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From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语教育报道。
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.
肯尼亚新当选总统乌呼鲁·肯雅塔(Uhuru Kenyatta)承诺为乡村小学每位一年级学生提供一台免费的笔记本电脑。但有些人质疑肯尼亚是否具有这样的能力,以及这位总统的计划是否真的能够实现。
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.
肯尼亚将于明年年初开始提供电脑。在内罗毕郊外的木沙加小学(Muthaiga primary school)这样的学校就读的一年级学生目前正使用黑板、教科书和记忆法则这些传统方式来学习。
Muthaiga's head teacher Bernadette Owino said the new technology could provide excellent chances for learning for her students.
木沙加小学校长贝尔纳黛特·欧文娜(Bernadette Owino)表示,新科技能够为学生的学习提供很好的机会。
"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. "
她说,“世界正在成为一个小地球村,你需要与世界其它地方联系。而你只有精通电脑(才能做到)。同时这也有利于孩子们的进步和成长,他们可以去进行研究和了解更多知识。我认为如果计划能够实现,这将是一个非常好的主意,这太棒了。”
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.
教育工作者和学生们可能对政府的这项笔记本项目感到非常兴奋和高兴。但很多人认为,肯尼亚并未做好准备。许多教师自己还不会使用电脑,很多学校年久失修,而且没有电。
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.
小学教师工会表示,他们支持向一年级学生提供电脑的计划。但工会秘书长阿克罗·密所里(Akelo Misori)表示,师生们首先必须满足基本要求。
"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."
他说,“如果基本的数学和阅读能力在我们学校仍然是个问题,那这就意味着,通过笔记本把科技引入学校对我们当前的学习环境来说并不可行。”
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.
该笔记本项目是肯雅塔先生一项重要的竞选承诺,他在今年三月以微弱优势赢得总统选举。但该想法来源于内罗毕的乔莫·肯雅塔农业技术大学。
Suleman Okech heads a team that is proposing ways to put the program into effect. The computers to be used operate on solar power.
苏莱曼·欧凯克(Suleman Okech)领导了一个团队,他们提出建议来落实这个项目。这些电脑将使用太阳能。
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.
欧凯克表示,每个新项目都会面临困难。他们面临的挑战包括培训教师来管理学校获得的电脑。但他表示他相信教师们可以达到要求。
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.
他补充说,如果该项目顺利进行,其影响会远远超出课堂。他说,要在明年一月前生产50万台笔记本电脑,需要雇佣1.2万人。但该项目还存在预算上的隐忧。
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.
新政府仍在做该国的预算,以及如何为这个项目提供资金。预计向肯尼亚所有一年级学生提供笔记本电脑将耗资数亿美元。