Publishers cry foul over laptop project

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Kenya Publishers’ Association Vice Chairman Simon Sossion during a past interview in his office. He accused the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) of unilaterally developing a curriculum template without involving them. Photo/ANN KAMONI   NATION MEDIA GROUP

By JUSTUS WANGA jwanga@ke.nationmedia.com AND JULIUS SIGEI jsigei@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Monday, July 1   2013 at  23:30

IN SUMMARY

• The machines are already in town and content is on secret trial, claims chairman of lobby
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The Sh53 billion one-laptop-per-child project has been rocked by claims of corruption, days after the Cabinet approved its implementation in phases.

Book publishers on Monday alleged impropriety in procurement of materials and development of the content allegedly perpetrated by some officials in Education ministry.

They also claimed the syllabus template was secretly being tried out in selected schools with the aim of going full scale early next year— without the involvement of stakeholders.

Addressing a press conference at his office, Kenya Publishers’ Association Vice Chairman Simon Sossion accused the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) of unilaterally developing a curriculum template without involving them.

“Can (Education Cabinet Secretary Prof Jacob Kaimenyi deny that already the laptops are in Nairobi and state when the bids were advertised and who oversaw the tendering?,” asked Mr Sossion.

He said single sourcing both the digital content and hardware was a clear contravention of government procedure of competitive bidding.

“KICD is supposed to receive content from us and vet but in this case the referee has become the player. KICD and Kenya Literature Bureau are going to upload digital content, which has not been vetted and approved by the legally established institution in charge of curriculum design,” he claimed.

Prof Kaimenyi however denied the claims, saying no laptop had been bought.

“That is a lie; the laptops have not been acquired,” he said.

He defended the development of content by KICD, saying while publishers were key stakeholders in the education sector the institute was only the curriculum body that had the mandate to develop the syllabus. “There is nothing wrong in that because the KICD has a legal mandate to do that so the question of foul play is unfounded.”