adminBianca Leboho : Herald Reporter
Government is set to introduce a Presidential e-learning programme by 2018 as part of efforts to establish e-governance and Information and Communication Technology awareness in the country. This is part of ICT targets contained in the final draft of the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy paper for the period 2016 to 2018, crafted by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development with input from stakeholders.The targets are meant to build people’s confidence in the use of ICTs, reduce online incidents, increase adoption of online transactions and to encourage sharing of infrastructure and information by network operators.
“Some of the targets set by Government towards the establishment of ICTs in the country include the upgrading and establishment of Government websites, which will improve the efficiency and transparency of Government services and the provision of training in mobile banking, mobile transactions and the usage of plastic money,” reads an excerpt from the paper.
“Through the programme Government is set to monitor and evaluate policies under the ICT sector, which include National ICT Policy Framework; Internet Policy, Cyber Security Related Bills, Infrastructure Sharing , ICT Standardisation Policy and Postal and Courier Services Sector Policy.”
The programme will see Government rolling out online services for all Government departments, which will likely improve business operations, service delivery, ensure cost reduction and thereby reduce levels of poverty in the country.
The ICT awareness programme is also set to reduce the digital divide between rural and urban communities, thus improving the lives of people living in rural areas in terms of access and appropriate usage of ICT.
“There will be the establishment of community information centres and techno parks, which include mobile e-libraries in rural areas which will facilitate the closing of the information gap between the rural and urban communities.”
By 2018, ICT connectivity coverage or boosters should have been increased in the country with particular focus on remote rural areas.
In support of the initiative, POTRAZ is also set to review ICT charges downwards.
The paper also emphasised that there would be ICT training programmes for civil servants and citizens and the inclusion of ICTs in the education curricula.
Some of the specific targets set for the programme include an increase in ICT literacy rate with a target of 30 000 civil servants and citizens annually, 11 policies reviewed by 2018, fast internet connectivity and reduced service costs to all Government departments and provincial capitals by 2018.
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