Africa must train more content developers

The Director of the Namibia College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), Heroldt Murangi, has told attendees of the 'CCT Global Review Workshop' that the college has the capacity to develop web-based lessons for its learners in order to address the acute shortage of ICT skills.

Murangi also pointed out that staff gained valuable skills in producing and testing web-based course material during the training.

"Area coordinators, participating subject tutors and learners developed their computer literacy, learned how to use interactive CD-ROMs and how to send and receive email," Murangi said.

The global CCT project started in 2002, linking project sites in Africa (Namibia), Latin America (Ecuador) and Asia (Kazakhstan and Mongolia).

The workshop aims to review the initiative in Namibia, Kazakhstan and Ecuador and test the outcomes of different Open and Distance Learning, ODL approaches and systems at secondary level around the world in order to identify the most sustainable ODL modules for each region.

"NAMCOL's reputation as a high quality service provider in ODL has been enhanced through the project," Murangi told the gathering, on Monday.

The NAMCOL Head however notes that despite the positive developments, there are a number of challenges such as the lack of ICT infrastructure which may deny users to engage actively with web-based materials.

Murangi also singled out insufficient training in blended solutions and developers who initially struggled to use it effectively in developing web-based material.

"ICT infrastructure should be expanded and training for content developers and production teams needs to be enhanced," Murangi proposed.

Participants from Kazakhstan and Ecuador are also attending the review workshop, in the capital, Windhoek.

Meanwhile, UNSECO's Education Programme Specialist in Namibia, Dr Edem Adubra, says the growing digital divide is leading to greater inequalities in development.

"Disadvantaged groups, rural communities, illiterate populations, or even entire countries do not have access to the tools which will enable them to become fully-fledged members of the knowledge society," Dr Adubra said.

He said it was important for all people to have access to these technologies, as they are not only tools for training but also for progressive social change, the strengthening of human intellectual capacity and the formation of modern lifestyles.

"Combined with opportunities for lifelong learning, ICT's can provide individuals with skills and knowledge they need to cope with the global changes taking place worldwide and with the challenges arising in various areas of daily life," Dr Adubra noted.

The project was launched in Namibia in 2004, after UNESCO indicated that they have funds available to support ICT in distance education.

The project focuses on the development of Mathematics and Physical Science web-based lessons, with specific focus on the building of next generation of distance education systems using ICT.

Digital lessons developed under this project have already been tested with NAMCOL tutors and learners as well as teachers and learners in the formal system.

The three countries, Kazakhstan, Ecuador and Namibia are expected to present their current status with regard to the project.

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