Uruguay becomes first nation to provide a laptop for every primary school student

Uruguay's been a huge fan of the One Laptop Per Child initiative for quite some time, and while we're still unsure if it's the entity's biggest customer, the aforesaid nation is certainly doing some serious business with Nicholas Negroponte and Company. After the first swath of youngsters received their green and white XOs back in May of 2007, the final smattering of kids have now joined the proud group of laptop-toting tots in the country's circuit of primary schools. You heard right -- every last pupil in Uruguay's primary school system now has a laptop and a growing love for Linux, and we're told that the whole thing cost the country less than five percent of its entire education budget. So, who's next?

[Via Digg, image courtesy of oso]

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 18th 2009 9:07PM]

Portugal was the first nation to give laptops to kids! If Uruguay is doing it, that's great! But Portugal did it first.

More than 370.000 kids already got the netbook!

The program is now stoped because a new version of the Magalhães laptop will be realeased on October 22nd!

Here is the official site with all the numbers: http://www.eescolinha.gov.pt/portal/server.pt/community/e-escolinha/200/home

It is in portuguese but google translate works fine!!!!

That's the truth and nothing but the truth!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 18th 2009 8:44PM]

Peru and Niue already did this. Uruguay is the 3rd country to deploy OLPC to every child.

[Silverfox2000 Posted Oct 19th 2009 12:23AM]

are you sure?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2009 2:54PM]

The laptops look like those 4-year old phonics learning craps and the kids just look like their making a gun with their fingers. :O

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2009 4:06AM]

Is this fully implemented in Portugal? The news here is that after more than two years, the pc's have finally reached all the kids in the nation.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 18th 2009 11:03PM]

the bike is good
http://www.jb-electricbikes.com/pro/Electric-bicycles-Size.htm

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2009 2:29AM]

Nike will be sponsoring their hacking skills in eight years...

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2009 10:36AM]

So, who's next? !!!! :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 20th 2009 9:38AM]

So many children in the U.S. are without laptops, BlackBerrys, and other necessary tools to live. Who the hell are these kids? They don't even LOOK worthy..

[dburstin Posted Oct 29th 2009 12:30PM]

I don´t understand your comment. Anyhow, you should know the US government had nothing to do with this project, it's been full paid by uruguayan government.

[WmPenn Posted Oct 21st 2009 6:25AM]

You know it's great what they are doing in Portugal and all, but honestly nobody in Uruguay gives a damned that you guys did it first! Look at the the goofy smiles on those kids faces and the hand gesture they're giving... they know their unhip losers and they don't give a fuck they're just having a good time! LOL

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 22nd 2009 2:44PM]

Robpetrin said: "Those damn Uruguay kids and their gang signs.

Paraguay will be pissed when it sees it."

If you don't know, please don't say bullsh... It isn't a gang sign, it means "up moustache", means "cool" "great" "wonderfull" and so. We (uruguayans) used this (old and young people) since many decades ago. You have gangs, we don't.

Regards from Uruguay.-

[kingu Posted Oct 23rd 2009 4:20AM]

Simpsons did it.