Eight people, among them three students, were on Wednesday arrested over the theft of 32 tablets meant for the Digital Literacy Programme whose first phase cost the Government an approximated Sh 17 Billion.
Kakamega County Police Head Tito Kilonzi confirmed the arrest adding that the thieves broke into Lukova Primary School and made away with the equipment.
“The students are brothers, one is in Form Four and the other two are in Form Two. The officers interrogated them and they took us to where they had hidden the gadgets,“ he stated.
Mr Kilonzi further noted that the devices recovered from the students were worth over 1.8 Million adding that they had tampered with the color to change the appearance of the machines.
[caption caption="Students show casing their digital literacy programme learning devices"]
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He called upon any residents with knowledge or any information regarding the disappearance of the machines to report the matter to the police for speedy investigations.
"We managed to get 29 devices. They had changed the color of the gadgets.
“Students are colluding with parents to steal devices meant for learning in schools. This should not be tolerated. We are optimistic the remaining devices will be found and suspects prosecuted in court once investigations are complete.” Kilonza stated.
The Standard One laptop project is part of President Uhuru Kenyatta's grand initiatives in the education sector.
The project's first phase delivered around 1.2 million devices to primary schools countrywide at an approximated cost of Sh32 Billion.
[caption caption="File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta inspecting the digital literacy programme"]
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The Digital Programme is aimed at inculcating technological skills among Primary school children and changing the education sector to slowly favor digital learning in place of printed books.
