eLearning opens

Inequitable access to resources among citizens and lack of technology to exploit the vast natural resources available in most African countries has contributed to underdevelopment.
However, developed countries have a well informed citizenry which is able to adapt quickly to the changing social and economic environments and be able to utilize opportunities to overcome development challenges such as poverty.
In his speech read by the Vice President Mr. George Kunda at the opening of the eLearning Africa conference, Zambia’s President Rupiah Banda noted that technology had the potential to make significant changes in any aspect of development yet most African countries were slow in embracing it.
The president said ICT could be used to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor in the context of globalization, adding that digital divide presented barriers that hinder the opportunity to utilize available resources.
Acknowledging that ICT is a tool used for development thereby increasing chances of improving the quality of lives, he said “it enables the nation to build an information centered society where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information which leads to greater productivity, competitiveness and sustainable economic growth, which is a pre-condition of poverty reduction and good governance.
The 5th eLearning Africa conference has been one of the most successful events in Africa, the first one hosted by Kenya in 2006, second in Ethiopia in 2007, third was hosted by Ghana in 2008 and the fourth in Senegal in 2009.
It is an annual event in Africa specifically devoted to the use of ICT in development, education and training. The conference is taking place in Zambia under the patronage of the Ministry of Education in collaboration with Ministries of Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Health, and Communication and Transport.
This year’s conference fell under the themes Conceptual, sectoral, policy planning and design, and solutions and technical innovations. There are 10 parallel conferences with up to 60 sessions, 20 exhibitors and demonstrators, 8 insakas (Bemba word meaning place to gather for debates and social purposes) and more than 30 speakers from 57 countries.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s Minister for Education, Ms Dora Siliya noted that there was a low adoption of ICT in Zambian schools adding that the Ministry of Education had began initiatives of distributing computers to schools around the world.
“This initiative saw a countrywide distribution of 1,980 computers in 45 High schools, 15 colleges, 14 provincial resource centers, 14 schools for continuing education in the country, Universities of Zambia and Copperbelt,” she said.
In her address s at the conference, the Minister informed delegates that Zambia is one of the first countries to develop the Tele-Health initiative that would ensure the health system is interconnected to cater for the ailing. The health system is interconnected via Pan-African eNetwork project.
The ministry of health introduced a smart Card Patient System to improve continuity of health care by building a complete patient health record on a computer and saved on the Smart Card that is kept by patients for their next visits. The system is currently in 525 health facilities across the country.
On issues of affordability, Siliya said Africa was still lagging behind in ICT because the costs involved were on the higher side. She however urged African governments to change the mindset and embrace ICT in all sectors, by making it a priority in their budgets.
“Lets take advantage of the fibre optic and give ICT priority in our development issues to harness our economies,” she said.
At the same time, Right Reverend Solomon Taliwe Johnson, an Anglican Bishop of Gambia urged governments to incorporate faith institutions while embracing ICT.
He said the institutions played a major role in shaping the lives of both the youth and the community, who form the larger percent of ICT consumption.
“African digital is impacting in our lives and there is need to have a collective partnership to foster development in the sector,” he said.
The Reverend was speaking during the official opening of the eLearning conference. He however regretted that as much as Africa was heading in the right direction of ICt development, concerns were being raised of the same in corrupting the mindset of the young people.
“Online world creates two way communications, negative and positive. It is our duty to ensure the right information is passed to the youth and all using ICT,” he added.
Rev. Taliwe also raised concerns over costs for power, equipment, access to training that bars Africans from educating in the digital world, adding that the hardest barrier to cross was the cultural aspect.
He called on stakeholders to always encourage the youth and initiate them in dialogue on the digital world to foster development.
Meanwhile, Ms Shafika Isaacs, an independent Consultant in ICT bemoaned that education systems in the continent had failed and added that it should be a background to introduce ICT.
“The way the education systems are designed is very complicated and has contributed to failure. We should start integrating ICT, an approach that may transform it,” she said.
Isaac also noted that the continent was lacking experts in ICT and those available had very limited experience. She called on stakeholders to start organization for training of trainers’ sessions that could see rise in interest and implementation.
The conference ends on Friday evening.