and needy students do not have the capacity, then the government will still have import labour from abroad. We will keep on creating jobs for foreign nations while at the same time sending home our local experts on suspicion that they are less efficient and effective. Troy and Joachim are not alone, their story depicts similar challenges and scenarios that many students from humble backgrounds face in their quest to acquire fruitful future.

These challenges cut across the board. Therefore, there is need for facilitation to help needy students achieve their future dreams in an amenable manner. Whilst in the next financial year, the government in conjunction with Helb need to factor in laptop for university cohorts so as to give room for effective learning in campuses. This can be done under the auspices of helb offices where any helb loan allocation has to go hand in hand with laptop provision. With that in the system, Kenya will go miles while at the same appreciating her local scientists as well as realizing future development goals.

(N/B: The names mentioned are hypothetical)

Festo Otieno  is a Bachelor of Science in Geography, Egerton University, Njoro Campus and Intern Kenya Meteorological Services, Nakuru Station.

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