Information Policy

Tanzania: Enabling citizens to access, use e-government services

Designing electronic services is an important step towards useful and usable e-government for citizens. E-government is the utilization of online services to deliver government information and services to citizens.

Today, a lot of government information is accessible online more than it was in the past. It is meant to engage the citizenry in governance and allows government transparency, as members of the public are informed of what the government is doing and the policies being implemented to facilitate social development.

E-government increases efficiency, improved services, better accessibility of public services and more transparency and accountability. E-government service managers need to be equipped with adequate skills and knowledge on how to develop services that will meet expectations of citizens.

Considering this importance, Tanzania Global Development Learning Centre (TGDLC), which links the world through learning, in collaboration with Institute of Finance Management (IFM), has organized on February 20-24, this year, a face to face workshop on developing value added for e-government services for citizens to take place in Malaysia.

The workshop offers a unique opportunity for developing competencies for steering structural changes taking place in public services and thus creating a mindset of e-government related to the utilization of information communication technology (ICT) to transform and enhance the relationship between the public sector and its clients through improved services. It targets senior officers and executive leaders and those, who have been prepared to assume leadership roles.

Workshop contents include but not limited to planning and managing choices in the development of e-government services, identifying and profiling users of organizational e-government services, constructing, implementing, maintaining and evaluating e-government services, approaches for citizen involvement and experience sharing in the development of e-government services.

E-services are becoming common in today’s world because of advancement in and application of ICT. Last year’s ICT training to fast-track e-government in Dar es Salaam is an indication that Tanzania is no longer a spectator in e-government services. The TGDLC organized an extensive training of over 200 government executives with a view to fast-tracking the enforcement of e-government.

“The enforcement of e-government needs skilled manpower and without proper training, the implementation of e-government programmes will remain unrealistic,” said TGDLC training coordinator Dickson Mwanyika at the ICT international conference, which was opened by Vice-President Dr Mohamed Gharib Bilal and drew ICT experts and Specialists, government ministers and representatives of civil societies and ICT companies from across the world.

So, e-government is needed today because of changing world operational systems to work and enhance efficiency in both the public and private sectors.

"Tanzania is not lagging behind in these unfolding developments, as the government has already launched a special e-government programme and put it under the supervision of the E-Government Agency," Mwanyika said.

This follows the ongoing construction of the national ICT broadband backbone (NICTBB), which demonstrates the government's commitment to promote ICT and enforce e-government in public delivery systems.

According to the TGDLC training coordinator, “these positive initiatives must be supported by human resources capable of helping the government realise its e-government dreams.”

The national fibre-optic cable, which is part of the East African Submarine System (EASSy) connecting 12 eastern and southern African countries to the global marine fibre-optic cable, was commissioned in 2008.

“No country can today make any meaningful social progress without proper ICT investment,” said Dr Bilal at the opening of the conference, who also appealed to African governments to invest more in ICT to facilitate knowledge transfer and cope with global developments more effectively.

According to Dr Bilal, Tanzania has recorded notable strides in education in terms of ICT applications and infrastructural expansion.

He said schools, colleges, vocational centres and polytechnics needed to be installed with proper ICT facilities to make students acquainted with computer applications and skills.

The government has tasked TGDLC to help government executives from national, regional, district to local government levels to be acquainted with ICT applications and e-government. An e-government training project is implemented by TGDLC, e-government Agency and the Ministry of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management).

Through its ICT facilities, TGDLC has linked the world through learning – that is, capacity building programmes meant to inculcate in participants requisite skills needed in their career development and work environment.

TGDLC is a government institution and a member of the Global Development Learning Network (GDLN). Its four core values are customer service, pursuit of excellence in service, integrity, diligence to duty and innovation.

Its mission is to develop skills and competences of public servants, the private sector and civil society personnel for the delivery of excellent services through distance learning and using the cost-effective state-of-the-art technology.

http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=37660

Czech: New public library plan to improve online services

Prague, Jan 11 (CTK) - The Czech coalition government yesterday approved a national development plan for public libraries for 2012-2015 that will primarily focus on online services, Culture Minister Alena Hanakova (for TOP 09) told journalists.

The priority is to find money to introduce a free Internet in more libraries and improve the online services. Approximately 25 million crowns will be earmarked this year, Hanakova said.

Money seems to be the key problem, however.

The financial support to the project will depend on the economic situation of the country in the next years.

Last year, more than two-fifths of municipal and regional libraries had their budgets lowered. Over one third reduced their acquisitions and the offer of services.

The Prague Municipal Library announced yesterday that it will have to close five of its 43 branches as of March due to budget cuts and the increase in VAT on books and magazines.

The costs of the Internet connection of public libraries, roughly 100 million crowns a year, have been covered by the Interior Ministry for several years because it took over the project along with some other agenda of the IT Ministry that had been cancelled in 2007.

As of April, the Internet to Libraries project is to be paid by the Culture Ministry that hopes to lower the price to some up to 50 million crowns a year.

The Culture Ministry's budget for libraries' public information services has been cut from 60 to 46 million crowns this year.

Further steps to be taken within the project are to be discussed by the cabinet soon, Culture Ministry spokesman Jiri Cieslar said.

Czech public libraries should permanently provide quality and available services via the Internet - 24 hours a day and seven days a week, according to the approved plan. Digitisation and other modern information technologies are the ways to achieve this goal.

There are more than 6000 libraries in the Czech Republic. Some 40 percent of adults and most children and youths use their services. Over 72 million loans of books and other documents are provided annually. The libraries receive about 22 million visitors a year and minimally the same number uses their electronic services.

http://praguemonitor.com/2012/01/12/new-national-library-plan-improve-online-services

Gilat extends service agreements with Colombian govt

Satellite networking technology and services provider Gilat Satellite Networks has extended its service agreements with the Colombian Ministry of Information Technology and Communications. The Colombian government has extended its Social Telecommunications Program ('Compartel') agreements for the provision of services under the Rural Communitarian Telephony (TRC I and TRC II) and Telecentros (TLC 3) projects for an additional nine-months period, through 30 September 2012. The extended service agreements are worth around USD 16 million. The Compartel service agreements are for projects that provide telephony and Internet access to remote communities throughout rural Colombia. The current extension of the agreements covers nearly 1,800 sites, benefiting over 4 million inhabitants residing in these rural areas with limited or no access to basic telecommunications services. These sites include telephony centres, small community internet access telecentres, known locally as CACI (Centro Acceso Comunitario a Internet) sites, and larger telecentres. The telecentres and CACI sites are equipped with computers, printers, scanners, faxes and webcams provided by Gilat. The telecenters and a majority of the CACI sites also include telephony services. Gilat was recently selected by the Colombian Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MINTIC) to provide broadband internet connectivity to over 1,600 schools throughout the country's rural regions. The project, also hosted by Compartel, is valued at approximately USD 18.5 million.

http://www.telecompaper.com/news/gilat-extends-service-agreements-with-colombian-govt-3

Internet Society Awards Grants to 14 Community-Based Programs

The Internet Society today announced funding for 14 community-based Internet projects that will transform the lives of people in underserved areas of the world.  This round of grants will support such local projects as: building the first website dedicated to young women survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo; providing Internet and computer education to empower artisans in Bangalore; and launching an Integrative Internet Café for visually impaired and sighted people in Addis Ababa.

 

http://internetsociety.org/news/internet-society-awards-grants-14-community-based-programs

Swaziland: SPTC opens telecentre at Matata

THE Swaziland Post and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC) has opened another telecentre at Matata.

SPTC Head of Marketing Charles Ndlovu said early next year, they would open two more branches at The Gables and Riverstone Mall. He said these developments followed the corporation’s assurance to the nation that it would open five more new telecentres soon.

The places earmarked were Pigg’s Peak Plaza, The Gables (Ezulwini), Riverstone Mall (Manzini), Matata (Big Bend) and Cornerstone Plaza (Midway, Ezulwini). He said preparations were at an advanced stage for The Gables and Riverstone shopping centres’ opening.

“The other centres will be operational before the end of next year. We want to reach as more Swazis as we possibly can, considering the array of products we offer. SPTC is also expanding its distribution network, which currently covers 90% of the country and we are aiming for 100%,” he said.

Ndlovu said all SPTC’s telecentres would be selling the launched FixedFone Unlimited and the public must consider purchasing the product as it was cheaper yet convenient. He thanked the nation for the support this year.

Meanwhile, he said since the launch of the FixedFone Unlimited over 20 000 units has been sold. The product was launched in August and there has been numerous promotions, some including giving away another free handset to customers who bought one.

Ndlovu said the reception from customers has been very positive and hoped they would still be able to distribute more even this festive season. “Our mission is to ensure easy communication for Swazis. This is because we want to improve economic development and this is one role the company can play to enhance development,” he said.

Ndlovu said the idea of coming up with such a service was also to accommodate customers who could not have access to the old land lines. He encouraged people to seize the ‘buy one get one’ free promotion that would be during the SPTC Fixed Fone Cup final on the first day of 2012.

http://www.observer.org.sz/index.php?news=33631

Thailand: Social-media contest for students

Students are invited to show their ability to utilise social networks in promoting the network of Thailand Community-based Information and Communication Technology Learning Centres.

 

The Information and Communication Technology Ministry is hosting the contest to build public awareness through social media of its 1,879 Telecentres located across the country.

Each team of contestants, which must have three to five members, will have to choose one of the centres and study its roles and duties and the benefits for local people.

The team will then draw up a social-media plan to stimulate interest among the public and implement the plan.

The contest aims at introducing Telecentres to middle-class people, who usually search for knowledge and information via the Internet and social media.

The deadline for applications to the contest is January 15.

The winning team will be presented a Bt50,000 cash prize and a special plaque of honour.

Cash prizes of Bt30,000 and Bt15,000 and will plaques be given to second and third places.

Five special prizes of Bt10,000 cash will be given to teams with outstanding performance from each region of the country.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Social-media-contest-for-students-30172626.html

Nepanl: Complex govt procedure responsible for NT's shrinking business: Gupta

KATHMANDU, Dec 14: Minister of Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta has blamed complex government procedures for shrinking market share of state-owned Nepal Telecom (NT).

Cisco Networking Academy Program Is Launched at Praca do Conhecimento, in Rio de Janeiro

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL, Dec 26, 2011  -- The Rio de Janeiro City Hall, represented by the Municipal Housing Department, launched last week the first of its Praca do Conhecimento units in the Nova Brasilia community, at Morro do Alemao, in Rio. Praca do Conhecimento (in English, "Knowledge Square") is a social project focusing on culture and education supported by the Cisco(R) Networking Academy(R) program, which seeks to provide workers and students with IT training.

Cisco's engagement with Praca do Conhecimento will introduce the Nova Brasilia community into a global education network serving over a million students in 165 countries, 25,000 in Brazil alone. More than 300 youngsters from the community are expected to receive Networking Academy training in the first half of 2012 alone.

The Praca do Conhecimento will offer two of the program modules: IT Essentials, which offers students training to be either a support specialist, help desk technician, network technician, hardware installation or software application support technician, and the CCNA(R) certification program for systems administrators, Internet specialists, network and data systems analysts, and computer network analysts.

The Networking Academy will also be involved at upcoming Praca do Conhecimento units scheduled to open in 2012 in other underprivileged communities of Rio de Janeiro.

"This relationship with the Housing Department in Praca do Conhecimento restates the Networking Academy's social commitment to training young people in underprivileged communities, giving them access to the dynamic and growing IT sector. The growing Brazilian economy and the major events scheduled for the next few years will be major drivers in networks professionals' careers," said Rodrigo Abreu, CEO of Cisco in Brazil.

Cisco also supports the Networking Academy program at the Praca do Conhecimento with teacher training and educational material.

About the Networking Academy The Cisco Networking Academy is a global program combining online teaching and instructor-led activities that train students on Internet technologies. The program structure is based on an integrated network involving Cisco, organizations, Government and educational institutions (called "academies").

Since its Brazilian launch in 2011, the program has partnered with more than 300 educational and social institutions in Brazil, as well as city halls in a number of cities, to train over 100 thousand students. The Rio de Janeiro program also includes the Science and Technology Department's Casa Rio Digital, program with tele-centers located in the city's poorer regions.

Cisco Cisco CSCO -0.03% is a global leader in networks transforming the way that people connect, communicate and collaborate. For further information on Cisco, visit http://www.cisco.com . For news about Cisco, visit http://newsroom.cisco.com .

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks . Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/cisco-networking-academy-program-is-launched-at-praca-do-conhecimento-in-rio-de-janeiro-2011-12-26

Informed Communities: Global Edition

While the United States does not have 'the exclusive license to innovation in democracy and citizenship,' looking at how technology has impacted democracy in America can highlight some important lessons for strengthening democracy around the world. The Knight Commission, a partnership between the Knight Foundation and the Aspen Institute was formed to examine these issues.

The resulting report focused on the importance of 'informed communities,' which are able to fully participate in a democratic society. However, the information needs of Americans are unequally met, limiting the ability of some citizens to participating fully in government. The report presents three main ways to ensure communities are informed: maximizing available information, strengthening the capacity to engage with information, and providing opportunities for greater participation. Relevant information helps communities gather, contextualize and share information important to them. Providing tools and skills gives these communities the ability to utilize this information. Beyond this, opportunities must be present for participation in the governance systems. 

The Knight Commission has also released a series of White Papers, covering topics from assessing community information needs to improving broadband systems and creating more participatory governments. Many of the conclusions found in these papers can be generalized to the wider stage of global politics. Communities across the globe struggle with unequal access to information, inhibiting their ability to represent themselves in government. These communities lack the skills, resources and infrastructure to fulfil their own information needs. These papers try to find practical solutions to some of these problems, making suggestions of how to build upon existing connections to improve the voice of the community. These lessons, applied to the international context, have huge potential for improving democratic participation in many different countries. 

Understanding and fulfilling the information needs of communities is a cornerstone for incorporating technology into NDI's work. Using tools to take advantage of existing communication channels helps us reach a broader audience. Information can be spread easily through Facebook or Twitter, or even more directly using tools such as Freedom Fone, helping develop the public outreach of civil society organizations. Systems like Viva El Voto collect citizen reports and provide information on poll results, connecting communities more directly to the election process and calling for greater government transparency.  Reinforced with training, NDI also encourages local innovation which enables communities to claim a stake in the wider society. Getting the community involved in meeting their information needs makes such projects more sustainable while enhancing their impact.  

http://www.demworks.org/blog/2011/11/informed-communities-global-edition

Community Multimedia Centres in Mozambique: a Map

Community Multimedia Centres (CMCs) in Mozambique have been setup for a decade and represent the most common model of public access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) venues in the country.

This report briefly presents the history and typologies of CMCs in Mozambique, as well as an updated map of their current number and location. Finally, it casts a closer look to a sample of 10 CMCs, one per each province of the country, describing their context, cluster of services, technical instruments, group of people who manages CMCs and people who access them.
The information provided on the paper has been collected mostly in March – April 2011 within the field work of the project RE-ACT: social REpresentations of community multimedia centres and ACTions for improvement, a research and development project run by the NewMinE Lab: New Media in Education Laboratory of the Università della Svizzera italiana, University of Lugano, Switzerland, in collaboration with the Centre for African Studies and the Department of Mathemathics and Informatics of the University Eduardo
Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique.

This report is addressed to researchers and practitioners in the ICT for Development (ICT4D) field, as well as to policy makers working in the area.

http://www.newmine.org/publications-2/working-papers/white-paper-community-multimedia-centres-in-mozambique-a-map