Quenching the Poor's Thirst for Knowledge

Passage 1

📖 READING PASSAGE: Quenching the Poor's Thirst for Knowledge

In developing nations, schools are few and far between, teachers are nowhere to be seen, books are worn and torn and illiteracy rates are high. These all culminate in the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Faced with tackling this mounting crisis, Nicholas Negroponte and a team of MIT researchers have launched a bold new initiative. Negroponte's goal is 'to provide children around the world with new opportunities to explore, experiment and express themselves' through a project he calls the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative. While some have criticised Negroponte and his team for a lack of vision, the applications and benefits for his project are seemingly endless. The have-nots will have access to a tool which can help them to learn independently and share information. It will ultimately bestow upon those people less fortunate than us knowledge that will significantly impact their lives.

At that price, many question the functionality of the computers; however, the creators promise that the machine can do everything a normal desktop computer can, except store massive amounts of information as there is no hard drive. As a consolation, users will be able to use 512 MB flash memory cards and are provided with 4 USB ports. The laptops will use a Linux based system, not just because it's free, unlike the pricey alternative of Windows, but its simplicity also lends itself to this project. It will have dual-mode display: low resolution colour or high resolution black and white in order to be sunlight readable. There will be a 500MHz processor, 128 MB of DRAM and wireless broadband which will enable users to talk to other laptops in their vicinity. The most innovative and practical feature is its energy source—it relies on a hand crank for wind-up power to overcome the scarcity of electricity and unaffordable cost of batteries.

The computer is cost effective and functional, but another hurdle is how to make the technology accessible to every child in every nation. The laptops will only be sold to governments and distributed by the respective Ministries of Education on the basis of One Laptop Per Child. 100 million of these computers will be manufactured with production commencing once 5-10 million of them have been ordered and paid for in advance. The reason why laptops were chosen and not the cheaper desktop alternatives is that they can be designed to be rugged by using a tough exterior and mobile through the use of a handle. Moreover, this ensures that learning can be extended beyond the classroom of desktops and all the way home for the whole family to experience and benefit from.

The response to this initiative has been mixed. Meles Zenawi, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, says his country is too poor to invest in information and communications technology, and that this programme will be the fastest way to end their isolation. Others in the nation believe it will take financial resources away from more-needed projects. Bill Gates is also against the idea, probably because Negroponte decided to use Linux instead of Microsoft Windows. A rival with a client base of 100 million is definitely something that could attract plenty of attention from the IT superpower. However, Gates argues that mobile phone technology is a much more sound option. The mobile phones are smaller, even more mobile, and they can be internet enabled to provide voice, email, and cheap text messaging functions. They are cheaper than computers and they use less power. In addition, Gates does not see the need to develop a new product when cell phones are already tried and tested technology that can be distributed immediately. Quanta's existing clients such as Intel, Dell and HP, who have hopes of expanding into the developing world, are also not looking favourably upon Negroponte's initiative.

Technology in the third world has proven to have great advantages. The Foreign Trade Training Centre in Cairo successfully used a HP-developed computer-based programme to teach people who weren't exporting before how to export. In Kenya, the African Medical and Research Foundation teamed up with Accenture to bring 2,000 nurses up to diploma certification with an e-learning curriculum. The Navajo people are also receiving a college education through distance learning and are now computer savvy enough to sell their arts and crafts online at overstock.com to earn a decent living. OLPC hopes that this project will revolutionise the way we educate the world's children. But is it the magic bullet that will alleviate poverty? Only time will tell.