Panama's new education minister vows transparent laptop purchases, cooperation on past deal

Panama's new Minister of Education, Ventura Vega, has announced that the ministry will proceed with acquiring laptops for students in the official education system. Vega emphasized that the upcoming procurement process will be transparent, involving specialized technology institutions to ensure fairness and suitability.

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The intelligence artificial is flying around and our kids in public education have to have the same conditions as private.

This announcement comes amid scrutiny over a previous purchase of 54,000 laptops for teachers, which is currently under audit by the Comptroller General of the Republic. Vega's commitment to a 'transparent bidding process' aims to restore confidence in the ministry's acquisition procedures.

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Who supplies it? The state. And the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, is committed to that direction and that is why all these tenders are being awarded.

Vega stated the government's commitment to reducing the digital divide between public and private schools. "The state must provide these devices to students," he asserted, adding that President José Raúl Mulino is dedicated to this goal. To ensure the new laptops meet educational needs, the Ministry of Education will collaborate with institutions like the Technological University of Panama and the National Authority for Government Innovation.

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There will be a transparent bidding process, with open invitation to all.

Furthermore, the new minister assured full cooperation with ongoing investigations into the prior laptop deal. He confirmed that the ministry would provide all necessary information to the authorities and support the Comptroller's audits. Vega stated that the Ministry of Education's doors remain open for any review related to the acquisition process, signaling a commitment to accountability.

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In the next technology tenders, we will listen to those who know about this.