The One Laptop Per Child, or OLPC program has been one of the most controversial programs put into place in recent years in the developing world. The program entails giving out inexpensive laptops to children in the developing world, giving them access to the internet and allowing them to connect and become more educated. On the surface it seems like this program can only be a good thing as these children are given access to a computer for free. However, there are many flaws in this program, mainly stemming from the fact that the program is top down and does not take into account the necessities of different cultures and nations. It was developed by westerners for the developing world and never really involved any of the countries that would be involved in the development process.
Back in 2008, the Burkina NTIC, which is the national ICT4D knowledge sharing organization in Burkina Faso created a workshop to discuss the OLPC and decide whether the program would work in the educational framework of Burkina Faso. Before this action, the OLPC had been thrust upon countries without any research done on how much of impact it would make and what the best way to implement it would be. The Burkina NTIC concluded that the OLPC was a good idea as it gives people in urban and rural areas equal access to knowledge, and teaches children how to use a computer at a young age. However, many flaws were discussed as well including the fact that the need for school rooms and better teaching conditions were more important, that the OLPC is a battle between private companies to secure the African market, and that a lack of infrastructure and resources for maintenance made implementation extremely difficult.1
For the OLPC to work it is imperative that the organization take into account the specific region and country that it is delivering the laptops too. Some countries in the developing world are more ready for the program than others, and all have different cultures and customs that can affect the success of the OLPC. Before just handing out these laptops OLPC agents should go into the community and learn about it and talk to the people who will be affected, who may have ideas or strategies for better implementation. Actually understanding the problems that may arise will help the OLPC adjust and become more efficient in fixing these problems or preventing them from happening. Furthermore, before the OLPC can really be successful the underlying problems with education in developing world need to be addressed. The money may be better spent at this point in time on building more schools, or better facilities so that students have less crowded, better environments for learning. Also, good teachers must be brought in and taught how to use the technology so that they can help students use it more effectively. Before these problems are fixed the OLPC will help people become more connected, but will not really change the level of education of the students. It is a very good idea and in the future may be very effective, but time and money is better spent now on the underlying problems such as facilities and teachers.
1 "One Laptop Per Child: The Debate Continues." IICD. IICD, 17 Mar 2008. Web. 3 Jul 2011. <http://www.iicd.org/articles/one-laptop-per-child-the-debate-continues/>.
I definitely agree that the OLPC needs to prioritize the needs of the specific countries in which it is enacted. There are so many improvements that are needed at a basic level: school supplies, staff etc. that the OLPC seems to be ignoring. I think that if a country that needs basic structural and resource based improvements implements the OLPC, they are going to forgo expenditures to fix the basic problems of their education system. This will probably only exacerbate the problems that preempted the OLPC, and is kind of like putting a bandaid over a wound- the wound is still there, and the bandaid only helps a little bit.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do believe that all should have equal opportunity and access to the Internet and new technological instruments, I think it is naive for the OLPC and the west to merely force themselves upon other countries without establishing a plan for cooperation first.
Adam, you effectively convey the shortcomings of the OLPC programs overseas. As you mentioned, these programs are primarily driven by private businesses that desire access to "bottom-of-the-pyramid" markets. Therefore, companies may disregard the implementation plans for the OLPC programs, as their primary interest is to sell the laptops. Accordingly, schools and students may be equipped with computers and internet access, but may lack teachers to instruct them how to use the technologies to expand their education. I agree with your point about how Western nations seem to be forcing their culture upon the developing world. Along those lines, I wonder if the developed world has the right to instruct the developing world on development initiatives when environmental degradation and overpopulation are such pressing issues in Western nations (i.e. the U.S.). Sustainable development in the developing world must be the priority. Outsourcing Western consumerism is unlikely to contribute to sustainable development, so initiatives like the OLPC program must truly be education-oriented rather than business-oriented.
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