Deputy minister of communications Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams yesterday called on the private ICT sector to assist government in developing skills in the industry.
Ndabeni-Abrahams was speaking at an award ceremony honouring female role players in the ICT industry, in the Eastern Cape.
"In the second decade of the 21st century, we are all very much aware of the power and importance of ICTs in every aspect of our lives and ICTs increasingly play a vital role in all societies," said Ndabeni-Abrahams.
She said the Department of Communications (DOC) already has a strong partnership with the private sector, which has yielded excellent results. She pointed out the connecting of schools countrywide, ICT training of youth in prisons, and the connecting of Kingdoms to skill rural women in ICT, as some of the goals achieved by the department.
"Our country needs real investment that will have a positive impact in the lives of our ordinary people. Through ICTs, we can contribute to improving the quality of education and learning. Let us all work with the industry towards ensuring that our people are ICT-skilled and are ready for the modern knowledge economy we are living under."
The women who received awards at the ceremony yesterday come from various sectors in the industry, including information systems, software development and ICT architecture.
Ndabeni-Abrahams said awards are key in the promotion and recognition of industry leaders, especially in the Eastern Cape that is "known to be lagging behind in ICT development compared to other provinces".
Ndabeni-Abrahams reiterated the importance of skills development in the ICT sector, especially among women. "We need to get more girls involved in science, technology, engineering and maths, and we need to get more girls taking an interest in ICT careers."
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