Plans are afoot to improve access to computing and Internet infrastructure in rural Kenya, thanks to an initiative between the government and the private sector.   In April 2010, the ICT Board, which is part of the Ministry of Information and Communication, promised to connect each constituency by setting up a digital centre, complete with five computers and Internet connectivity, under the Pasha Centres programme.

Kupasha is Kiswahili for “to inform”. The Pasha Centre project is being supported by $4 million (about Sh36 million) in revolving World Bank funds administered by Family Bank.

Indeed, the Kenya Communication Amendment Act 2009 stipulates that the Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) should levy telecoms operators a universal access fund of one per cent of their total revenue to be used for rural connectivity.

By KAVORE KARIUKI

The amount of hard earned foreign exchange spent in airlifting students abroad for specialised education is mind-boggling.

Over the years, and thanks to the running down of our educational institutions, many Kenyans have opted to take their children abroad to study disciplines they view as marketable. Yet, this country’s universities, for the most part offer the same curriculum.

The reasons for this have been well enumerated in the past. But what must we as a country do to rectify this trend?