New national requirements call for standardized tests to be taken on computer. This required the purchase and installation of a server, which will also allow JAMS to add classes in computer science.
New Kenyan education standards require that all exams be taken on computers, and JAMS supporters have risen to that challenge. Donations this year have allowed the school to purchase 20 new laptops, 30 new mini-CPU computers, and a new server. Additionally, one of the volunteer librarians featured in last month’s story on the JAMS library renovation has purchased a 3-year WiFi subscription for the computer lab.
Generous donations from Friends of JAMS allowed the school to purchase 20 new laptops and 30 new mini-CPU computers, as well as a new server.
Getting the new server to JAMS was a challenge, as this past summer’s bombing of Qatar forced ships carrying the equipment to be re-routed back to India and caused a five-week delay. Beyond that, installing a server long-distance was a daunting task. JAMS co-founder Andrew Otieno called on fellow Rotarian and tech-company owner John Jenks of Sycamore for help. Jenks did all the ordering of equipment, and later guided JAMS staff through installation remotely.
“Before the government used to install exams on each computer,” explained Otieno. “Now they require that we have servers, and since the new education system will allow us to actually teach computer science, this will be extremely useful.”