Etheopian govt has internet policy

[reech]

These people have the right idea - as opposed to us with no coherent policy, just plenty of empty promises and more crappy legislation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4416073.stm

"Ethiopia plans internet expansion

Prime minister Meles Zenawi believes information technology has the power to counteract poverty.

He is planning to provide universal net connectivity for the country over the next few years.

The government is working with US technology firm Cisco to make this a reality.

Rural poverty

It will invest around $40m (£21m) in developing its internet service, which will involve laying 2,500km of fibre optic cables.

"We are fully committed to ensuring that as many of our poor as possible have this weapon that they need to fight poverty at the earliest possible time," Mr Meles said at a conference attended by government ministers and technology experts.

This will include access to the tens of thousands of rural districts over the next two to three years, he said.

Currently there are around 30,000 internet lines serving a population of 71 million.

Within six months that figure will be expanded to 500,000 lines.

Fifty seven million Ethiopians live in rural area, many relying on subsistence farming.

About half of the population are unable to read or write.

Next meal

The government is hoping e-schooling could change this and is planning to provide 450 secondary schools around the country with net access.

Regional and district government offices will also be linked and Healthnet will connect all referral hospitals around the country.

"Not long ago many of us felt that we were too poor to seriously invest in information and communication technology," Premier Zenawi told conference delegates.

"We were convinced that we should invest every penny we have on securing the next meal for our people. We did not believe serious investment in ICT had anything to do with facing the challenges of poverty that kills. Now I think we know better," he said. "

 

[eye_suc]

Right, i'm moving to ethiopia. Do we need more proof that the people in charge of our communications are a bunch of idiots? Thanks Ivy, keep it coming...

 

[stoke]

<Q>"We were convinced that we should invest every penny we have on securing the next meal for our people. We did not believe serious investment in ICT had anything to do with facing the challenges of poverty that kills. Now I think we know better," he said.</Q>

I find the intent of this whole article difficult to believe.

No mention of service fee's, controlling bodies or recognition to the absolute failure of the existing schooling system.

You've gotta fix the basics everywhere first otherwise you're going to end up with a massive rip in the society with the educated elite on one side, and non-educated lost souls on the other.

Can't they learn from our mistakes?

 

[antowan]

IMHO

Steps toward better society:

1. Preschool education with government sponsored nutritional programs. "Come to school and get fed properly too!” There should be a moral edge to all classes. Kids need to be taught social responsibility skills and moral values. Things like how to interact with friends and strangers. How to obey rules of our roads and laws of the land. Start it out simple.

2. Primary school education with food programs for those who cannot afford it. Start focusing on mathematics and language skills. Schooling from here should teach kids how democracy functions and how to be a responsible citizen. Small elections on school level can help. Things like voting for prefects and so forth. Some sort of independent thought training should be brought into the system. I am not exactly sure how, but we need to break the cycle of herd psychology where people cannot think for themselves.

3. Same for high school with small allowances for good performers. These allowances should only go to poor kids. School clothes (new clothes) for all poor kids should be a must seeing as image at this age is important. If you don't look different, you don't feel different. The food programs should extend throughout the 12-year schooling period.

4. Good performers in Standard 10 should get full bursaries for tertiary studies. Only poor kids should get full bursaries and it should not be based on race. I am totally against discrimination based on luck of birth.

We should see a return of tax investment within 15 to 18 years with graduates moving into the work environment, better skilled and their kids less dependant on government aid.

All schools will need free Internet facilities with open access by kids after school. The people who come through this system will become part of the userbase driving better and better tech in our country. Poor people should have easy access to the Internet at home should they develop a need for it. This need will initially be driven by kids getting premium education.