VOA慢速英語:Kenya's Pledge to Provide Every First-year Student with a Laptop

From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.

這里是美國之音慢速英語教育報道。

Kenya's recently elected President Uhuru Kenyatta has promised free laptop computers to every first-year student in the Country Schools. But some people questioned whether Kenya is ready and whether the president's plans can really succeed.

肯尼亞新當選總統(tǒng)烏呼魯·肯雅塔(Uhuru Kenyatta)承諾為鄉(xiāng)村小學每位一年級學生提供一臺免費的筆記本電腦。但有些人質疑肯尼亞是否具有這樣的能力，以及這位總統(tǒng)的計劃是否真的能夠實現(xiàn)。

Provision of the computers is to begin early next year. First-year students at schools like the Muthaiga primary school outside Nairobi, currently learned the traditional way with chalkboards, textbooks, and memorization.

肯尼亞將于明年年初開始提供電腦。在內羅畢郊外的木沙加小學(Muthaiga primary school)這樣的學校就讀的一年級學生目前正使用黑板、教科書和記憶法則這些傳統(tǒng)方式來學習。

Muthaiga's head teacher Bernadette Owino said the new technology could provide excellent chances for learning for her students.

木沙加小學校長貝爾納黛特·歐文娜(Bernadette Owino)表示，新科技能夠為學生的學習提供很好的機會。

"The world is becoming a small village and you need to connect with the rest of the world, only if you're computer literate. And it will also give the children a chance as they progress and grow to be able to research and have more knowledge. I think it's a great idea if it works. It's beautiful. "

她說，“世界正在成為一個小地球村，你需要與世界其它地方聯(lián)系。而你只有精通電腦(才能做到)。同時這也有利于孩子們的進步和成長，他們可以去進行研究和了解更多知識。我認為如果計劃能夠實現(xiàn)，這將是一個非常好的主意，這太棒了。”

Educators and students may be excited and pleased about the government's laptop program, but others say the country is not ready. Many teachers still are not able to use computers themselves, and a lot of schools are in poor condition, and do not have electric power.

教育工作者和學生們可能對政府的這項筆記本項目感到非常興奮和高興。但很多人認為，肯尼亞并未做好準備。許多教師自己還不會使用電腦，很多學校年久失修，而且沒有電。

The post-primary teachers union says it supports the idea of giving computers to first-year students, but the union's Secretary General Akelo Misori said students and teachers must first made basic requirements.

小學教師工會表示，他們支持向一年級學生提供電腦的計劃。但工會秘書長阿克羅·密所里(Akelo Misori)表示，師生們首先必須滿足基本要求。

"If basic skills of math and reading are still a challenge in our primary schools, then it means, therefore, that the introduction of technology in schools through laptops may not be a viable component of our learning circumstances now."

他說，“如果基本的數(shù)學和閱讀能力在我們學校仍然是個問題，那這就意味著，通過筆記本把科技引入學校對我們當前的學習環(huán)境來說并不可行。”

The laptop program was a major campaign promise of Mr Kenyatta who won the election in March by a narrow vote. But the idea started at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Nairobi.

該筆記本項目是肯雅塔先生一項重要的競選承諾，他在今年三月以微弱優(yōu)勢贏得總統(tǒng)選舉。但該想法來源于內羅畢的喬莫·肯雅塔農業(yè)技術大學。

Suleman Okech heads a team that is proposing ways to put the program into effect. The computers to be used operate on solar power.

蘇萊曼·歐凱克(Suleman Okech)領導了一個團隊，他們提出建議來落實這個項目。這些電腦將使用太陽能。

Suleman Okech said every new program has difficulties that have to be faced, he said his team's challenges include training teachers to manage school's getting computers. But he said he believes the teacher can do what is required.

歐凱克表示，每個新項目都會面臨困難。他們面臨的挑戰(zhàn)包括培訓教師來管理學校獲得的電腦。但他表示他相信教師們可以達到要求。

And he added that if the program goes ahead, its effects would extent far beyond the classroom. He said to produce half a million laptops by January, 12,000 people would have be to employed, but there are budget worries.

他補充說，如果該項目順利進行，其影響會遠遠超出課堂。他說，要在明年一月前生產50萬臺筆記本電腦，需要雇傭1.2萬人。但該項目還存在預算上的隱憂。

The new government is still working on the country's budget and how to pay for the program. Providing laptop computers for all first-year school children in Kenya is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

新政府仍在做該國的預算，以及如何為這個項目提供資金。預計向肯尼亞所有一年級學生提供筆記本電腦將耗資數(shù)億美元。