News
Zambia to host 5th International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training.
Via - elearning-africa.com By hosting the next eLearning Africa, Zambia is confirming its commitment to placing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) at the heart of its development projects and is highlighting the different plans and programmes in progress that incorporate ICT as an essential development factor. “We are very excited about this conference and see it as an avenue that can open up the country. It is a window of hope and a great opportunity for us,” says Professor Thomson Sinkala, Chair of the Zambia National eLA Committee.
In March 2007, the Zambian government launched its national ICT policy which will form part of a long-term plan called ‘Vision 2030’, the main aim of which is to become “a prosperous middle-income nation by 2030”. This long-term programme is supplemented by further plans, designed to promote Zambia’s social and economic development. The 2006 – 2010 plan – the fifth of its kind – for the first time places a direct emphasis on ICT to support the country’s development ambitions. Part of this plan involves installing fibre optic cables and telecentres for the benefit of rural communities. The National Development Plan is seen as an accelerator for the multiple uses of ICT, especially regarding knowledge sharing.
Within the framework of the national ICT programme, a committee dedicated to eLearning has been established. This committee works closely with the government and can exercise full powers to propose and coordinate strategies in the field of eLearning. It has identified the lack of ICT skills and the cost of purchasing technology as the main obstacles for the integration of ICT in the Zambian education system. Zambia is classed among the poorest countries in the world* thus reducing the digital divide presents a real challenge. Nevertheless, the recent directions in governmental policy and action already being taken, together with the partnerships in progress, form a link between the government and civil society, giving hope for radical change. According to Lee Muzala, a member of the Zambia National eLA Committee, the exemplary nature of the current projects should set the tone for what will follow. The Zambia National eLA Committee ambition is to establish a firm link between ‘private projects’ and the government, with the aim of creating energy and fresh ideas, as well as leading the government towards the involvement of all the country's schools.
A Selection of ICT Initiatives and Projects in Zambia:
QUInternational Institute for Communication and Development (IICD)
IICD supports the reinforcement of the capacity of ICT networks for multi-partner development (ICT4D) in several countries and Zambia in particular. These networks encourage knowledge-sharing and activities to promote awareness on different levels, according to the needs of each country. Notably they support the Global Teenager Project (GTP), the Education Support Network Project (ESNet) and Enhance the Visual Presentation of Education Content (ENEDCO). More information can be found at www.iicd.org
Global Teenager Project
The Global Teenager Project (GPT) aims to encourage the use of ICT amongst teenagers and to develop their conceptual understanding of the different ways in which ICT can be used to help them achieve at school, especially in allowing them to communicate with other young people around the world. For example, the GTP enables its users to participate in learning groups in different languages, to organise international conferences on global citizenship and to publish specialist literature. In Zambia, 15 schools participate in the project and are involved in online exchanges with students from 85 different countries. More information is available at www.globalteenager-zm.org
Solar panel project to bring affordable power to African schools, clinics
Via - green.venturebeat.com Rooftop solar panels will soon be keeping the lights on in 117 schools and health clinics in rural Kenya. Photovoltaic equipment maker Go-solar Systems has teamed with renewable energy builder Power Options to wean municipal buildings off of environmentally-damaging and inconsistent hydropower, and lower the costs of electricity in impoverished regions.
The schools and health centers receiving the panels are largely off the grid and have never had electricity before. This solar pilot project, costing an estimated $3.63 million, will fundamentally change how they operate, and the services they can offer to surrounding communities. If the photovoltaics installed on top of these buildings successfully deliver affordable power and positively impact people, the project could be expanded across Kenya, including in urban centers. The country has set a goal to make renewable energy nationally available by 2012.
The country’s government has already earmarked about $6.6 million to bring solar power in far-flung areas of the country where electrical infrastructure remains underdeveloped. Similar rooftop solar projects elsewhere in Africa have demonstrated enormously positive results. With electricity, schoolchildren can be exposed to new things and study longer during the day, and health clinics can acquire badly-needed equipment to improve quality of care.
Solar seems to be the best choice for Kenya, well-suited to its year-round arid and sunny climate. If the country’s wind and solar sources were fully tapped, analysts believe the country could produce more than 3,000 megawatts of energy — enough to power 3 million American homes, and many more Kenyan homes. On top of that, another 3,000 megawatts could be derived from geothermal sources.
Go-solar Systems has been very active in East Africa, installing both solar and wind systems used to provide backup generation, and hot water heaters. It is very experimental in its technology and interested in extensive testing before widespread delivery. In addition to offering solar panels, Power Options sells a range of energy efficient appliances and consumer goods, including solar lanterns, flashlights and battery chargers. Both companies fit into a larger movement of renewable energy providers looking to grow while improving lives in the developing world.
Some independent design firms are also jumping into the mix with innovative ideas. For example, D.light’s Kiran lamps can fully charge during a sunny day to provide four the eight hours of light at night. They are actively replacing kerosene lanterns which have led to devastating fires and health problems due to fume inhalation. These are the ideas that will revolutionize how energy works off the grid, as well as people’s quality of life.