OLPC Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands, north of Australia and part of Oceania, is the first site in the Pacific region to have a substantial program of OLPC laptops in remote schools. The entire Pacific region is represented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Dr Jimmie Rodgers Secretary-General. The 20 islands that make up the Solomons are served by 9 VSAT satellite dishes on sites denoted as Distance Learning Centres administered by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development. The project is administered by David Leeming, Project Manager, Distance Learning Centres Project (DLCP). The Centres have been established using EU and UN funding.

Pilot sites are located at Bekabaka and Batuna primary schools on Gatokae island in the Western Province of the Solomons, where they currently share 22 B2 and 10 B4 laptops. The machines at Bekabeka already have access to satellite signals, while those at Batuna will be connected by the end of 2007.