Subprogramme 4: ICT and Science & Technology for Development
Objective of the Subprogramme
Strengthen the capacity of member States for the formulation, adaptation, implementation and evaluation, of appropriate and integrated information, science and technology policies and programmes to address Africa’s development challenges within the framework of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals
Success stories:
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ECA provided ICT support to rural schools in Cameroon through a project known as the Electronic Rural Schools in African Languages (ERELA) Initiative, launched in collaboration with the National Association of Cameroonian Languages Committee (NACALCO). Over a three-year period a computer-based linguistic model was developed based on local languages in rural schools and is currently being piloted. Three training manuals in local languages, for supervisors, teachers and students, were developed, and specialized software in local languages has been installed in the schools. As a result of this initiative, rural school children in Cameroon will have access to computers as well as be able to use them in their own local languages. One thousand students are targeted to benefit from this initiative.
Through advisory services, six (6) countries are engaged in the development of sectoral e-strategies as part of their NICI implementation plans: Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Mali, Nigeria and Niger. Benin has started developing an e-education plan; Burkina is engaged in five sectoral strategies including health, commerce, e-government, education and rural services; Gambia has finalized an implementation plan on community access, education and human resource development; Mali has developed sectoral strategies on health, education and e-government and is currently developing e-commerce and e-agriculture strategies; Nigeria has developed a comprehensive implementation plan for its ICT policy as part of the country’s Vision 20-20-20; Niger has developed an e-government strategy and is currently engaged in the development of sectoral strategies on e-commerce, e-education and e-health.
- Regional Advisory services also supported the development of information and knowledge resource, through four collaborative research studies by Universities and other stakeholders; In addition the work of seven (7) Academia Research networks involving (20) African universities on emergent and relevant Information Society issues for the continent was coordinated. These resulted in the production and dissemination of various reports in support to decision-making processes in ICT policy formulation and implementation. In terms of capacity building, nine (9) workshops involving more than 400 participants from 40 African countries were conducted. Consistent with the promotion of science agenda, three main capacity building activity in line with Science with Africa conference recommendations aimed at promoting member States’ technology performance and innovation were coordinated.