N3.6billion for Internet in schools,Ministers approve Zinox to Supply

WHEN THEY DONT HAVE CHAIRS TO SIT OR NEPA TO POWER THEM !

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N3.6 billion for the purchase of computers and Internet connectivity in 290 schools across the country.

The project will largely be handled by ZINOX technologies. Minister of information and communications, Dora Akunyili, who said this while briefing State House correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the items were meant “to create a generation of Nigerians with broad base theoretical and practical knowledge of ICT, who can leverage on this when they step into the labour market.”

Mrs. Akunyili said the contract also provides for two laptops for teachers for teaching purposes; one Internet server and broadband Internet connections with two years of guaranteed bandwidth payment.

Others are the provision of solar power, refurbishment and securing of equipment storage room, provision of wireless mesh and charging platforms for each of the schools.

She further explained that each benefiting school would have a wireless mesh that would connect all the computers and make the school a wireless environment, such that the access devices could be used anywhere within the school environment..

Wiring rural areas

Mrs Akunyili said this would facilitate usage of the students’ devices in any classroom within the school, thereby enabling learning with the aid of ICT.

“The initiative was a project aimed at facilitating connectivity in government schools, libraries and institutions in under-served, un-served and rural areas to broadband Internet,” she said.

“Under the programme, each school will receive equipment and facilities that would link them to high speed Internet, and they would be encouraged to share these facilities with their surrounding communities on a commercial basis to support maintenance and ensure sustainability.”

The minister said the project, to be handled by the Ministry of Information and Communications through its Universal Service Provision Fund, would be completed in 36 weeks.

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Comment by Gaga on May 29, 2010 at 12:47pm: ICT!!! hmm! na wa OOooooooooooooo. These schools don't have furnitures, no good writing materials but still they are talking of ICT na wa Ooooooooo.

Comment by Peace Ibhadode on May 21, 2010 at 6:45pm: Lets thank them for what they have promised to do...b4 we start asking for more. at least for once someone is thinking about ICT for schools..Thank you 4 a job well done

Comment by Moses K Tawose on May 21, 2010 at 2:53am: We cannot continue to put the cart before the horse until the infrastructure is secured nothing would ever work no amount of money thrown at it would get it done.The Power or electricity is the anchor to any development without it all is doomed.

Comment by onyiaike canice chidi on May 20, 2010 at 8:03pm: WIRELESS HANDSET CHARGER THAT WILL KEEP YOUR COMMUNICATION MOVING EVEN WHEN IS POWER INTERUPTION..GOES FOR #1,000 NAIRA.CANTACT @caniidris1@yahoo.com call 00971502428519..
BUSINESS THAT REQUIRES REALISTIC THOUGHTS.

Comment by Chika Ilonwa on May 20, 2010 at 4:05pm: Imagine the way our elected leaders reason. Na wah ooooh!

Comment by Murphy Zek on May 20, 2010 at 3:02pm: why are guys bothering yourselves? the computers are not rural schools, I can bet on this. Eventhough some rural schools MIGHT get but its for the big boys schools. So you guys should not bother about dust or chairs and tables

Comment by Dan Umar on May 20, 2010 at 1:57pm: ARE THEY GOING TO KEEP THE COMPUTERS ON THE FLOOR?

Comment by imo eshiet on May 20, 2010 at 1:10pm: are the computers battery operated? are they dust-friendly? what about security for the gadgets? this is no doubt quite a good idea but why can't it be applicable to all schools and made mandatory for all school children? Can we follow this up with school buses to take our kids to school? what about feeding the students at least twice at school> Sure we can easily afford these if mass looting becomes a thing of the past!

Comment by Tari on May 20, 2010 at 11:40am: What is all these questions about chairs ? For goodness sake the funds being released are for the procurement of ICT infrastructure for schools, other budgets could take care of furniture etc , the ministry of information cannot replace the ministry of education in the provision of these requirements.

Comment by Tony Ishiekwene on May 20, 2010 at 11:21am: Why some selected schools? Why can't you provide internet for all Schools in Nigeria. In this day and age of global village and competition why should some students not have knowledge of internet and ICT whilst a selected few gets it? You are promoting corruption and discrimination, whereby children of the elite groups will go to those few schools and the poor people's children are left in perpetual darkness. How much does it cost to computerised all schools? Is it up to the cash stolen by one governor alone! Curb corruption and let every child have internet please!