COMPUTER IN SCHOOL INITIATIVES

Information Technology and Development (ITD) = Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
Monday, June 21, 2010

EITPIN 2008 – ITAN RELAUNCHES COMPUTER IN SCHOOL INITIATIVE
PRESS RELEASE ON EITPIN 2008 BY THE PRESIDENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (INDUSTRY) ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (ITAN), Dr. Jimson Olufuye on March 14, 2008
On behalf of the National Council of Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN), and the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), it is my pleasure to divulge that this year’s edition of our annual event EITPIN 2008 holds 9am at the Centre for Information and Technology Systems, the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos on March 27, 2008. Attendance is FREE!
EITPIN is an ellipsis for Enhancing Information Technology Penetration in Nigeria. It is an annual event which provides a platform for the industry players to strategize on how to enhance Information Technology (IT) penetration in Nigeria. The theme for this year’s edition - EITPIN 2008, is Enhancing IT Penetration in the Grassroots.
The choice of the theme was informed by the need to create the necessary foundation that will make our economy globally competitive in line with Vision 20 2020 which aims at propelling our economy to one of the top 20 in the world by the year 2020. We hope to contribute to the attainment of this vision by mobilizing all stakeholders to accentuate and increase human capacity and know-how by deepening the IT penetration in the grassroots particularly areas that are digitally cut-off.
One practical way of enhancing the penetration of IT at the grassroots is by providing computers to schools with cutting edge educational software in line with CPN/NERDC IT Curricula. This will not only allow the pupils/students to have the opportunity to learn to use the computer at an early age in their educational career but will also enable them learn and progress in their studies with computing tools. This will of course put them at par with their counterpart elsewhere in the digital world. It will also allow the communities where these schools are located to utilize the facilities and benefit from them as it may be practicable.
In addition, without providing computing tools in our schools, we will not meet the goal of the World Summit on Information Society for all schools, libraries and local government offices to be connected to the Internet by the year 2015. It must also be remembered that access to IT is critical to the achievement of many of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
It is in support of this effort to ensure that our schools have access to educational computers, as first step towards the deepening of IT at grassroots that we at ITAN have decided to resuscitate our earlier initiative, the Computer In School Initiative now christened Old Students Computer In School Initiative (OS CISI).

The fulcrum of the “OS CISI” is the deployment of computers to Old Students primary/secondary schools at the 1st Level. The 2nd Level would require the deployment of computers to Old Students nominated schools apart from their Alma Mata. 1st & 2nd levels deployments could actually run pari-passu. The 3rd level will be deployment of PCs to 3rd party nominated schools across the six geo-political regions of Nigeria.
The computers involved are either fairly used (not below Pentium III 128MB RAM) or brand new systems (branded) as may be recommended by the sponsor of the school. Based on strategic partnership with Microsoft and local software developers (eg Cognitive Software), we plan to power each system with Microsoft Windows Xp, MS Office 2003 Suite, MS Student Encarta 2005, MS Educational software, and Cognitive educational packages at the first instance. An option with Linux has an alternate standard platform is still on the table. A minimum of five computers will be Star-networked with a fairly used (or brand new) laserjet/deskjet printer. The equipment will in essence be made Internet ready but not connected to the Internet. It is hoped that the Galaxy Backbone Internet Infrastructure will extend to benefiting schools as soon as it is deployed. At least one 5kva Stabilizer and 5 650va UPSs shall also be part of the package.
The operational scope of the scheme shall be in tandem with the 2001 guidelines which include:

1. Securing beneficiary nomination and sponsorship funds.

2. Writing the beneficiary school/s about the offer and requesting them to prepare a laboratory (ie a secure, powered and well ventilated room) for the equipment installation.

3. Verification of the lab by ITAN inspectors

4. On successful verification exercise, request for each school to nominate 2 teachers for an accelerated train-the-trainer scheme on the software installed and the CPN IT Syllabi for Primary and Junior Secondary schools.

5. Deployment of Equipment

6. Installation, Testing and handing-over

7. Establishment of Contact person for link with ITAN CISI Help Desk

8. ITAN Lead Technical Officer (LTO) submits project report.

9. End of Deployment Operation
The project is expected to be sustained by

1. 1. Securing local partners for each deployment

2. 2. Creation of a functional CISI Help Desk

3. 3. The submission by the nominee’s contact person a Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) to ITAN

4. 4. The submission of an independent regular but not exceeding quarterly report by the local partner or authorized ITAN representative.

5. 5. Securing continuous stream of sponsorship funds from donors.
Additional details about OS CISI are available on www.itan.org.ng. The OS CISI will be formally launched at the EITPIN 2008 on March 27, @ CITS, Unilag. Brain storming sessions at the event are expected to further fine tune the OS CISI delivery strategies. Personalities that have accepted to brainstorm at the event include: Prof Charles Uwadia, NCS President, Dr (Mrs) Osofisan CPN President, Dr Sola Afolabi, Director ECOWAS Community Computer Centre, Dr Femi Aladesulu, Director ITD CBN and ITAN Performance Awardee, Dr I. A. Odeyemi, CEO Debis Computers, Mr Chris Uwaje, former ITAN President, Mr David Mirilla, former President ITAN, Mr Lanre Ajayi, NIG President, Engr S. Agu, ISPON President and Dr E. Ekuwen, ATCON President. Others include: Dr Leo-Stan Ekeh, CEO Zinox Technologies, Engr Flourence Seriki, CEO Omatek Computers, Engr Tunji Balogun, CEO Brian Technologies, Engr Omotunde-Young, CEO Kes Group and Prof. Manny Aniebonam, CEO Afri-Hub Ltd among many others.
A number of organizations have confirmed their commitment to partner with ITAN on this initiative. They include: Zinox Computers, Omatek Computers, Brian Computers, Beta Computers, K2Group, Cognitive Software, Gafunk, ISPON, ATCON, and NIG. Partnership support is being expected from companies and agencies like Microsoft Corporation, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Millennium Development Goals’ Office, New Partnership for African Development Nigeria (NEPAD), Education Trust Fund (ETF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). However, partnership support has been received from ECOWAS Commission, Centre for Information and Technology Systems (CITS) of the University of Lagos host for the event. From the state government side we have received the commitment of the Yobe State Government which has made an initial pledge of 200 brand new computers to its schools under the Initiative.
We are happy with the responses we have received so far and would like to use this opportunity to, while thanking all those organizations and individuals that have accepted to partner with us in this bold initiative, call on the federal government, other states, local governments and other companies and organizations as well philanthropic individually to join the Old Student Computer In School Initiative (OS CISI) and demonstrate their commitment to uplifting our human capacity, economy and country. An online page has been created on www.itan.org.ng to receive expression of commitment by Old Students (Alumni) for the OS CISI initiative.
I will also want to underscore some policy issues that have important bearing on the development of the IT sector in our country. First, we (ITAN) would like to add our voice and support to the Local Content Bill that is currently before the National Assembly. However, we would like the scope of Bill to be expanded to include IT in addition to the proposed 8 focal sectors.
Second, we would like to call on the Federal Government to appoint a Special Adviser to the President on IT Matters. This would allow the President to be better advised on developments in the sector and on what policy and programmes that the government should prosecute. We are happy with some state governors that already have special advisers on IT. This is a step in the right direction. We call on the states that do not currently have advisers on IT to do so.

 Thirdly, we would like to call on the National Assembly to establish IT Committees in the House and Senate as it had done for other sectors. This we believe would allow the National Assembly to be well prepared to play its oversight role with respect to IT development, policy making and the enactment of relevant laws to regulate the sector. We wish to submit also that States Assemblies should follow suit with their IT Committees established without delay for articulated and well co-ordinated IT development. The establishment of IT Ministries in states at the executive level is a necessity in this regard.
We are happy that Nigeria is making steady progress in the IT sector. But we need a proactive and conducive policy environment that will provide our professionals and IT corporate citizens with the opportunities, support and incentive to excel in the sector. We therefore call on NITDA to urgently conclude its IT Policy review initiative before its elements become obsolete on the drawing board.
I would like to use this opportunity to thank our sponsors for EITPIN 2008 namely, Centre for Information and Technology Systems, Unilag, Zinox Technologies, Brian Technologies, Omatek Technologies, K2Group, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and Yobe State Government. I look forward to seeing you at EITPIN 2008 9am at the CITS, University of Lagos on 27th March 2008 to not only witness this epoch making event but to also support us in whatever way possible.

 Thank you.

Signed
Jimson Olufuye, Ph. D
President, ITAN