Transcript Presentation to Donors

GeSCI Latin
American and
Caribbean (LAC)
region
Initial desk study
Objectives of the study
• 1. Define the profile of an ideal partner in the region,
both regarding mandatory and desirable
characteristics.
• 2. Compile a list of potential partner organizations in
the LAC region, including contact information, pros
and cons of each, current lines of work and how
their business complements GeSCI’s planned
operations in LAC.
• 3. Identify potential gaps in ICT4E activities in the
region, in order to analyze potential activities that we
could develop in 1-2 years time.
The region
• 45 countries
• 526 million
inhabitants,76%
urban
• Mostly Spanish
speaking, brazil
Portuguese
• Varied political and
economic contexts
• Most unequal region
of the world
The region (continued)
• Communication infrastructure: submarine cables, satellite, mostly
deregulated telecom markets. Rural areas disconnected.
• ICT4D: Most nations have had difficulties in effectively
incorporating ICTs into the various components of the national
development equation
• Access to primary and secondary education is universal in most
regional economies. Most countries are complying MDGs. Main
issues: quality of teachers and school infrastructure.
• Focus of ICT introduction: ICT basic skills in secondary schools.
• Most schools have computers, effort centered in secondary
schools. Most countries have telecenters. Almost all have
educative portals. Only 2 have ICT4E policy.
• Main concerns: Sustainability of government projects, political
instability, corruption and lack of professional skills.
The profile of our partner in the region
Attempting to define the profile of an ideal
partner in the LAC region, by trying to identify
those characteristics that are mandatory and
desirable in the target organization.
What can we offer our partner? What do
we expect to get from them?
We offer:
–
–
–
–
A good name
Access to our resources (experts, network)
Capacity development
An additional way for them to achieve their own
objectives through us
– Money
We expect to obtain:
– use of their legal/administrative structure
– local contacts and use of their local networks
– ???
Potential partner organizations
•@lis - Alliance for the Information Society (EU)
•APC - Association for Progressive Communications
•Cepal (Eclac): UN Economic Commission for LATC –
Information Society unit
•IADB Inter American development bank
•IDRC – International Development Research Centre
(Canada)
•Infodev (world bank unit)
•OEI – Organization of Ibero-american states for
education and culture
•RELPE -Latin American Network of Educational
Portals
•UNESCO
Product line
Product line
Alternatives
Strategic Advice
provision (indirect
to MoEs in the
region)
•Promote/Assist in the development of ICT4E policies and plans at MoE
level
•Provide MoEs with strategic planning tools (or translate existing ones to
Spanish and Portuguese)
•Support specific research in the region, like lessons learned or
monitoring and evaluation of existing projects (example 1:1 OLPC
deployments)
Knowledge
Building and
Sharing (at a
regional level)
•Detect knowledge gaps common at MoE level. Partner with specific
organizations, like universities in sponsoring the collection and
development of specific content to cover these gaps.
•Support peer collaboration exchanges among the countries in the
region, other partner countries, donors and the research community. For
example, organize or co-organize regional events similar to AKE to build
institutional capacity.(forums? Seminars?)
•Sponsor the creation, systematization and update of a database of the
existing programs and initiatives in the region.
Knowledge Tools
•Commission, translate, publish and distribute specific tools and
documents (i.e. TCO, teacher training material, case studies) that might
help MoEs
Advocacy
•Advocacy for some critical areas, like ICT4E policy development, ICT &
curricula integration, gender issues, M&E of ICT4E projects.
Participate in regional forums and debate
Areas of work
Potentiality of interventions
–ICT4E policies and plans: HIGH
–Telecentres, public access: LOW
–Infrastructure and connectivity: LOW
–Classroom deployment models and Curricula
integration: MEDIUM-HIGH
–Teacher training: unknown
–Software and content development: LOW
–Planning and deploying ICTs (large scale): MEDIUM
–Special education and gender issues: unknown
–Use of ICTs for School management: LOW
–Research / M&E of existing projects: MEDIUM