Pupils in public primary schools will not have the laptops promised by the government when schools reopen in January.
Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi said he expects the gadgets to be in schools during the first three months of next year.
“We will do our best to make sure the laptops are given to our children during the first quarter of next year,” he told theNation Monday.
The slight change in the timeline of the laptops project is a result of cancellation of a tender by the government last month over exorbitant quotations by bidders.
The figures were considered outside the budget.
The government announced another tender.
Since procurement processes must be vetted, with winners awarded in the open and resultant complaints addressed, the whole process is likely to take at least 60 days.
This means pupils may not have these gadgets in the first month of 2014.
When he cancelled the initial tender last month, Prof Kaimenyi said retendering would try to ensure there are laptops by January but added that the entire programme could be delayed due to checks and balances required in procurement.
“The government understands the urgency and need to procure the devices to actualise the project by January 2014.
However, the procurement proceedings must ensure economy, efficiency, transparency and accountability,” he told reporters on October 16.
“The ministry is in consultation with the relevant government departments to come up with an appropriate competitive procurement mechanism which will ensure that the aforementioned computing devices are available in January 2014,” he said.
During campaigns ahead of the March 4 elections, the laptops project was part of the Jubilee manifesto.
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