Free computer classes project kits go missing in West Pokot

Pupils of Lopelekwa Primary School, in Pokot South learn how to use government-issued tablets. Some of the gadgets have been lost. [File, Standard]

West Pokoto County Commissioner Apollo Okello has ordered an audit of tablets and computer literacy kits lost in every school under the Government's free laptop project for Standard One pupils.

While county education officials claim not to have received kits for all schools, there are already fears that some of the kits already distributed by the Education ministry might have been lost or are gathering dust in school stores.

West Pokot County Director of Education Jacob Onyiego said not all of the county’s 498 registered schools by 2016 had received the devices.

He conceded that a considerable number of schools that have received the gadgets are not using them either because teachers have not been trained on how to use them or the devices did not have the new curriculum content.

Speaking yesterday during the county development implementation coordination committee meeting, Onyiego said the Education ministry allocated each head teacher in the county Sh60,000 to put up storage facilities,

This, he said, has not prevented theft of the equipment.

“The losses in some schools are so high. One school was allocated 69 devices, now 16 are missing, another was issued with 53 and 10 are already missing,” he said.

The county commissioner directed the county education office to establish the number of devices received and those missing in every school.

"Each head teacher must account for any lost equipment,” he said.

The county education director said 332 out of 498 schools registered by 2016, had been supplied with the devices.

The remaining 166 schools and 124 newly registered ones will be supplied under phase 2 of the project this term.

The county commissioner directed the education department to ensure that the equipment is put to good use.

“We don’t see the reason for supplying the equipment which will then be put in stores instead of being utilised," he said.