Kenya pilots Pocket PC education

**Maggy** · 31-07-2005, 18:53

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...ne/4727617.stm

Intriguing use of technology.

punky · 31-07-2005, 19:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Intriguing use of technology.

I would say that's a bit irresponsible. People are dying through lack of food, clean water, and lack of drugs, sewage facilities, and kids get fancy PDAs to learn with? Surely sharing out of date textbooks pales into insignificance when people nearby can't eat and are catching cholera.

Angua · 31-07-2005, 19:07

Brilliant idea! If the children are not educated they will always be relying on aid which is completely unsustainable. It is these children who will be the doctors and engineers of the future, bringing the country into the 21st century.

31-07-2005, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Intriguing use of technology.

I would say that's a bit irresponsible. People are dying through lack of food, clean water, and lack of drugs, sewage facilities, and kids get fancy PDAs to learn with? Surely sharing out of date textbooks pales into insignificance when people nearby can't eat and are catching cholera.

Kenya is a complex place, it has what people may imagine as the 'traditional' image of Africa, with endless miles of scrub-land & Acacia trees. In contrast, Nairobi is a well established modern city - the first lift I ever went in was in a multi-storey car park in Nairobi, in 1964...

- my point being, there has been a gulf between the extremes for a long time, I don't think suppressing good ideas on the basis that the gulf exists, is appropriate. But, I can hope some of the children who benefit take their gains back to their communities, and don't export their new skills - then some of the problems you, rightly, mention, may start to be addressed