Smart Classrooms Project in Kenya

After the successful launch of the project on 18 March 2016 at KTTC in Nairobi. The Devotra project implementation team made all arrangements for the procurement of all the hardware and software. And for building a complete mock-up of the Smart Classroom in the warehouse of Devotra.

At the same time preparations were made for the training of the Devotra Kenyan staff and the expert trainers from Denmark, UK and the Netherlands.

The final shipment date for the complete project was fixed at 01 June 2016. So a lot of activities had to run parallel and a full team of professionals were occupied to meet this deadline. Goods started to arrive at the Devotra warehouse as from 01/04 and step by step the full mock-up Smart Classroom was built to have an exact copy of the final composition at the 10 TTI’s in Kenya.

The idea was to have a fully operational Smart Classroom, so that all challenges could be identified during the preparation of this mock-up and to use the room for the training the Devotra international team of experts.

Training

On May 9^th the mock-up was fully functional and the Devotra Kenya staff and UK experts started with the basic training. Later that week the experts from Netherlands and Denmark joined and a full team of 6 Devotra experts received ongoing training till 20 May. Product experts of the different manufacturers came to Devotra in Tholen to conduct a thorough training program on the equipment supplied and in particular all the different features of the Digital Library, the heart of the Smart Classroom.

Testing of hardware and installation of software

Devotra hired the expert services of Lantack BV; the regular IT services provider, for the testing and installation of all the hardware and specific software and to ensure that the 10 servers communicated properly with the 200 workstations. Devotra’s in-house IT expert Mourad Tihani assisted Lantack and was responsible for the final selection of HP hardware and Microsoft related software packages.

Orderhandling

Parallel to the training, Devotra’s logistics team consolidated all the goods of the 9 other TTI’s. All goods had to be checked on quality and quantity. After which these were labelled for easy identification on site. Once labelled all goods were grouped together and prepared for inspection by SGS, a well-known worldwide recognized inspection agency.

Pre-shipment and KEBS PVoC Inspection by SGS

An inspector of SGS spent 2 days at the Devotra warehouse to do a thorough pre-shipment inspection in line with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) program. This KEBS-PVoC program is mandatory for all shipments to Kenya as from December 2015. The goods were inspected on: quality, quantity, CE conformity, manuals, labelling, origin, safety, etc.. No item was rejected and goods were released for final packing and shipment.

Final Packing & Consolidation

Once the goods were inspected and approved by SGS, the mock-up was dismantled and everything was consolidated per TTI for final packing, marking of cases and preparation of shipping documents. The final volume per TTI was exactly 1x 40ft container.

Loading

Loading of the 10x 40ft containers took place from 30^st of May to 1^st of June. The full cargo was tightly secured by using so called air bags and all containers were sealed and locked. After release by customs the containers were transported to the terminal in Rotterdam.

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The 10 containers effectively sailed on the 4th of June and arrived at Mombasa port 17th of July. After the smooth clearance and transport to final destinations all containers were delivered before 10th of August 2016. Immediately the equipment was installed and the first training sessions took place end of August at Kabete TTI in Nairobi.

Unpacking and Installation

While the goods were sailing the Kenyan installation team visited all TTIs for a final inspection of the prepared classrooms. In an earlier site survey the team made a preliminary inspection to see if the TTI had followed the requirements that were advised by Devotra. The rooms should be amongst others clean, empty, dust free and equipped with an air-conditioning.
The team started immediately the unpacking and installation of TTI Kabete in Nairobi. This Smart Classroom was ready in time to start the specific two weeks training for all IT Managers from the beneficiary Training Institutes. After that the installation team continued the works on the next available location. To make sure that the tide implementation planning was followed the teams were split in two; one team working on the unpacking and installation of the equipment and furniture and the second team to follow for the IT-installations and connections.

Training Smart Classroom Supervisors

In order to effectively use the virtual learning environment, training is required on several levels. The training of the Smart Classroom Managers / Supervisors is focused on to learn how to manage, maintain and operate the smart classroom. For this training each TTI had selected an IT manager that is appointed to be the responsible person to manage and to maintain the Smart Classroom and to provide support to ICT operations and infrastructure ensuring that an appropriate technical support framework is in place. This training session lasted 2 weeks and was implemented at Kabete TTI in Nairobi. The first week was basically related to the new software and hardware. The second week was focused on the specialized software, machines and systems, supplemented with the issue of maintenance. The demonstration of the 3D printer and scanner, the laser cutter and how to fit it in the program when students are working in pairs or groups.

Teacher Training

The teacher training took place in September/ October and lasted 1 week per TTI.  The Devotra International Team of Training Experts were assisted by each Smart Classroom Manager for the training to the lecturers. The teachers of each course per institute were instructed on how to make use of the Smart Classroom, the lesson plans and teaching presentations, covering the practical and virtual exercises and to learn how to make use of the new equipment. Through this training the teachers also gained a deeper understanding of the engineering and technology principles.

Support training

After the initial teacher training an additional support training session of 1 week per TTI was held during November and December. This training was mainly focused on the Solid Works Software, the 3D Cad system, the 3D printer software, the CNC programming Lath 2D and 3D with MTS and CNCedit  and the linkage to the respective machines.

Finalizing the project

Exact according to time schedule the last at the end of September 2016 all installation and commissioning works for the Smart Classroom project were finalized at the 10 different Technical Training Institutes. After the main training the Devotra trainers and experts remained in Kenya to provide stand-by technical and training support till end of December 2016. During the whole year of 2017 Devotra supported the TTIs with an additional training support program.

For more information on the Smart Classroom in General, please visit: www.smartclassroom.nl

Devotra Smart Classrooms Brochure

Kenya ORET Project

Devotra BV together with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MoHEST) in Kenya implemented a feasibility study at 36 TTIs under the Dutch PESP programme which resulted in the development of the ORET project “Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Kenya Technical Teachers College (KTTC) and nine Regional Centres of Excellence”.

In July 2010 the project, with a total value of 14,9 MLN EURO, was declared effective by the Dutch Government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation) and the Kenyan Government. The Dutch and Kenyan Government signed a Grant Agreement for the implementation and financing of the project. The Dutch Government will contribute 7,2 MLN EURO (48% of the total project value) under the Dutch ORET Grant Facility. The remaining project financing is arranged by the Kenyan Government through a loan provided by a commercial bank and covered by Atradius (Dutch State Business Export Credit Insurance).

UNICEF

In November 2012, UNICEF published an Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) for the project “to set-pack and supply science kits for secondary schools, design create and execute a basic training programme for teachers on the use of the kits, and design and support a replenishment system for consumable items in the kit in Zimbabwe”. Upon submission of the EOI, Devotra was invited to submit a full technical and financial proposal by the end of March 2013, based on the Request for Proposal issued by UNICEF in February 2013.

While preparing our turn-key technical proposal much attention was given to all details, such as project objectives and outcomes, technical and financial capacity, human resource development, overall project planning, packing, storage and logistics. While compiling the sample science kit for UNICEF, Devotra reviewed a variety of products from different manufacturers world-wide. Based on our internal quality control, best-value for money criteria, but also manufacturers capacity to provide the goods within the given time frame of the project, Devotra selected the main original equipment manufacturers for the project.

PROJECT REFERENCE LIST

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