Nigeria: Laptops-in-schools debate turns messy
A scheme to give one million low-cost laptops to Nigerian schoolchildren has stalled because some policymakers say the money would be better spent on other educational projects, while government officials and private computer companies have actively worked to undermine the project, its manager told IRIN.
“The program has had to face a series of difficulties,” said Tomi Davies, manager of a US-based organisation, One Laptop per Child, which has designed a cheap laptop, known as the XO. “It has had a lot of misinformation and negative press,” he said.
The laptop is designed to withstand harsh conditions such as rain and dust. It has a screen that can be read under intense sunlight. Its battery lasts for 12 hours and can be recharged with the use of a solar panel or a pull cord.
