Complete 6 pages APA formatted article: Can Laptop Revolutionize Education and Business in the Third World.

  

Complete 6 pages APA formatted article: Can Laptop Revolutionize Education and Business in the Third World. It can be argued that the money spent on subsidized laptops can instead be used to fund primary government objectives like the improvement of healthcare service, increasing employment opportunities, stepping up the balance of payments, upgrading infrastructure etc. On the other hand, the introduction of $170 laptops can solve many of these problems. A widespread use of laptops will give rise to businesses that repair laptops, provide spare parts etc. and can generate employment amongst the masses. Furthermore, easy access to the internet will promote online businesses and help people carry out businesses with organizations abroad. Laptops for students and teachers can facilitate effective learning and teaching alike and give them access to innumerable learning resources that will equip them with the knowledge to compete in international arenas. A non-profit organization OLPC- One Laptop Per Child- is committed to the creation of educational opportunities for poor children of developing countries. It is an idea of Nicholas Negroponte, who has aimed to provide low power laptops at a low cost to 7 million children all over the world. He was motivated into action after observing the effects of laptops in children in a village in Cambodia. According to Negroponte, a single laptop in the hands of a child illuminated the entire household. Therefore one can appreciate the usefulness of laptops in poor settings. However, criticism against OLPC stems from doubts on the affordability of laptops. Many opponents believe that money should be spent on other troubling issues like healthcare. Bill Gates, a founder of Microsoft, said that families earning less than $1 a day would not sit around browsing e-bay. A poverty-stricken child is in desperate need for vaccinations, food, shelter rather than a laptop. Statistics report that a staggering 2.2 million children die each year because they are not immunized. 15 million children are orphaned due to HIV/AIDS, which is similar to the total number of children living in the UK (Shah).