Ethiopia Internet Case Study

5.6.3 E education

resources to connecting them

Education is a critical component for

directly to the Internet. The

successful Internet adaptation and

emergence of low cost WiFi and

use. Ethiopia might want to consider

KU band VSAT (USD 2'000 per

some of the following strategies to

terminal) for Internet access now

enhance the performance of the

makes providing connections in

country's education sector, and

rural areas a more affordable

prepare its population for using the

possibility and strategies to

Internet:

capitalize on this should be

developed. In addition, the

a)

Experience around the world

planned introduction of GPRS on

has shown that progress in the

the GSM service could aid in the

area of ICTs will be limited if

provision of access for mobile

teachers are unaware of, or

users and others in remote

reluctant to accept, information

communities covered by the

technology as an educational

signal, provided that tariffs

tool. In Ethiopia, there is not yet

remain low for this service.

a national programme to train

teachers in the use of ICTs for

d)

The cost of communication

education. Public and private

services is high for most school

institutions could establish a

and university budgets. There is

n a t i o n a l   p r o g r a m m e   t o

no formal requirement to provide

f a m i l i a r i z e   t e a c h e r s   a t   a l l

low cost communication access

educational levels with basic

for the educational sector. The

knowledge about the use and

Government might usefully

potential of ICTs.

introduce mechanisms to

promote the delivery of

b)

Distance education has great

communication services at low

potential for countries with

cost to educational institutions

limited resources and significant

nationwide. These could include

rural areas such as Ethiopia.

special tax consideration for the

There is a need to provide

operators, direct subsidies to

further support to projects like

schools in the startup period, and

A A U n e t ,   E S T C ' s   d i s t a n c e

other schemes such as adopt a 

education programmes and

school programmes that could be

other national initiatives aimed

promoted among international

a t   b u i l d i n g   k n o w l e d g e   a n d

organizations and the Ethiopian

experience in the provision of

diaspora.

education over the Internet.

e)

G o v e r n m e n t ,   l o c a l   p r i v a t e

c)

Given the central role that

sector, and civil society

t e c h n o l o g y   p l a y s   i n   t h e

organizations could seek the

generation of wealth today, ICT

support of the international

training and applications should

business community to fund

ultimately be integrated into

programmes to provide

every stage of the educational

technology tools (such as new

process, at the levels of primary

and recycled computers,

and secondary school, higher

software applications, books and

e d u c a t i o n ,   a n d   v o c a t i o n a l

other instructional materials, etc)

training, and become part of the

and state of the art knowledge

national curriculum. While the

on technologies and applications.

p r o v i s i o n   o f   m o r e   b a s i c

resources for the educational

f)

Instilling a culture of information

system will need to take place

sharing should be an overarching

first in a country like Ethiopia,

part of many of these initiatives

the establishment of shared

to address what many call the

access centres for surrounding

 highland culture  which is rather

schools could be considered

closed and not conducive to open

b e f o r e   a l l o c a t i n g   s c a r c e

information exchange.

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