Africa must build its IT skills base and the time is right to implement IT initiatives around the continent, says Nepad secretariat head Wiseman Nkuhlu.
Speaking in Pretoria yesterday at the second workshop on the Nepad e-Schools initiative, Nkuhlu stressed the importance of such projects.
Described as the largest multi-country ICT education project attempted in Africa, the initiative will equip schools with ICT labs and the tools students need to be able to use ICT.
Nkuhlu said Africa must heed the views of G8 nations, which have in the past criticised the continent for not being proactive enough in developing IT skills.
"Now that the message is coming from G8 countries, possibly the developing nations will now listen, because it is no longer a case of us beating our own drum.
"The time is right for a big push on Nepad`s e-Schools initiative," Nkuhlu added.
Communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri stressed the need for community co-operation among African nations. "It is important for Africa to fight the past injustices and that we as a continent continue to thrive collectively, particularly on issues of development, peace and economic growth."
Matsepe-Casaburri also lauded participants in the e-Schools initiative, saying they had contributed to ensuring Africa would succeed in the "creation of a functioning information society and knowledge-based economy".
The road ahead
Also speaking at yesterday`s workshop, Dr Henry Chasia, executive deputy chairman of Nepad`s e-Africa Commission, highlighted some of the initiative`s objectives.
"We want to make IT accessible to African students, and improve the educational and living standards of our children. This is our main aim.
"We will work together to accomplish this, and in doing so, form associations and partnerships, and promote integration on a continental scale."
While it is likely there would be economic and social benefits garnered from the project, Chasia said it was important these remain subsidiary objectives.
He also stressed the importance for all involved parties to understand the gravity of such an initiative, and highlighted the need for effective project management. "We need to create the capacity, especially on a national level, to handle a project on such a massive scale."
Nepad must embark on the roll-out phase of the e-Schools initiative in the next year, he added.
The second workshop was held yesterday to implement the next phase of the e-Schools initiative, in which six secondary schools have been selected to carry out the demonstration project.
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