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"content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Kshs53 billion is not the budget for the Ministry of Education; it is simply the amount set aside for the use in the laptop project. The other benefits that we must see in this project and Sen. Abirahman rightly pointed out, is that out of this amount, about Kshs15.5 billion will be spent in connectivity. Schools and surrounding areas will get power. Again, this is something we should look at positively. Let us not forget that as soon as a transformer has been connected to a school, people within the area can access power from there. Therefore, there are multiple benefits to the idea of connectivity to schools. I also wish to assure Sen. Abdirahman that there is a multi-ministerial taskforce that has been constituted to tackle this matter so that the Ministries of Energy and Petroleum and Education will work in tandem to ensure that implementation does not result in duplication of responsibilities, duties and use of funds. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is necessary for us to also appreciate that the debate that has been ongoing regarding the laptops has done a very positive thing for our nation. It has centralized the discussions, whether for or against the use of computers and technology. It is should not be a debate about whether or not we will go ahead with technology infrastructure. We must do so. We do not have a choice. If we do not do this, our nation will be left behind in the same manner we were left behind because of lack of the gun technology. Nations became colonies because somebody discovered the use of the gun and gun powder that would allow ten warriors to be struck down at once. This is the “new powder.” Unless our children are integrated in this system from the word go, in such a manner that technology belongs to them and that they do not belong to it, then we can propel our nation to a newly industrialized nation faster than we can blink. If we do not teach our children from the word go that technology is their lifestyle and their future, we will fail them. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
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