AYF-News> ICTs - Web based materials

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The topic is very interesting.

I will answer with this topic 'Youth and "Youth"'

Yes it will enhance learning in Africa for those who have knowledge with
computers and those who have access to computers and those who can afford to
sit by computers and browse. That?s about 40 % of the youth with university
education and about 10 % of the youth with secondary school education. In
Ghana for instance, internet facility is prominent in the two major cities
Kumasi & Accra with minor traces in several regional capitals. Majority of
our youth are street children and rural youth and others are students who?ve
even never seen a computer before. Lets think about these people as well.

Now the issue positively will be bridging the gap or enhancing information
flow from the first category of youth to the last category of youth as I
have just stated. In Ghana, an hours browsing is 8000 Cedis (0.90 $)on the
average and printing cost 1500 Cedis (0.20 $) on the average. The minimum
wage is currently 11,000 Aprox (1.4$). Over 40 percent of Ghanaians live on
less than one dollar a day. Web access is that quite expensive to the
ordinary Ghanaian.

With decentralisation in Ghana and district offices where all district
capitals have electricity and where district health workers and agric
extension staff are the link between the district administration and the
rural youth, if these staff have access (as a test project) to web based
information and they are trained to interpret to the rural youth, I think
web based information/materials will be very helpful the youth in Africa. I
am quite privileged to read this message on the net and have the money and
the time to respond. Wouldnt you agree with me?

Samuel Owusu-Takyi, Ghana
INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE ,KUMASI
kitaghana@xxxxxxxxx


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Well,

Let me go to the point directly, web-based materials can not enhance
education in Africa just because it is very expensive an can not reach all.

In Tanzania a computer costs $1,500 -$2,000  the internet cost about $70 a
month and electricity can cost about $100 a month.99% of the students in
Africa can not get this money. In Tanzania electricity is a problem even in
the capital city now how do we expect to  use web based materials to educate
the youth while we have no power to operate the machines and we even don?t
have the professionals who will work out with the youth.

It will take years for the system to work here but I do not discourage it, I
would suggest that we African youth get good classes good teachers and good
quality education from primary schools. Tanzania youth in action for
development is planning to start vocational training centres that will train
children from the age of 10,we have seen problems in our community because
the youth who do not get chances to continue with secondary education in
Tanzania are hopeless most of them are between 13 and 16 at this age they
can do nothing and have no skills to catch up in life, this has been the
main increase of HIV/AIDS in many African countries because the girls who
are not at school need to money to help them with the basic needs but there
is no source of income then they become victims of sex to get money.

Similarly to young boy who run from villages to towns looking for jobs yet
they have no skills and end up in the streets and even becoming thieves,
robbers and drug addicts.

The best way of helping Africans especially Tanzanians is by providing
skills at early age so that those who do not have chances with higher
education can do something in life. If we train many Tanzanian in
agriculture including animal husbandry and horticulture we can build a rich
nation.

Ask me any thing.
Philip
youthinaction2001@xxxxxxxxx


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The world is changing so fast with this globalisation phenomenon we need to
widen our vision and knowledge to feet in the open market system, in order
to be competent, and wise we can learn what we have and what the world have
then we can integrate the knowledge and make the difference in our
countries, its a shame to remain the "UNDER" developed world for the rest of
the times its times we work very hard and have the best education and make a
stop to this Neo-colonialism in order to widen their vision as most of us
may never get a chance to travel around the world and learn from outside but
this can be done through website materials

web based materials can enhance learning in Africa only if the African youth
are accessed to the computers as we know most of youth in Africa are in
remote areas and its only a few of them who either have the lucky of being
employed in cities or are coming from advantaged families are the ones who
have knowledge and access to computers. I know some youth in Tanzania who
are well educated and they know a lot about downloading materials from
websites but unfortunately they are working outside Dar es Salaam where
there are computers which are not connected to internet. they are eager to
download materials but they can't. I do suggest Governments of respective
countries should give priority to expanding the internet services to remote
areas where the majorities are instead of concentrating on wars and
satisfying themselves, its good for the youth of Africa to use website
materials.

I think its time to show the world that we are smart and eager to learn than
what they think.

Thanks
Catherine Rutenge
crutenge@xxxxxxxxx

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"Build it and they will come" is more than just a movie quote. It should be
the mantra for educational content worldwide, not just in Africa.

According to INASP's "The Use of ICTs in African Public Libraries A Survey
of Ten Countries in Anglophone Africa" report:

"Outside South Africa, the use of computers for the automation of library
functions is very limited. It is only in South Africa and Botswana that
libraries have installed commercially available library management systems.
in Most of the libraries have Internet connectivity, in particular access to
e-mail, but almost none are providing Web-based library information services
to users; ICT facilities are therefore not being used directly to benefit
user communities.

There is a heavy reliance on donor assistance for the purchase, maintenance
and development of ICT facilities. No library reported that it had an
adequate budget. Despite this, and perhaps surprisingly, the computers in
use are neither old nor archaic, and software is relatively up to date. Many
libraries are favouring the establishment of cyber cafes to provide access
and raise funds. Deployment of ICTs is ad hoc, because few libraries have
ICT strategies in place."

This being said, the cultural, economic, and historical influences that have
caused Africa as a whole to lag behind Asia and other continents in
education and technology use continue. These factors may be seen as barriers
by some, but must also be viewed as opportunities to the educational
community. Programs such as ePals (http://www.epals.com/search/maps/africa/)
that offer classroom communications are a start.

Non-governmental agencies needs to continue to build strong educational
content and learning opportunities for African students. If, and more
importantly when, students do gain Internet access there must be appropriate
content available for them. They must learn that technology is not just
games. "Build it and they will come!"

Rich Street
rstreet@xxxxxxxxxx

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Thank you for introducing this very important topic for discuss.

I strongly believe from my experience that web -base materials will greatly
enhance learning in AFRICA specifically if the design to address the
fundamental issues development of the continent through proper and effective
integration of the cultures and peculiarities of the diverse people of the
continent. What do you think?

Alhassan pullo
kubahg@xxxxxxxxx

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