Locally assembled laptops are expected to ease shortage of digital devices at schools, boost basic facilities availability and improve ICT teaching.

Positivo BGH, Argentina-based ICT company that set up a factory in Rwanda, has started producing laptops as part of its plans to supply digital devices to the government.

Last year, the government signed a deal with the ICT company to address problems in the One Laptop Per Child Programme and ICT in education such as poor devices, distribution, lack of basic facilities and educational products, among others.

READ: Firm gets licence to make laptops in Kigali

Positivo BGH African president Juan Ignacio Ponelli, told Rwanda Today, that production at the factory based in Special Economic Zone started in mid-July and so far 7,800 units have been assembled.

“We are bringing the best available technology to Rwanda and the continent. We have strong partnerships with global leaders in this industry like Intel, Google, Microsoft,” said Ponelli.

The company plans to assemble 75,000 units by the end of the year.

Local produced laptop’s specifications are: an Intel 4th generation processor with a hard disk drive of 320 GB, a RAM memory of 2 GB, high definition audio, HD graphics, HD video camera, 3 USB ports, HDMI and VGA ports, and it is ready to support Windows 10.

These specifications, according to computer experts, are normal for ordinary laptops’ performance, meaning they can also be used in others tasks.

The One Laptop Per Child programme has been marred by hardware issues such as, computer batteries, and expired operating systems.

According to the Ministry of Youth and ICT, at the end of December 2013, 203,763 computers had been distributed to students in 407 schools across Rwanda.

Due to insufficient computers, students do not practise enough in their ICT training. In an interview with Rwanda Today, Theogene Habineza, a teacher in Northern Province, said the government should supply more computers to secondary schools.

“If I have 40 students with 10 computers, I can put them in groups of four, making it easier for them to learn,” he said.

Positivo BGH, which has 3,000 employees in Latin America hopes to grow fast in Rwanda and employ many locals.

“We are just starting operations. As of today, we have around 30 direct staff. We are incorporating three local engineers, two senior technicians, and in our production line we have around 10 persons with an A-2 degree in electronics,” said the firm’s director.

The ICT company eyes regional and African markets after stabilising in Rwanda.

“Our industry is about volumes and economies of scale. We are looking to expand the operation not only in Rwanda but to the EAC fast and later to the rest of the continent” Ponelli told Rwanda Today.