[kictanet] Day 3 of 10: How to Develop Skilled Human Capital

Wangari Kabiru wangarikabiru at yahoo.co.uk
Fri Jun 24 10:38:35 EAT 2016


mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0Z72AY

Blessed Furahi Day!

I shudder at our level of discussion on human "Human Capital" whereas it is perhaps now on humanoid robotic capital and next to something else unknown.

Doors already open themselves or via swipe cards versus need to have a door man.

Industry automation on this side of the world comes with mass layoffs for regular jobs and economic distress to families. The laws and the labour organisations work for some and for some others not.

Robotics represent an even worse situation on this economic front for families if we operate as usual.

The basic school level skilling should enable learners to be creators for practical day to day usage and translatable into livelihood "income and work" skills as they advance on in their years of study i.e not to be just users of the gadgets.

Keeping in mind we have high levels of dropout and transition drop offs e.g from KCPE into high school and KCSE into College years. 

Educators and Teachers are an integral part of the education cycle. Engineers and scientists need to go back into the classroom. Having a Computer teacher is not sufficient any more.  The output is more often a mirror of mwalimu alivyo! The public teachers employer TSC is integral to this deliberation.

PS: I like the pointer that it will take 18YEARS to see the fruits of the Jubilee laptops. This is too long, too long! The world will have transformed into making their skills irrelevant.
That is why the skills imparted now should be usable and relevant in 18years i.e visionary


Blessed day. 

Regards/Wangari

≠≠====

mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0Z72AY

TOP NEWS
Tue Jun 21, 2016 | 1:07 PM EDT
Europe's robots to become 'electronic persons' under draft plan

A ''Nao'' humanoid robot, by Aldebaran Robotics that offers basic service information, moves during a presentation at a branch of the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (MUFG) in Tokyo April 13, 2015. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo


By Georgina Prodhan | MUNICH, GERMANY
(Reuters) - Europe's growing army of robot workers could be classed as "electronic persons" and their owners liable to paying social security for them if the European Union adopts a draft plan to address the realities of a new industrial revolution.

Robots are being deployed in ever-greater numbers in factories and also taking on tasks such as personal care or surgery, raising fears over unemployment, wealth inequality and alienation.

Their growing intelligence, pervasiveness and autonomy requires rethinking everything from taxation to legal liability, a draft European Parliament motion, dated May 31, suggests.

Some robots are even taking on a human form. Visitors to the world's biggest travel show in March were greeted by a lifelike robot developed by Japan's Toshiba (6502.T) and were helped by another made by France's Aldebaran Robotics.

However, Germany's VDMA, which represents companies such as automation giant Siemens (SIEGn.DE) and robot maker Kuka (KU2G.DE), says the proposals are too complicated and too early.

German robotics and automation turnover rose 7 percent to 12.2 billion euros ($13.8 billion) last year and the country is keen to keep its edge in the latest industrial technology. Kuka is the target of a takeover bid by China's Midea (000333.SZ)
 
The draft motion called on the European Commission to consider "that at least the most sophisticated autonomous robots could be established as having the status of electronic persons with specific rights and obligations".

It also suggested the creation of a register for smart autonomous robots, which would link each one to funds established to cover its legal liabilities.

Patrick Schwarzkopf, managing director of the VDMA's robotic and automation department, said: "That we would create a legal framework with electronic persons - that's something that could happen in 50 years but not in 10 years."

"We think it would be very bureaucratic and would stunt the development of robotics," he told reporters at the Automatica robotics trade fair in Munich, while acknowledging that a legal framework for self-driving cars would be needed soon.

The report added that robotics and artificial intelligence may result in a large part of the work now done by humans being taken over by robots, raising concerns about the future of employment and the viability of social security systems.

The draft motion, drawn up by the European parliament's committee on legal affairs also said organizations should have to declare savings they made in social security contributions by using robotics instead of people, for tax purposes.

Schwarzkopf said there was no proven correlation between increasing robot density and unemployment, pointing out that the number of employees in the German automotive industry rose by 13 percent between 2010 and 2015, while industrial robot stock in the industry rose 17 percent in the same period.

The motion faces an uphill battle to win backing from the various political blocks in European Parliament. Even if it did get enough support to pass, it would be a non-binding resolution as the Parliament lacks the authority to propose legislation.

(Additional reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel in Brussels; Editing by Alexander Smith)



On Jun 24, 2016 08:18, Walubengo J via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>
> Listers,
>
> Plse feel free to contribute on previous threads as long as you pick the corresponding title.  Also remember, for those wishing to directly edit the Draft ICT policy, visit Jadili platform, register and post.
>
> So onto todays theme:
> How to Develop Skilled Human Capital 
>
> *ICT integration in primary, secondary, tertiary levels,
> *Specialized Skills (Software /Engineering)
> *Research & Development Capacity
> *eLiteracy for citizens/public 
>
> The Background:
> The Digital Literacy Program aka the Laptop project is ongoing and we probably have  to wait another 18-20yrs years to  see its impact (when today’s std 1s hit the market).  But meanwhile, we need skilled human capital to help move us from a net consumer of electronic goods and services into a net producer of the same.
>
> Our R&D output in general is quite low (Global Innovation Index 2015) despite the fact that we are leader at a regional level.  What should the Policy capture  to ensure Kenya churns out a constant supply of  highly skilled manpower necessary to drive the digital society.
>
> Send in your ideas, comments, strategies, etc. 
>
> 1Day as usual for the topic.
>
> walu.
>  
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