[UgaBYTES] Innovation, use of IT still low in East Africa schools

[Meddie Mayanja]

I think this is a very damning report... 

It is hard to see how innovation will come to Africa unless universities prioritise it. Student have to learn differently so when they get to the field they could be leaders in innovation and research. The culture of developing policies against ideas of the day, emotions has to stop...so research can show what credible products, processes and policies can be.

Meddie 



-----Original Message-----
From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org [mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Sandra Nassali
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 3:12 AM
To: ugabytes
Subject: [UgaBYTES] Innovation, use of IT still low in East Africa schools

Innovation and use of IT is still limited in universities in East Africa, according to a survey commissioned and funded by the Rockefeller Foundation.

The survey focused on accessibility, usage and availability of information communication technologies (ICT) services in 50 universities around the East African region, including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

Only 43 percent of the 50 campuses surveyed are taking part in global IT competitions that would give them international recognition, according to the poll. Such competitions involve students or lecturers developing innovative software, and include events like the Google Cup, which takes place annually in Paris.

"Innovative projects give the universities more credibility in the world,"
said Meoli Kashorada, a lead investigator for the survey and professor at the United States International University (USIU) in Kenya. "This can be achieved both by students and lecturers."

The report indicates that the ratio of students to computers, and the lack of low-cost bandwidth, affects innovation and use of technology at the universities.

Rwandan universities had the best ratio, at an average of seven computers per 100 students. Elsewhere the survey found the ratio to be 6.8 per 100 students in Uganda; 5.2 per 100 students in Kenya; 2.7 per 100 students in Tanzania; and 1.5 per 100 students in Burundi.

The goal for these universities is to have 10 computers per 100 students, according to Kashorada.

Continue reading from
here<http://www.computerworldnigeria.com/articles/2009/10/27/innovation-use-it-still-low-east-africa-schools>

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