School ICT Clubs

One of the ways that students and teachers can learn more about ICTs is through the formation of ICT clubs in schools. MENELIK II School Secondary School is an example of this. The school’s ICT Club has a networked computer lab of 5 PC’s donated by the UNDP in January 2020. The club uses these facilities to provide basic computer training to student members and for CD-ROM reference by teachers. In July 2020 membership of the ICT club was 160 with an equal number of 80 for both teachers and students. Student members are normally drawn from classes that were not taking ICT as a subject of education.

A range of ICT organizations volunteered to train teachers in computer literacy and as trainers on basic computers for teacher and student members. Among the training centres, Ethio-Computer & Vocational Training Centre together with Africa Beza College had given training to 40 teachers while the British Council Library conducted a 12-hour demonstration on Internet operation and CD-ROM application for 54 teacher trainees. The respective institutions have provided the training free of charge. The trainers are now voluntarily conducting the courses for teachers and students, including shifts on Saturdays and Sundays in basic computer applications.

Some of the ICT Clubs’ activities include:

• Create awareness of the uses and values of ICT for the development of our country to the school community with different educational programmes.
• Provide basic computer training for members in the MENELIK II ICT Centre
• Campaign for the computers in the school to be connected to the Internet in cooperation with the Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation (ETC) and other supporting international organizations such as the UNDP, UNECA & World-Links
• Work hand in hand with the Addis Ababa Regional Education Bureau for the implementation of the ICT curriculum to the benefit of the preparatory students in the school.
• Work in cooperation with other similar ICT clubs and organizations in the application of ICTs to improve the teaching learning process.
• Establish a networked computer laboratory that would be used to give computer training to members and other customers.
• Establish a Tele-Centre in our school to provide reasonably prices services to the school community and other customers.
• Work closely with concerned organizations such as UNDP, UNECA, World-Links, and School Net Africa, to realize School Network projects in Ethiopian schools.
• Develop the necessary infrastructure that would enable the school to connect with other global learning networks.

Website: http://www.ictfocus.net/junejuly/ictinschools.htm

Contact: Coordinator ICT Clubs in Ethiopia: [email protected]

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Wolisso Multipurose Community Telecentre (WMCT)

Wolisso Multipurose Community Telecentre (WMCT) is the first of its kind in Ethiopia. The project was started by the British Council in 2020. The mission of WMCT is to provide an ICT facility that supports information provision to community members. An extensive consultation process took place with the Oromiya Regional State Council, Oromiya Culture and Information Bureau, West Shoa Culture and Information Department, Wolisso City Council and the Ethiopian Science and Technology Commission before the idea was accepted. The Wolisso City Council maintains a modern public library that provides basic library services for the community in Wolisso. This Library was chosen as the Telecentre site because of its background in information use and exchange.

The objectives of the Wolisso Telecentre project are:

• To make the world’s pool of information accessible to the communities and to develop awareness of these resources.
• To reach influential members of regional authorities through modern information provision and to demonstrate concern for social and economic development of Ethiopia outside Addis Ababa.
• To act as a model centre to encourage similar local initiatives in the future.
• To support distance learning.

WMCT offers a wide range of services, including Internet access, email services, telephone and fax services, word processing and printing, computer literacy training, library services, telemedicine and distance education. The users of the Wolisso Multipurpose Community Telecentre (WMCT) are all members of the community in Wolisso. Many of the users fall into the following categories:

• Local government officials.
• Experts involved in research and development activities in the area. 
• Civil servants in the town.
• Secondary school students and teachers. 
• Post secondary school students and teachers. 
• Educated members of the community in the private sector. 
• Women and youth.

Website: http://www.telecom.net.et/~wolisso/index.html

Contact:

Tewodros Getaneh: Telecentre Administrator

Wolisso Multipurpose Community Telecentre

Telephones 251-1-41 02 85 / 251-1-41 05 52

Fax: 251-1- 41 01 12

Postal Address

P.O. Box 49, Wolisso, Ethiopia

E-mail: [email protected]

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UNDP Ethiopia, Information and Communication Programme

UNDP is active in Ethiopia. In addition to a range of other development interventions and initiatives, the UNDP in Ethiopia also supports ICT development in the following ways. 

• Implementation of TeleCentres in Ethiopia. 
• South-Eastern Ethiopia Telecentres.
• School ICT club.
• Launching of Internet for high school.
• UNDP upgraded the Internet facilities of Ethiopian ISP enhancing the existing National Internet Gateway.

Website: http://www.et.undp.org/undp.htm

Contact:

UNDP in Ethiopia

ECA Old Building, 7th Floor

P.O.Box 5580

Addis Ababa

Ethiopia

Telephone: (251-1) 51 51 77

Fax: (251-1) 51 45 99

E-mail: [email protected]

ICT Department contact: [email protected]