South Africa's Teacher Laptop Initiative launched

[rpm]

Teacher Laptop Initiative officially launched

After years of effort and months of deliberations laptop initiative officially launches

[saixbot]

with the cheapest option being made available priced at R250 per month over five years

Are my sums correct?
R250 p/m over 5 years
Amounts to R250.00p/m x12 months = R3000.00 p/a
and over 5 years thats R15000.00?

A teacher said that the comment, “You won't even feel the R120 a month,” was made and that a colleague answered that she would definitely “feel” the impact of the additional payment.

Indeed she would no? I bet the cost of these laptops are no more than R3000.00 ea to the suppliers, so who is making a killing here?

[Polemus]

with the cheapest option being made available priced at R250 per month over five years

Are my sums correct?
R250 p/m over 5 years
Amounts to R250.00p/m x12 months = R3000.00 p/a
and over 5 years thats R15000.00?

A teacher said that the comment, “You won't even feel the R120 a month,” was made and that a colleague answered that she would definitely “feel” the impact of the additional payment.

Indeed she would no? I bet the cost of these laptops are no more than R3000.00 ea to the suppliers, so who is making a killing here?

your sums just ticked me off.....

It's !@#$ing stupid that companies are trying to make a quick buck when we want to start looking after our teachers !!!!!!!! :|

[Khanya]

Huh? Thought they'd be sponsored or sumin' along those lines.

[narf23]

http://www.southafrica.info/about/ed...her-010609.htm

Bear in mind in the Government Gazette of 8 May (2009), the laptops must have a 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of memory, a DVD reader/writer, wired and wireless LAN and a voice-fax modem for internet connectivity.

The allowance prices a laptop with the minimum required specifications (about a year ago) at about R11 750, comprising R4 000 for the hardware, discounted software at R350, insurance at R1 200 and internet connectivity at R6 000 per annum, which equates to a stipend of about R195 per month.

Software loaded on the laptop will include Windows XP or higher, Microsoft Office 2007, anti-virus software, school administration and national curriculum software, and teacher development materials.

I would just ask my self...spend +R5000 on a notebook up front (on a teachers salary..) or R120 a month for notebook, software, training, internet connectivity, insurance, etc..I would choose the R120 a month..

I am very interested in the specs to compare apples with apples...

[francoislr]

R250 - R390...Minus the R130 allowance equates to R120 and R270 respectively. So the cheapest option will end up costing R7200 over the 5 years, and the most expensive one R16200 over 5 years. I think it's not good enough, especially when it comes to poorer schools, but it is a great deal if you consider all the extras that is provided. Much better than most of the laptop deals you see advertised.

[Hemi300c]

Yip, I was asked to quote (insurance) for one of the suppliers and the laptops are in 2 price catagories R4000+- and R7000+-.
The Insurance by the was would work out @ way way lower than R1200 as quoted more like R280 per year on the R7000 unit because of the numbers.

[markings]

The allowance prices a laptop with the minimum required specifications (about a year ago) at about R11 750, comprising R4 000 for the hardware, discounted software at R350, insurance at R1 200 and internet connectivity at R6 000 per annum, which equates to a stipend of about R195 per month.

Once more we can see what a parastatal company or government/ICASA controlled sphere, does to prices. The biggest item is internet connectivity and that is a recurring expense whereas all the items except insurance, are once off.

[Boerewors]

Interestingly enough, statistics show that that less than 15% of SA teachers are computer literate. This forces me to ask: is this money not wasted if the teacher cannot prove the competency to use the laptop?

[CeeBee]

i saw this story on tv news... guys complaining about the cost..... so why do they need Dell laptops? Especially if they not gonna be using it properly.
My kids say their teachers only got cheap Toshiba & Samsungs

[bleh69]

you know what the real humdinger is... about R500 000 000 of the monies paid is to Microsoft, instead of supporting homegrown Ubuntu.... although... Microsoft has you all so ****ing brainwashed.. i suppose my point is irrelevant.