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Rwanda Pulls In Skills Development Program To Boost ICT Literacy

Rwanda Pulls In Skills Development Program To Boost ICT Literacy

“This opportunity provides us with a new beginning to raise the standards. There are so many places in the country where IT is taught, but so far there has not been a national standard of ICT literacy,” Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Rwanda’s Youth and ICT minister told The New Times. “It is important that they not only acquire skills but they have accredited certification.”

According to the report, a private sector computer skills program — International Computer Driving License (ICDL) — and the government are coming together to raise ICT literacy of Rwandan youth, government members and the general public. The official agreement was signed by both partners January 28, 2015.

By 2018, the government is hoping to hit an ICT literacy goal of 50 percent, although the current figure sits at 3.3 percent. Roughly 85,000 government officials alone will receive a certificate after completing training. The greatest boost that the government is hoping to achieve is a turnaround in employee productivity — something that can be advanced through ICT.

The New Times also reported that once the country’s literacy rate begins to increase, professional institutions and businesses are expected to follow suit in encouraging ICT comprehension. In addition, this type of training provides a segue way for similar international organizations to come in, create partnerships and contribute to ICT growth in Africa.

“It is a major contributor to progress, it is fantastic to see young people invent new ways of creating a market place and offering new services,” Christine Lagarde, IMF general director told The New Times following a visit to ICT mentorship hub K-Lab — another organization lifting ICT literacy rates in Rwanda.

Earlier this month, Biztech Africa reported that in the first two quarters of 2014, ICT contributed to 2 percent of Rwanda’s overall GDP.

More than the combination of other sectors including mining, trade and manufacturing, financial contributions for ICT trumped them pulling in 45 percent of foreign direct investment, according to Biztech Africa.