Tag: ICT

STEM Education given a special place in Rwanda

Dianne Jacobs
STEM

In a country as rapidly developing as Rwanda, the country’s education goals are clear cut and centralised around ICT, science and girls’ education. Rwanda has given the teaching and learning of Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) a special place in the education system. The country has made significant strides in STEM education. In this second part of our series on education, we will turn our attention to what the government has been doing to promote the teaching and learning of science and technology. According to the ministry of education,…

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WTO members reach landmark $1.3 trillion IT products trade deal

Staff Writer

WTO members representing major exporters of information technology products agreed on 24 July 2015 to eliminate tariffs on more than 200 such products. In a meeting  at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, a tentative accord reached by 54 WTO members on 18 July was confirmed as the basis for implementation work to begin. Ministers from the participating members will now work to conclude their implementation plans in time for the WTO’s 10th Ministerial Conference which will be held in Nairobi this December. “Today’s agreement is a landmark,” said WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo.…

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“Sophia Bekele Scholarship Fund” Pledged on Nazareth School 60th Anniversary-Diamond Jubilee

Staff Writer

Sophia Bekele has pledged personal funds of up to 100,000 Ethiopian Birr for the benefit of Nazareth School students. “This amount would be drawn-down and disbursed to the Nazareth School to the most deserving students of the school on the basis of academic excellence and leadership achievement,” She said in her Keynote address to the audience. She is among African Women who are supporting youth development and innovation through ICT, girl child empowerment; encourage them to pursue opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The announcement of the Sophia…

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Big IT vs SME IT in government – it’s really about changing IT suppliers’ behaviour

Staff Writer
Compulynx

The Cabinet Office plan to bring in more SME IT suppliers and reduce dependence on the old “oligopoly” of big systems integrators (SIs) was always going to come under greater scrutiny once some of those SIs saw their lucrative outsourcing deals come to an end. The Financial Times ran a strange article recently featuring unattributed claims that ministers including business secretary Vince Cable were telling David Cameron that the pro-SME IT policy was wrong, after his department suffered email problems soon after it transitioned away from a Fujitsu mega-outsourcing deal.…

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Government IT Can’t Pass The Buck On Open Data

Staff Writer

Without automated open data, some delay is inevitable, because every record request is treated as a unique event, requiring assessment, redaction of non-public data, double-checking, etc. Automation and providing for self-service not only connect the spirit of the law to the letter of it, but they also save staff time and, over the long haul, keep costs down. Yes, open data can get political when city staffers release data sets without a plan. My advice: Focus on pragmatics: Where’s the biggest bang for your efforts? Where will you save a…

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