Zambia’s Ministry of General Education has announced the governments plans to float a tender for the supply of 3,000 computers for schools
The PC procurement tender forms part of the first phase of a US$20mn programme to enable ICT examinations proceed smoothly, according to the ministry.
Hillary Chipango, a spokesperson, stated the procurement of computers is being done in partnership with the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) and the tender will be managed by the Zambia Public Procurement Authority.
The bidder is expected to provide the computers before the examinations begin. “One wonders how the government will manage to procure and distribute the computers, generators and solar panels within the remaining few months before the examinations,” said telecom analyst at Computer Society of Zambia Amos Kalunga.
According to the ministry, last year pupils in Zambia were instructed to write practical ICT examinations at night time due to the lack of sufficient computers. This was also at a time of power cuts by the power utility company ZESCO due to power shortage affecting the country. Pupils were also told to bring in computers and laptops from home to use at school for the duration of the examinations, the ministry added.
The Examinations Council of Zambia recently revealed the country has 15,000 computers in around 1000 schools.
