Transcript GeSCI

Introduction to GeSCI
Meeting with Ministry of Education in Bolivia
26 April 2006
Objectives
• Learn about the priorities in ICTs for education in Bolivia
• Discuss current activities that fulfil those priorities
• Highlight challenges and gaps
• Give you information about GeSCI and answer any
questions you have
• Explore ways in which GeSCI could support Bolivia’s
efforts in ICTs in schools
Brief History of GeSCI
2000: Kofi Annan launches the UN ICT Task Force, including 50 leaders from
governments, private sector and civil society
2003: Mme. Nane Annan, on behalf of the UN, launches GeSCI at the first World
Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The role of GeSCI is to
strengthen teaching and learning through the strategic use of ICTs and to
help achieve the Millennium Development Goals
2004: GeSCI formally established, headquartered in Ireland, and with operations in
India and Namibia. Key partnerships include the governments of Ireland,
Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as UNICEF, World Bank, World Economic
Forum, ECDL, and Intel.
Brief History of GeSCI
2005: GeSCI begins country programme work in Ghana and develops a Total Cost
of Ownership Calculator to help schools identify priorities and the costs of
possible technology solutions. Identified as a centre for excellence in ICTs
in education by the European Commission
2006: Regional expansion underway in India and Africa with a focus on teacher
training, learning content and designing and implementing ICT in education
policies
What we do:
Mobilise, convene and align key stakeholders. Work with them to design effective
strategies based on “end-to-end systems” incorporating ICT platform, content, user
training & support, technical support and evaluation. Help them raise resources.
Provide global services and networks.
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Getting real impact from ICTs in schools – and thus building the case for more
resources to scale up – requires and “end-to-end system” that:
– Includes not only ICT platform deployment, but also content, user training &
support, technical support and monitoring & evaluation
– Is comprehensive, demand-driven, efficient in all parts and coordinated
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Global initiative can play critical role by:
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Convening the local actors that must work together – government, NGOs, private
sector, academia, etc.
Supporting them in crafting strategies for ICTs in schools
Linking them with global partners (e.g., donors, foundations, private sector) that
can provide financial and technical resources
What we’ve learned so far:
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ICTs in schools can strengthen teaching and learning
ICTs are the tools – not the solution
ICTs can be costly with minimal impact
They are effective and cost efficient when:
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Integrated into an educational strategy and a regional or national
implementation plan
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The plan is led by the Ministry of Education and its priorities
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Includes consultation with stakeholders
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Coordinated with infrastructure, access, teacher training, learning content,
and pedagogy
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Country capacities are matched with global resources and expertise
GeSCI’s Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles
Mission
Vision
Goals
Collaborate with local partners to improve education, empower communities
and accelerate socio-economic development, thereby supporting
achievement of the MDGs by 2015, through the widespread deployment of
ICTs in schools.
Mobilise, support and partner with national/regional e-schools initiatives that
bring ICTs to large numbers of schools and use ICTs to support effectively
education and community goals.
– By Dec 2006: At least 3-4 impactful partnerships with national/regional
initiatives – defined as those that achieve goals agreed with GeSCI
– By Dec 2010: 8-10 impactful partnerships, at least 4 in LDCs
– By Dec 2015: 20-25 impactful partnerships, at least 10 in LDCs
Strategy
Organisation
Culture
Mobilise, convene and align key stakeholders. Work with them to design
effective strategies based on “end-to-end systems” incorporating ICT
platform, content, user training & support, technical support and evaluation.
Help them raise resources. Provide global services and networks.
Lean, efficient organisation skilled in facilitation, strategic planning, creating
& managing knowledge, cultivating partnerships with multiple stakeholders
and communicating with real impact.
Focused on results; Partnering; Independent, honest & straighttalking; Demand-driven.
“End-to-End” System for ICTs in Schools
Goals &
strategy
•Deployment of
ICT platform
•Content &
applications
•User training
and support
Actors Fund
-ing
Must be:
•Comprehensive
•Demand-driven
•Efficient in all parts
•Coordinated
•Technical
support &
maintenance
•Monitoring
and reporting
Where we work:
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Namibia
– Total: 1500 schools – GeSCI to reach 600
(Year 1: 300, Yr 2: 200, Yr 3: 100)
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India
– Rajasthan - Total 90,000 schools (REI to
possibly cover all 6,000 secondary schools)
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Ghana
– Total 20,000 schools – probably cover 500
senior secondary schools to begin with
Case Study: Namibia
Logistical Challenges:
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Population: 2 million
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Landmass – 825,418 square kms
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Almost twice the size of France - mostly desert
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Scattered population
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Lack of funding
National Strategy for ICTs in Education:
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Computers & internet to all secondary schools in 3 years
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Critical challenges (infrastructure, hardware, software, training)
Knowledge work: Technology Options
Total Cost of Ownership Calculator
– “End-to-end system”
– 10 year time line
– Calculate all costs to be incurred
– Includes hardware, software, infrastructure, training, support and
maintenance, monitoring and evaluation, on-going and replacement
costs
Knowledge work: E-content
E-content framework
– For evaluating e-content. A toll which guides the user through the
process of selecting good quality content.
E-Learning Assets Network
– A portal which provides access to good quality e-content at no
cost
Any questions?