31 Jul 2016

Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Fidelis Molao, says the central  region schools’ information and communication technology (ICT) fair is a great milestone in the education system.

Officially opening the Central Region ICT Fair on Friday, Mr Molao said the schools fair came at a time when government was engaged in promoting the use of ICTs in teaching and learning and also developing infrastructure in schools.

He said government was committed to the implementation of the National ICT policy that would position the country for sustained growth in the digital age by serving as a key catalyst in achieving social, economic, political and cultural transformation within the country.

Greater access, utilization and integration of ICT as a means to improve teaching and learning, is a key strategy linked to improving learning outcomes.

He said introducing ICT into the early years of schooling is imperative if the country is to meet the NDP goals, adding that his ministry is working through the Thutonet initiative to support education and ICT through networking and e-learning platforms.

He commended Botswana Schools Information Communication and Technology Association (BOSICTA) for negotiating with Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) to offer teachers from this region an introductory course to computers with the intent to promote the use of ICT in teaching and learning.

The fair was held under the theme “50 years of growth, bridging the digital gap between industrialised and developing countries.”

Mr Molao who is also MP for Shashe West commended teachers for doing their best to promote the use of ICT in education.

He challenged all the participants to explore the rich components of the ICT in the country for the next 50 years and beyond and also provide necessary positive contribution towards the success of the event.

“You should also develop strategies to uncover issues within particular input areas like Tele-Medicine, Tele-Education, Tele-Democracy/Government.”

The schools fair, he said should be used as window for the country to provide low-cost solutions that have gone a long way to support strategies in different areas and helped in advancing the developed countries’ economy.

For his part Central Education Region Director Mr Sonny Mooketsi said as the country moves from resource based to knowledge based economy, ICT becomes important in the delivery of Education.

For the knowledge based economy to be successful, he said there is need to be supported by platforms of this nature which allow the society enthusiastic and ready to assimilate and apply new knowledge.

He said ICT fairs are meant to provide opportunities for learners to showcase their innovation in the field of ICT.

“As Central Region, we are committed to actively raising quality life for every child, we want all children to achieve their full potential,” he said.

The fair was organized by BOSICTA, founded in 2013 by Serowe Computer Awareness teachers, Information Technology officers and Computer studies teachers. ENDS