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Rwanda Education and Research Network (Rwednet)

Brussels, 07 March 2006Albert NsengiyumvaNUR ICT Team Leader

Basic facts

Economy based on subsistence agriculture

90% agricultural sector : 0.5 to 1 ha per household

Limited natural resources 47% (male) to 53% (female) Low skilled man power 65% of Rwandans below

poverty line ( less than 1 US $ per day)

Development Goals

•Conducive political environment ( unity § reconciliation, justice and human rights, democracy …)

•Macro economic stability

•Knowledge led economy (HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT, ICT development, …)

•Modernization of agriculture (poverty reduction: rural development, food security, environment …)

•Service sector, private sector promotion, ...

Economic strategies Poverty reduction (PRSP

II=EDPR)

Economic stability and investment promotion

Rural economy transformation

Support the gigantic effort required for a quick and steady human resources and skills development

Diversification of the economy

The The FrameworkFramework

The The FrameworkFramework

Rwanda ICT4D Policy ProcessVISION 2020

The The FrameworkFramework

The The FrameworkFramework

The The PolicyPolicyThe The

PolicyPolicyThe The

PolicyPolicyThe The

PolicyPolicy

ImplementationImplementationImplementationImplementation

1998POLICY

PROCESS COMMENCED

2000POLICY & PLAN ENDORSED BY CABINET

2001-5FIRST 5

YEAR PLAN

The Plan

Major challenges in HEIs and RCs

Inadequate infrastructure (question of accessibility) Shortage of qualified personnel Quality of Education

– Appropriate teaching methods– Access to scientific documentation– Information Communication Technology

Research capacity Heavy overall admnistration (Need to improve procedures and

routines) Inadequate funding Limited facilities such as accomodation and classrroms for students

Key issues for ICT Policy in HEIs

ICT Infrastructure Development Instructional Technology Design ICT Research ICT Extension programs

Common ICT usage issues

• Power shortage

• Retention of IT Staff

• High cost of Internet connectivity

• Low level of IT usage in curriculum

development and delivery

Justification of NREN :

Need for collaboration to address Bandwidth issue at the National level through a consortium of HEIs and RCs

Content Resource sharing such as e-journals,online course material or ICT related applications

Collaborative programs such as research capacity building, teacher training as well as hands on training for network managers

Extend research cooperation at National, Regional and International levels

Current Status of NREN Establishment :

- Technical Working group to review the

constitution and the project proposal

- Presentation to the Rector’s meeting to be

held later this month for further actions

Way forward : Proposed concrete actions

• Setting up a permanent Rwednet Secretariat to support the establishment, development and expansion of the Network.

• Linking up with Regional REN through UA initiative

MURAKOZE

(Thank you)