The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) Foundation, the global accreditation body for the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL), recently celebrated issuing its nine millionth logbook at a ceremony in Brussels. A logbook is the first step in obtaining the internationally recognised ICDL certification. It denotes the candidate's registration and is used to record progress through the seven modules that make up the programme.
“Nine million candidates registering with the ICDL certification programme highlights the importance of digital literacy for employability and sustainable economic growth,” said Jennifer van Niekerk, chief executive officer of the ICDL in South Africa.
Van Niekerk said this was a significant feat, indicating the ICDL sets the global benchmark in end-user computer skills programmes. “This achievement also indicates that the public's awareness of the importance of ICT certification has increased over the past few years,” she said.
“In this difficult economic climate, many workers will need to be retrained and the digital competences they can gain will help them find new opportunities for a better life,” said Van Niekerk.
By cutting back on education and training for digital skills, Van Niekerk said this might impede the country's capability to fully recover from the current crisis hitting the world economy.
“We therefore call on government to increase and accelerate investments in training and education to ensure South Africa emerges as a more dynamic and competitive economy when the economic recession finally eases.
“For the past 10 years, ICDL South Africa has worked to raise the level of ICT skills in society, to increase users' confidence in computer usage and to enable access to the information society for all citizens,” said Van Niekerk.
The ICDL certification is available in 146 countries globally and has been translated into 38 languages. It is internationally recognised as the global standard in end-user computer skills and has been adopted by the international business community, international organisations and governments.
The ICDL in South Africa is a non-profit organisation and was established to promote digital literacy to all and to administer the global quality standard in end-user computing.
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