TOPIC: “ICT Powering an Inclusive Education

–Telecom Namibia’s Contribution”

4th National ICT Summit 2017

Calvin Muniswaswa
CCO
Telecom Namibia, Windhoek
Telecom Namibia, Windhoek
9 - 11 October
7 August 2017 2017
 AGENDA

1. Introduction

2. National and International Goals on

Education

3. Key facts – ICT and Education

4. The role and contribution of Telecom

Namibia

5. Conclusion
1. Introduction
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
is changing the lives of societies (Professionally,
Socially and Recreationally);
There is a drive in many countries to increase the
use of ICT in creating sound access to education
by all people irrespective of social class, race,
gender, physical disability/ability and
geographical locations;
Many countries around the world are promoting
ICT policies that support inclusion, diversity and
enhanced learning opportunities for all learners;
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 Key Reasons for Lack of
Connectedness to the Internet

Large gaps in connectivity persist, mainly due to the lack

of infrastructure, affordability, lack of skills or lack of
relevant local content.
Source: ITU
 The presentation will provide an overview on
Telecom Namibia’s current and future contribution
to connecting and supporting educational
institutions in Namibia.

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2. National and International Goals
on Education
United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Sustainable • Ensure inclusive and equitable

Development quality education and promote
Goal 4 (SDG4) lifelong learning opportunities
for all.
 Harambee Goal and Outcomes #14 [HPP14]

• 80 percent Broadband Connections

ICT and usage to all primary and
secondary schools in Namibia to
allow e-learning by 2020.
 NDP5 Desired Outcomes by 2022

Early
• By 2022, Namibian children
Childhood
aged 0-8 have a secure
Developm
educational foundation, through
ent (ECD)
access to ECD services.
 NDP5 Desired Outcomes by 2022

• By 2022, all learners have

Basic access to equitable inclusive
Education quality Education that qualifies
them to pursue higher
education.
 NDP5 Desired Outcomes by 2022

Vocational • By 2022, Namibia has put

Education and in place an education
Training (TVET) system that responds to
and Higher industrial needs.
Education
National and International Goals on
Education

ICTs play a vital role in achieving the set

national and international goals through
creating innovative platforms and solutions
that transform methods of learning,
teaching, enrolment, collaboration and
assessment.

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3. Key facts – ICT and Education
 Access to Internet
Namibia
Internet Users

Total:797,027

% of
population:
31%

ITU, June 2017

In 2016, about 80 per cent of the population in developed

regions had Internet access, compared to 40 per cent in
developing regions and 15 per cent in LDCs.
Source: UN, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2017
Higher education institutions’ analytics deployments

Almost 40% of institutions have fully deployed

analytics for tracking student learning and
progress and enrolment management.
Source: Ovum
Higher education institutions’ solution investment plans

Approximately 56% of institutions have strategic

or minor investment planned for their student
information systems (SIS) in the near future.
Source: Ovum
Proportion of individuals using the Internet, by age, 2017

• The proportion of young people aged 15-24

using the Internet (71%) is significantly higher
than the proportion of the total population using
the Internet (48%).
Source: ITU
 Internet user gender gap (%), 2013 and 2017

• The digital gender gap persists;

• Worldwide: women proportion 12% lower than
men;
• Africa: women proportion 25% lower than men.

Source: ITU
ICT is transforming methods of learning, teaching,
enrolment, collaboration and assessment
4. The role and contribution of Telecom
Namibia
 XNET Development Alliance Trust
TELECOM NAMIBIA PROVIDES SUBSIDIZED PRICING FOR INTERNET CONNECTIVITY TO
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THROUGH THIS VEHICLE

• Established over 13 years ago.

Establishment
• Trust is referred to as XNET.

• To harness and co-ordinate resources, goodwill

and support for the provision, maintenance and
furtherance of access to and the use of
Trust Objective Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) at schools and other educational, health and
social or public institutions in Namibia.
 Telecom Namibia Contribution

Broadband
Internet Access Broadband
for Schools Internet Access
for other
educational
Institutions

National Partnership Framework

Bandwidth
(IP/MPLS) (30-50%)
Dial-up call
charges (Being
Dedicated phased out)
Internet Access
Telecom Namibia Contribution – Educational Institutions

535

Contribution: 456

(30-50%)

30 40
9

TRCs Libraries Other Schools Total

Other institutions includes: Community Learning

and Development Centres (CLDC), Circuit
Offices, Institutions of Higher Learning, etc.
 Technology Mapping - Schools
Covered + Connected
26%
Not Covered + Not Connected 38%

36%

Covered + Not Connected

1. A total of 1,781 schools across the country were

targeted for the mapping;
2. About 36% of the schools can still be connected
with various technologies.
 Number of Schools per Region

Technology
mapping has
considered the
distribution of
schools across
the country.

Source: NSA
 Connectivity options allowed

Current
Going forward
- ADSL - ADSL

- Wimax
- Wimax
- Carrier Ethernet
- Carrier Ethernet
- Digicon

- Digicon - ISDN

- GSM:3G/4G
- ISDN
- TD-LTE

- VSAT
 Targeted Institutions
Government
Schools Registered
Private
Schools
Colleges

Partnership Universities
National and Framework
Community
Libraries
Teachers
Vocational Resource
Research Centres
Training
Institutions
Institutions

1. Educational Institutions must be approved by GRN, accredited by

NQA and/or registered with NTA
2. Educational institutions should not be reselling internet services to
anyone (eg. Students)
5. Conclusion
 Institutions of learning are increasingly
supporting the use of innovative technologies in
teaching and learning;
Institutions will expect more from their online
learning platforms;
Teaching methods and practices will be facilitated
by alternative content forcing change in the
textbook publishing industry;
The education sector will experience increase in
investments into next-generation student
information systems;
 PRE_REQUISITES TO ACCELERATE ICT
DEVELOPMENT IN NAMIBIA

• Increase Government spent on ICT

• Infrastructure/Networking/Applications
• Compulsory ICT in education
• Budgetary provision for ICT in schools

Education
ICT
&
Entrepreneurship
Power
& Housing
The support for provision of subsidised internet
access to educational institutions with the aim of
improving access to information and ensuring
inclusive quality education remains relevant.

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