Eastern Cape ICT Summit
Very encouraging words were heard at the EC ICT Summit in Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Bay) this morning from the Hon. Noxolo Kiviet, the province's Premier. Her prime rationale for why the EC government and Premier's Office is so interested in ICT development in this province, is that, "ICT's can mediate the relationship between citizen and state." Technology can "braoden the presence of state" for people especially in rural areas.
This is the enlightened stance that can bridge divides in our province between the impoverished rural areas and the highly developed sectors in cities and rurality. Ms. Kiviet called for an information driven approach to land reform, something that must surely happen as racial lines still distort the reality of the people populating this land.
Ms. Kiviet also told me that she has thrice in the last month been at schools in the Elliotdale area, near where our solar schools project has been realised and is running, and that her interests are aligned with the truly broad base. I believe that Ms. Kiviet will continue the kinds of broad based policies that we have seen from her female predecessor, Nosimo Balindlela. This bodes very well for our province.
Siyabulela!
By: Ron Wertlen
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Photos on eLearning Africa 2011 competition
If you have a chance, please have a look at our photos on the eLearning Africa page:
The Village Scribe Association submitted 5 images (with very cool descriptions!!) for the eLearning Africa Photo Competition. Please, help us to win the competition by voting for us now online! Some of the photos are quite bland until you get behind what the photographer is thinking and what the deeper significance of the photo is to the people involved and our society…
The photos are called (just click to vote and read the comment)
[1] Curiosity, awareness and motivation
At school after dark...[2] Solar Panels, Off-line Internet and awareNet
Solar power for awareNet[3] Rural SA cooperates with German University
International collaboration![4] Upstarters being aware
Upstart youth newspaper, with awareNet[5] When power is more of a problem than owning a cell
Wild Coast Problems...
By: Ron Wertlen
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