Rwanda to advance digital literacy

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The Memorandum of Understanding signed on Wednesday, January 28, 2015 between the Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Youth and ICT, and ICDL aims to advance digital literacy in Rwanda.
The International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) programme will facilitate the translation of the Equal Skills introductory workbook-based programme to Kinyarwanda in order to address computer skills in the general population, especially in areas where English literacy is less developed. The potential to develop audio and/or audio visual support resources will be examined by the Parties.

Group photoBoth parties will collaborate under the initiatives of the Smart Rwanda Master Plan which are related to digital awareness and digital literacy aims to certify 85,000 employees of central and local government and the general public across Rwanda.

The Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana speaking at the ceremony stressed that ?The MoU will fast track Rwanda?s Digital Literacy training and certification program for Government employees, teachers, students and the general population.?

Minister Nsengimana said that the partnership will go a long way in capacity building and increasing productivity, noting that the government and the private sector lose a lot because of the low productivity of employees.
?This opportunity provides us with a new beginning to raise the standards. There are so many places in the country where IT is taught but so far there has not been a national standard of ICT literacy. It is important that they not only acquire skills but they have accredited certification,? Hon. Nsengimana said.

Proposals for digital literacy capacity building will be developed with a focus on employability skills, targeting high school and university graduates, those in rural areas, and those in the SME sector.
One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative in Rwanda could be complemented by a digital awareness / digital literacy programme, run a pilot including an ICDL programme at a school in Kigali. Also ICDL programme will be implemented in the Ministry of Youth and ICT and other ministries and government institutions.

ICDL to support the development of a National Digital Literacy Policy in Rwanda. Specifically. ICDL Africa is a subsidiary of ECDL Foundation, the not-for-profit certifying authority of ICDL. Established to guide the implementation of the ICDL standards in the African context, ICDL Africa manages the accreditation of a growing network of ICDL Accredited Test Centres, and provides a focal point for the formation of partnerships with organisations who share our national economic development and capacity building goals.
ICDL certification programmes have been delivered to over 12 million people, in 41 languages, across 148 countries, through a network of over 24,000 test centres.

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