|
|
Readings
- The case study on Computers for Schools Kenya
(CFSK) describes an excellent model for a
technical service centre. It contains all
aspects of a technical service centre that has
been in operation for approximately 18 months.
The importance of creating partnerships is
highlighted in this case study.
- The extensive case study on SchoolNet Namibia is also an
excellent resource to read to gain further
understanding of what is required in order to
establish a technical service centre. This
organization has been operating fro
approximately four years.
- There are various factors that need to be
taken into consideration when choosing a
location for your technical service centre.
These factors, including adequate space and
security requirements, are discussed in this
document called premises and facilities.
- Electricity is an important
issue that needs to be dealt with appropriately.
Uneven power supply is common in Africa and this
document looks at various mechanisms to minimize
or alleviate this problem.
- Telephone and Internet
connections are fundamental for a technical
service centre. The different telecommunication
options are discussed in this document.
- Setting up a local area network (LAN) and
the Internet in a technical service centre is
described in the document called IT in the organisation.
Firewalls, viruses and virus protection are also
covered.
- It is important to acquire non-profit status in order to
receive donations from businesses. NGO (non
government organization) status also entitles
the organization to various benefits. Page 2 of
the CFSK case study describes how
to go about acquiring this status.
- International Volunteer Organizations (IVOs)
offer assistance to NGOs by providing human
resources. Page 2 of the CFSK case study discusses the
service provided by these organisations and
names of some of them that can be approached.
- Here are some tips for keeping in touch with the
market.
Retour-up resources/Additional
Info
http://www.schoolnetafrica.org/
http://www.openknowledgenetwork.net/
http://www.schoolforge.net/
mission is to unify independent organizations
that advocate, use, and develop open resources
for primary and secondary education
http://www.digitalpartnership.org/
http://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/
http://www.bridges.org/
www.sustainweb.co.uk/centre.htm
(case study for solar power supply)
Trade communities
- Trade communities and the Ministry of Trade
and Industry can assist with the relaxation of
import duties. Trade communities also assist in
various ways with trade between countries.http://www.intracen.org/iatp/regional_economic.htm
is a link to an extensive list of trade support
institutions in Africa.
- ORION is a suite of software modules
designed to leverage the power of cargo
clearance operations. http://www.orion.ecowas.int/
- The East and Central Africa Global
Competitiveness Hub supports poverty reduction
in East and Central Africa by increasing trade
and investment flows with the rest of the world
and providing expertise to reduce trade
barriers. http://www.ecatradehub.com/.
http://www.ecatradehub.com/customs.html
looks at customs issues.
- The Southern African Customs Union aim is to
maintain the free interchange of goods between
member countries. http://www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/Multilateral/africa/sacu.html
ICT Policy Making
Information and communication technologies
(ICT) policy decisions affect anyone who wants
to use opportunities offered by new
technologies. We depend on our governments and
policy makers to make ICT policy choices that
will make these technologies affordable and
accessible to all.
This section provides resources and studies
to support policy development on ICT integration
in education with an insight to Education
Systems in African schools.
- ICT Policy: A
Beginner's Handbook
APC's new
book lays out the issues and dispenses with the
jargon to encourage more people to get involved
in ICT policy processes. This book is for people
who feel that ICT policy is important but don't
know much about it, e.g. a government official
worried about a gap in her technical knowledge
of how the internet works, a human-rights worker
concerned that his need to send secure email is
being challenged by national government policy,
a citizen fed up with paying exorbitant rates
for dial-up internet access and ready to
organise.
http://www.apc.org/books
- The ICT Policy for Civil Society
training course builds the capacity of
civil society organisations to understand policy
and regulation related to information and
communication technologies (ICT) so that they
can begin to engage and influence policy
processes affecting ICT adoption and
implementation at national, regional and global
levels.
http://www.schoolnetafrica.org/fileadmin/1MillionPCsTraining/Module%202/www.apc.org/english/capacity/policy/curriculum.shtml
- Involving Civil Society in ICT
Policy
This book is aimed at people
who want to advocate for more just and enabling
policy environments and is designed to build
awareness of and capacity to engage in ICT
policy-making spaces at international, regional
and national levels, including the WSIS (World
Summit on the Information Society)
policy_wsis.pdf
- Global Policymaking for Information
and Communications
Technologies
Enabling Meaningful
Participation by Developing-Nation
Stakeholders.
roadmap_report.pdf
- Making the Internet
Count
A Manual for African Policy
Makers. UNECA. A manual to help individuals and
organisations to connect to the internet to send
and receive information in a way that furthers
rganisational goals and objectives.
http://www1.oecd.org/dac/ictcd/docs/matrixdocs/UNECA_paper2.pdf
- Broadband Driving Growth; Policy
Responses
Broadband connectivity is
a key component in ICT development, adoption and
use and is strategically important because of
its ability to accelerate the contribution of
ICTs to economic growth in all sectors.
Broadband_statement.pdf
- Bringing the benefits of ICT to
Africa
In choosing its priority
programmes, NEPAD focused on the importance of
information and communication technologies(ICT)
both in helping to extend and raise the quality
of education at all levels in African education
systems and also in imparting ICT skills to the
African population in the workforce and in the
communities at large.
Bringing_the_benefits_of_ICT_to_Africa.pdf
- An Information Policy Handbook for
Southern Africa
A Knowledge Base
for Decision-Makers
http://www.apc.org/books/ictpolsa/index.htm
- Louder
Voices
Strengthening Developing
Country Participation in International ICT
Decision-Making.
Louder_Voices.pdf
- Regulation and Internet Use in
Developing Countries
Policymakers
are simultaneously concerned about the
consequences of a worsening “digital divide”
between rich and poor countries and hopeful that
information and computing technologies could
increase economic growth in developing
countries. But very little research has explored
the reasons for the digital divide beyond noting
that it is strongly correlated with standard
development indicators, and no empirical
research has explored the role of regulation.
policymaking_and_internet.pdf
|
|
