[kictanet] ICT Opportunity alert: Will the true entrepreneurs stand up?

[Fatma Bashir]

Dear All,

I think that in Kenya we can prepare our school going children at all levels
to contribute effectively in the soceity they will build to live and work in
when they come of age.

A paradigm shift on the education policy planning and implementation to
forecast the set of skills that the next generation will need in order to
successfully compete in both the local and global front may be
necessary. That is if it is not already well underway that is.

For this to be effectively done an analysis of developing trends both
locally and globally will need to established. Today the Internet has turned
around how we learn, live, relate, transact business etc, it will not go
away as more and more the internet will relied upon as a carrier for almost
everything. Will it still be the internet tommorrow or will it be mobile
technolgy?

Emerging opportunities within our own country that we will need to exploited
need to also be established, this from our natural resources etc, We need to
build incubation strategies that deliberately nurture certain skills to
prepare our youth (school going) to naturally slot themselves into these
emerging opportunities. What quickly comes to mind is the BPO industry, for
it to succeed even at the continental front the harvesting ground is the
high schools in this country.

What areas of the curriculum need to be brought back into play and which
ones need to be revised especially on delivery in order to make them hands
on?

Lets look at technical drawing for example, it was once a popular subject,
but if it is to return will we expect the students to still use pencils or
the mouse? What skills do the teachers as the front runners need to have to
effectively deliver? What facilities will be needed in the schools?

Science and Technology is the differentiating factor between developed,
developing and never to develop countries! Through innovation the world can
become your client ( oyster) What needs to be done to upgrade the standards
using eLearning tools? this is to ensure that our chemistry, biology ,
physics and Maths classes are literally brimming with students. It can be
done right up to University level courses that then feed directly into R&D
centres. This will institute the correct culture needed to bring in critical
analytical skills that are necessary for innovation.

These skills will enable us to exploit global opportunites while still
living in our country.

To fully integrate new technologies into the education system we may need to
revist methods of teaching strategy (pedagogy), quality assuarance,
assessment, certification. Less reliance on the written exams and more focus
on group work, assignments, CAT's as methods of assessment and awarding of
results will need to be delved into.

I beleive enterpreneurship skills can be nutured in the minds of those who
learn how to approach thinking from different perspectives from an early
age. It takes a challenging classroom environment to breed this mind set.

there is so much more to be said here....

'a mind is not an empty vessel to be filled it is a fire to be lit'.


Fatma

Dec 17, 2007 9:31 PM, alice <alice at apc.org> wrote:

> Dear all
> > It is clear that the government and the Kenya ICT Board have the
> > concepts right in terms creating the opportunities for wealth and
> > employment creation. What must now be ignited is the private sector.
> > The entrepreneur must seize the opportunity that is beginning to show
> > itself and make the most of it. Sadly, so far, the developments in the
> > ICT sector have largely had the attention of activists – even those
> > who have their businesses.
> Interesting call... only problem is if this has to be effective and
> Kenya has to have a size able number of citizens that are motivated
> enough, have the skills, knowledge etc etc to take advantage of the
> opportunities being provided by government, there is a need look into
> other issues that affect the uptake from mindsets, curriculum's in
> nearly all of our schools and indeed universities, colleges. Do they
> offer entrepreneurial skills and encouragement to venture?
>
> Those of us who attended the GK3 last week, will recall one of the great
> and most popular ideas that was presented by the Idea Factory and widely
> voted for was the idea of introducing entrepreneurial skills, courses
> etc as early as kindergarten. Could we do that in Kenya?
>
> best
> alice
>
>
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