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ICTMinistry of ICTPCS

CONTENTS

Welcome to MICTPCS : 2
Remarks from the PS : 3
CSZ write-up : 4
Jokes and notices : 6
ICT Achievers Awards : 5
CIC project : 6
Vacancies : 7
Calendar of events : 7
E-tech Africa Expo : 7
Latest developments : 8

WELCOME TO MINISTRY OF INFORMATION COMMUNI-

CATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES’
JUST ICT MAGAZINE

Ministry Vision: A knowledge-based society with ubiquitous connectivity by 2020.
Mission of Ministry : Exploit the potential of information communication technology, postal
and courier services for sustainable socio-economic development in Zimbabwe.

Ministry of ICTPCS Head Office
Private bag cy419
Causeway
7th FLOOR BANK CHAMBERS BUILDING
76 SAMORA MACHEL AVE
TEL: 04-706446
EMAIL: [email protected]
Website: www.ictministry.gov.zw

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Affordable Access

The Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services is envisioned to see Zim-
babwe emerging as a knowledge based society with ubiquitous connectivity. But will that translate to afford-
able access? Many would probably want to question. What is the government doing to ensure that there is
access of ICTs to the citizenry? How affordable are these ICTs? These are pertinent questions that the minis-
try and the ICT providers should answer. They should in fact work hard to ensure that there is affordable ac-
cess to ICTs for all.

The terms ‘access’ and ‘affordable’ need to be defined. Accessibility simply implies that can everyone use it
and affordability means can everyone afford to use it, that is the real cost of access. There are a range of
costs related to the use of ICTs beyond the initial purchase of the technology which need to be affordable.
These might include costs relating to installation, rental services, telephone calls, internet provision, electrici-
ty, maintenance, etc. The following are necessary when considering accessibility;
 All users are treated alike with no discrimination.
 There is no difference in services as well as the price or quality of services provided to different users.
 Access is inclusive of all gender, ethnic, social or religious groups.
 There is no difference in service or tariffs based on geographic location, particularly between urban or

rural areas.
 There is special treatment for those with disabilities to ensure they have equal access to ICTs and ser-

vices.
If the said are taken care of affordable access will be achieved.

The original charter of the UN ICT Task Force and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) had
the following two as part of their important obligations:
 We are resolute in our quest to ensure that everyone can benefit from the opportunities that ICTs can

offer. We agree that to meet these challenges, all stakeholders should work together to: improve access
to information and communication infrastructure and technologies
 Connectivity is a central enabling agent in building the Information Society. Universal, ubiquitous, equita-
ble and affordable access to ICT infrastructure and services, constitutes one of the challenges of the Infor-
mation Society and should be an objective of all stakeholders

Engineer S. M Kundishora …… continued on page 5
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of information Communication
Technology, Postal and courier services

THE COMPUTER SOCIETY OF ZIMBABWE – 41 YEARS OF SERVICE

CSZ Mission: The Computer Society of Zimbabwe aims to be the leading body that informs and advises poli-
cy makers and ICT users, represents the interests of its mmbers and encourages professionalism and ethics
in the application of ICT in Zimbabwe.

CSZ was founded in 1974 with one principal objective, that of benefitting the Computer Industry and all
people who work in it. The Society's aims were to educate the general public on the use and development
of Electronic Data Processing, today more widely known as Information and Communication Technology
(ICT). It set itself up to bring people using computers together, to set up standards within the industry and to
promote computers and their use in scientific and commercial environments. Since its formation, CSZ has
indeed played a leading role in ICT development, creating public awareness and focusing on education,
professionalism and advising Government and other national bodies.

Role in Education:
As early as 1975, CSZ was responsible for the introduction of the first Computer Studies Diploma at the Hara-
re and Bulawayo Polytechnics – the diploma was, the fore-runner to the current HND.
Since 1999, CSZ has been administering the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) in an endeavour
to promote the level of computer literacy and competency nation-wide. ICDL has proved very popular
with more than 70000 individuals in Zimbabwe undergoing the training and certification, and now offers em-
ployers an international standard by which they can validate computer skills of all PC users throughout their
organisations. NAMACO (National Manpower Advisory Council) has recommended that ICDL be the stand-
ard for entry level ICT education. World-wide, over 13 million people have participated in the ICDL.
The Computer Society of Zimbabwe has accredited a number of ATCs around the country to offer the ICDL
program.
New ICDL
The new ICDL is an update of the ICDL programme that focuses on currency and flexibility. New content
has been added to the programme to ensure coverage of the digital skills and knowledge required now
and in the future. The structure of the programme now offers flexibility, allowing individuals and organisa-
tions to develop digital literacy, competence, and expertise in a way that is appropriate to them. Im-
portantly, this new flexibility gives opportunities to not only engage with new candidates but to re-engage
with existing candidates, as they pursue their goal of lifelong learning.

e-Learner

In 2010 the e-learner program was identified as the program that would fill the gap that had been
there at primary schools in terms of IT skills.
International links:

CSZ became a full member of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) in
1987.

IFIP is the leading multinational, apolitical organization in Information & Communications Technol-
ogies and Sciences
Professionalism:

CSZ sets standards for its members, not only for their own benefit, but also to give assurance to
those who employ, or retain the services of, CSZ members. Members are graded according to ed-
ucational achievement and experience and all are subject to a Code of Ethics and Code of
Conduct.
CSZ has always worked closely with Government and through its participation with the NECF has
been at the forefront of the recent developments which led to the establishment of the national
ICT Strategy Framework. Senior members of the Society continue to give their time voluntarily for
this and other important national projects – there is still much to be done.

PS Note on Affordable Access continued...

What this means therefore is that everyone has a duty to ensure that this is achieved. As govern-
ment we are ensuring that well-rounded policies and regulations, for example, which stimulate both
supply of and demand for broadband are a must. Once that is done all players must be seen taking
part in this national obligation.
The government has rolled out projects that are aimed at achieving affordable access to ICTs by eve-
ryone everywhere taking cognizance of the fact that ICTs are now considered a basic human birth-
right. These projects include, Community Information Centres (CICs), ICT Lab per school, connect a
school connect a community, e-government, last mile connectivity, capacity building and ICT aware-
ness campaigns. Once there is enough buy-in from our private sector these projects will result in our
citizens transforming from being digital aliens to being digital natives. Digital aliens are those who
were either born before technology or are foreigners to the world of ICTs – the technophobic of our
society, the ‘have-nots’. The digital natives on the other hand, are the ‘haves’, those who are techno
-savvy and at home with the ICT gadgets, processes and applications.
As stipulated by the UN ICT Task Force and the WSIS, everybody has a duty to play for nations to
achieve affordable access to ICTs. It is therefore my call to all especially ICT stakeholders to honestly
play your part so that this national agenda is achieved. It is also of paramount importance to bear in
mind that affordable access promotes active citizenship: public participation in democratic process-
es, increased awareness of the rights of the citizen, access to government information and services.

The ministry of ICT PCS would like to congratulate all the contestants that won in the 2015 ICT
Achievers awards.

5

International Girls in ICT, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of April every year (falling on 26 April this
year) is an initiative backed by International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Member States in Pleni-
potentiary Resolution 70 (Guadalajara, 2010) to create a global environment that empowers and en-
courages girls and young women to consider careers in the growing field of information and communi-
cation technologies (ICTs).

Calendar of Events JOKES

6

Community Information Centres (CICs)

7

8