Use of Information and Communication Technology ICT for Education, Research and Development in Ghana

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Use of Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) for Education, Research and Development in
Ghana Challenges, Opportunities and Potentials
Round Table on Bridging the Digital Divide
By

• Mr. Joseph D. K. Intsiful
• Dr. Philip Kwaku Fosu Okyere
• Dr. Shiloh Osae

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OUTLINE

• Background
• ICT Indicators in Ghana (1995-1998)
• ICT-Infrastructure for Education, Research and
  Development
• Challenges, Opportunities and Potentials
• Solution Strategy
• Summary Conclusion

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Background
Nature of the Problem

• ICT-Infrastructure
• Poor Quality of Service and Underdevelopment of
  ICT-Infrastructure
• Over Utilization of Existing Infrastructure
  (Increasing Population)
• Lack critical drive and Innovative strategies
• High subscription and infrastructure costs
• Regulatory issues (ICT Policy in draft stage)
• Brain Drain

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ICT Indicators (1)

• Ghana, first sub-Saharan African Country to have
  full internet connectivity (1993)
• Three main ISPs
• Network Computer Systems (NCS)
• AfricaOnline
• Internet Ghana
• High Charges (US35 - US300 per month)
• Dial up (US30 US50)
• Corporate Account
• Limited (US50)
• Unlimited (US300)

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ICT Indicators (2)
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ICT Indicators (3)
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DIAGRAM ON DEPLOYMENT
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ICT-Infrastructure for Education, R D

• Research and Educational Network (REN)
  established in 2000
• To bring all Institutions under One technological
  Umbrella
• Link all libraries in Educational Research
• To harness the potential of resource sharing
• Collaborators
• University of Ghana (Greater Accra )
• University of Cape Coast (Central Region)
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
  Technology
• (Ashanti Region)
• University College of Education, Winneba (Central
  Region)
• Center for Scientific and Industrial Research (
  Greater Accra)
• Ghana Atomic Energy Commission ( Greater Accra)
• University of Development Studies, Tamale
  (Northern Region)

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ICT-Infrastructure for Education, R D

• Research and Education Network (REN)
• Fibre optic as the main backbone (inter-city
  links) Radio network from a fibre optic access
  point in each city to the end-user.
• University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, hosting the
  main server and a VSAT link to the Internet

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Challenges, Opportunities and Potentials

• High running and subscription costs
• Lack of good publicity and incentives to attract
  potential users
• Identification of information sources that meet
  the needs of users
• Poor Quality of Service of the internet and
  telecommunication services
• Regulatory issues (exclusivity policies and ban
  on use of VOIP)
• Effective management of network traffic and
  infrastructure

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Solution Strategy

• ICT Taskforce with representatives from all
  stakeholders
• To assist policy makers in the formulation of
  sustainable ICT programs- roadmap
• To manage and co-ordinate activities of the
  research and educational network
• To develop innovative ideas for the efficient
  utilization of the ICT infrastructure (e.g.
  distance education and virtual laboratories for
  teaching and research)
• To provide training in the use of new ICT tools
  and
• To promote the use of cost-effective
  ICT-Technologies such as Open-Source
  (e.g.Web4mail and EJDS) and Wireless Technologies

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Summary Conclusion

• Nature of the Problem has been analyzed
• ICT Indicators in Ghana (1995-1998) has been
  presented
• ICT-Infrastructure for Education, Research and
  Development was presented
• Challenges, Opportunities and Potentials outlined
  
• Solution Strategy was given

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Closing Remarks
We paid the price of not taking part in the
Industrial Revolution of the late eighteenth
century because we did not have the opportunity
to see what was taking place in Europe. Now we
see that Information and Communication Technology
has become an indispensable tool. This time, we
should not miss out on this technological
revolution Professor F.K.A. Allotey, a
distinguished Ghanaian scholar
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