Mozambique to get Nepad e-schools

By Bontle Moeng for HP
Johannesburg, 15 Feb 2006

HP and Microsoft West, East and Central Africa (WECA) have signed a separate memorandum of understanding with the Mozambican government and the e-Africa Commission to help pave the way for the third Nepad e-school project in southern Africa.

The Nepad e-schools initiative aims to supply African schools with educational technology, including computer hardware, software, Internet connectivity, technical support and teacher training.

The Mozambican government has selected six schools to participate in the demonstration project, three of which were allocated to HP and three to Microsoft WECA.

"This is a milestone for Mozambican education and an inspirational way to start 2006," says Aires Bonifacio Baptiste Ali, Mozambican minister of education and culture. "We applaud the Nepad e-schools initiative and its partners such as HP who are transforming the face of education on the African continent."

The Nepad e-schools project was first announced at the 2003 Africa Economic Summit in Durban.

"Since the inception of Nepad, government and private sector leaders across Africa have agreed on the pivotal role that ICT will play in accelerating economic growth and development throughout the continent," says Dr Henry Chasia, executive deputy chairman, Nepad e-Africa Commission. "Central to achieving these goals is the fostering of technology skills and knowledge."

On completion of the project, more than 600 000 schools across the continent will enjoy the benefits of ICT and connectivity to the Nepad e-school network and the Internet.

"The support HP is receiving from the Mozambican minister of education and culture is critical to the success of this upliftment project," says Andre Hartley, MD of HP Southern Africa. "We look forward to continued success in positively impacting education and human development in Mozambique and the southern African region."

There are three consortia of private sector companies that are working on the NEPAD e-Schools project. Microsoft and Cisco head the first one, the second is headed by Oracle and the third by HP. The private companies have committed to sponsoring the demonstration project for 12 to 18 months in 16 participating countries. Participating countries include Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, SA and Uganda.

The e-schools project falls under the auspices of the e-Africa Commission, the Nepad ICT task team responsible for developing the Nepad ICT programme and implementing related projects.