[kictanet] Online Interview with PS Ndemo: Day 1 of 5 ICT in Education

[Suraj Shah]

Dr Ndemo

First of all well done on a vision well thought of.

I would like to comment on

> ICT in schools is not wide spread due to infrastructural peoblems and
> resistance by teachers in embracing new technologies.  This undermines
> overall objective of developing capacity at all levels.

In Intel's experience of working with teachers in Kenya for the last 3
years, teachers are not the problem for the ineffective spread of ICT in
schools.  We find Kenyan teachers are more enthusiastic than most countries
in Africa in embracing ICT; in fact we get so many requests for ICT training
but without support from MoE we cannot take the training out to teachers
fast enough.  Wherever we have trained teachers, we are already seeing great
impact stories and these teachers are taking ICT in the classroom to the
next level of content usage and generation.

Thanks

Suraj Shah 

On 8/3/11 11:34 AM, "bitange at jambo.co.ke" <bitange at jambo.co.ke> wrote:

> Barrack,
> The answer to your first question is no.  The parception out there is that
> we are doing fine.  Although we introduced ICDL as a tandard, we still
> have not embraced minimum ICT literacy levels in the country. We must be
> as competitive as any other country that is why I am disappointed that we
> no not like standards.
> 
> ICT in schools is not wide spread due to infrastructural peoblems and
> resistance by teachers in embracing new technologies.  This undermines
> overall objective of developing capacity at all levels.  In most
> international airports, they are removing help desks assuming everybody
> understands computer basics.  It is often embarracing to see a queue of
> Africans in Amstaerdam wanting help with the ticket dispensing machines.
> It has become some form of discrimination by choice.  This is why we need
> ICT education to be compulsory not only in schools but in work place.
> 
> In my earlier postings I have deliberately talked about end to end
> government.  This will require massive education in order to optimally
> utilize the new technologies that we intend to put in place.  Much of this
> should be done in schools.
> 
> Although ICT infrastructures covers virtually the whole country, we have
> not utilized the resource as I would have wanted.  In a country like Kenya
> we can leapfrog into a modern state.  We have subsidized broadband to
> Universities and colleges but you see very little content from these
> institutions.  The private sector too has not seen the opportunities that
> lie in massive content that is required of a knowledge economy.
> 
> I must say that we have some great capacities here in application
> development.  It is the private sector that must harness this and create
> wealth out of it.  The trouble the rest of the world is watching and soon
> you will find brain drain out of here.
> 
> We have great plans for education going forward.  We shall utilize all
> available technologies to reach every Kenyan.  For example earlier on I
> said we need to use DTH to get to every school.  All we need at the school
> is a TV set the rest can be met.
> 
> 
> Regards
> 
> 
> Ndemo.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> Dr, Ndemo,
>> 
>> 
>>    1. Are you satisfied with the current state of affairs with regard to
>> ICT
>>    in education?
>>    2. Can you highlight some of the gains the country has attained with
>>    regard to ICT in education, what is your vision for the education
>> sector
>>    going forwad?
>> 
>> Thank you
>> --
>> Barrack O. Otieno
>> 
>> +254721325277
>> +254-20-2498789
>> Skype: barrack.otieno
>> 
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for
> people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation.
> The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support
> of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
> 
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online
> that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share
> knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam,
> do not market your wares or qualifications.