[UgaBYTES] WEEKLY NEWS ROUND UP-AFRICA (WEEK 18)

[Mwathi Francis]

Technology can make teaching, learning lively
25th April 2009

Ronald Ddungu  is one of the few teachers in Uganda using technology
innovatively to transform teaching and learning. He is a senior
Mathematics and Physics teacher at Gayaza High School and the deputy
headmaster of the school. Last year, he represented Uganda in Ghana
where African teachers were competing at the E-Learning Conference.
The project he developed for teaching his class was the best in the
community level category. He was selected to represent Africa at the
International Education Teachers Innovative Forum in Hong Kong where
he competed and emerged second in the world in developing innovative
teaching projects.
http://www.busiweek.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1461&Itemid=30


New project launched to equip rural youth with ICT skills
27th April 2009

Ghanaian youth have been advised to desist from using Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) for fraudulent purposes.  They have
been encouraged to equip themselves with skills in ICT to improve the
quality of their lives so that they can become role models for others
to aspire higher.
Minister of Communications, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, gave the advice at the
launch of a project in Accra dubbed 'ICIVISION', an initiative of
Virtue World Foundation aimed at establishing and teaching ICT in
rural and deprived areas in Ghana. He cautioned that government will
soon come out with a framework for cyber security to protect the
internet and also build confidence in its use for education, commerce,
governance and health.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/public_agenda/article.php?ID=13111


ICT sector in Botswana growing at snail pace
28th April 2009

Driven mainly by a conducive environment and infrastructure set up by
government, Botswana's Information, Technology and Communications
(ICT) sector continues to develop although at a slower pace than
expected, an economist said yesterday. Dr Phumzile Thobokwe of the
Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) told an ICT seminar in
Gaborone that the private sector is not doing enough to help the
country to develop into a knowledge-based society with an industry
that thrives on ICT advancement.
http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=4&aid=12&dir=2009/April/Tuesday28


Katsina state Primary Schools in Nigeria to be Computerised
28th April 2009

Kastina State Government is to supply computers to all its primary
schools by 2010, Executive Chairman of the State’s Universal Basic
Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Sule Kuki has said.
Kuki, who made this known at the opening meeting of Sararin Kuka
Primary School Old Boys’ Association in the state, recently, said some
primary schools had started enjoying the facilities and that the
effort was aimed at promoting computer literacy in schools.
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=142034


African farmers get geospatial info on their phones
24th April 209

A pilot project that uses mobile phones to alert farmers in remote
regions to where they can buy drought-tolerant beans has been launched
in Kenya — just one of a set of pilot projects using mobile and
geospatial technologies to improve communication of important
information to farmers across Africa.In the first step of the system
researchers confirm where dealers are stocking drought-tolerant beans,
mapping their locations. Scientists then use mobile phone services to
send the information to government extension workers who have
second-generation mobile phones, common in Africa. They can then relay
the information to farmers in person or via their phones.
http://www.scidev.net/en/news/african-farmers-get-geospatial-info-on-their-phone.html


ICT Tools to Bridge Illiteracy Divide in Sierra Loene
29th April 2009

An ICT task force, chaired by the vice president and co-chaired by the
minister of information and communications, has planned a two-day
stakeholders' confab slated for April 30 and May 1, 2009 to formulate
a national ICT policy for Sierra Leone. Information and communication
technologies, ICTs play a vital role today in facilitating the
attainment of development goals of any nation.Over the last few years,
many African countries have taken advantage of the opportunities
provided by ICT and have put in place action plans to support their
socio-economic development efforts.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200904290790.html



-- 
Francis Mwathi
Support Community Facilitator
UgaBYTES Initiatives (www.ugabytes.org)
Telecentr.org (www.telecentrecommunity.ning.com)
Tel: +256 414 370163
Mob: +256 752 995063
Skype: francis.mwathi
E-Mail: mfrancis at ugabytes.org